Nearly 48 years after the 1977 murder of 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston in San Jose, California, a breakthrough in forensic technology has led to the arrest of 69-year-old Willie Eugene Sims in Jefferson, Ohio. Ralston was found strangled and possibly sexually assaulted in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle on February 1, 1977. Despite initial investigations, the case went cold due to a lack of leads.

The pivotal development came when a thumbprint found on a carton of Eve cigarettes in Ralston’s car was re-examined using the FBI’s updated fingerprint database. The print matched Sims, who was an Army private stationed at Fort Ord, approximately 68 miles south of San Jose, at the time of the murder. Further DNA analysis confirmed that samples collected from Sims matched DNA found under Ralston’s fingernails and on the shirt used to strangle her.

Sims had a prior conviction in 1978 for assault with intent to commit murder in Monterey County, for which he served four years in prison. He has now been charged with Ralston’s murder and was arraigned in Ohio before being extradited to California. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life.