She was found murdered in her home in 1998. The weapon, an axe, was left at the scene. The case went cold for 24 years until genetic genealogy identified a suspect.
COLD CASE ARREST: The Jennifer Brinkman Case
1998: Jennifer Brinkman, 19, found murdered in her family’s Marysville, WA home
- Murder weapon (an axe) left at the scene
- DNA evidence preserved but no match found
- Case goes cold for 24 years
November 2022: Jeffrey Premo, 52, of Renton, WA arrested and charged with first-degree murder
The breakthrough came from genetic genealogy testing by Parabon NanoLabs. DNA from Brinkman’s fingernails was uploaded to GEDMatch, and genealogists built a family tree that led investigators to Premo.
After 24 years, Brinkman’s family has answers.
The science caught up to the evidence.
Sources: Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Marysville Police Department, HeraldNet.com
#TrueCrime #ColdCase #GeneticGenealogy #Marysville #Washingtonstate