Cutting edge DNA technology has been used to identify a Hawaii man as the chief suspect behind the brutal attack and killing of Dana Ireland in 1991.
The breakthrough offers closure in a mystery that has haunted Hawaii for decades . The man's name is yet to be released, but it has been revealed that he was a resident of Hawaiian Paradise Park and would have been 25 at the time of the crime.
Last week, after law enforcement obtained a search warrant for a cheek swab, the man took his own life. He lived within two miles of the fishing trail where Dana was found, having been beaten severely.
She succumbed to her injuries the following day. Dana had been kidnapped, beaten, and raped, dying from blood loss. DNA collected from seven separate samples, including semen found on her body and clothes, as well as sweat and skin from a Jimmy'z t-shirt, all pointed to one individual.
Mom shot by boyfriend drives 4 kids into a river as witness sees 'little hands trying to poke out'
Florida husband's calculated trap before shooting wife dead and injuring dog as chilling texts emerge
The Hawaii Innocence Project, in collaboration with law enforcement, sent the DNA samples to the California lab Indago Solutions. Steve Kramer of Indago Solutions, known for identifying the Golden State Killer, is credited with the breakthrough in the Ireland case.
Ken Lawson, from the Hawaii Innocence Project, explained that Kramer used forensic genealogy testing, stating: "He was able to go back to records, back to the 1700s here in Hawaii". In a remarkable twist to a decades-old murder case, extensive research by forensic genealogist led to the identification of a new suspect in February, with the findings handed over to the FBI.
An FBI agent teamed up with Hawaii County police to keep tabs on the man, and last month they managed to retrieve a fork he had used and thrown away. The discarded fork underwent lab testing, and in July, it was confirmed as a match.
On July 19, armed with a search warrant, officers collected DNA from the suspect via a cheek swab. Just days after this, the man was discovered dead in his residence, an apparent suicide.
Following his death, the DNA from the cheek swab was tested, confirming once more that there was a match. "He didn't spend a day in jail," lamented Lawson.
Three men were previously arrested for the murder of Ireland back in 1999. Albert Ian Schweitzer had his conviction overturned in January 2023 after spending 23 years behind bars.
His brother Shawn Schweitzer also saw his conviction vacated in October 2023. Frank Pauline, another individual convicted for the Ireland murder, passed away while incarcerated.
The Schweitzer brothers had the support of both the Hawaii and New York Innocence Projects. Lawson expressed frustration that the true perpetrator "took the easy way out" by committing suicide, after having attacked Ireland and letting others serve time for his crime. A hearing is set for Tuesday to delve into these latest revelations.
Local Hawaii State
Most Popular
Comments / 0