DNA Evidence Leads to Breakthrough in Jeanie Childs' 1993 Murder Case

In a significant development in a decades-old murder case, Jerry Westrom was arrested in February 2019 for the brutal stabbing of Jeanie Childs, who was found dead in her Minneapolis apartment on June 13, 1993. Childs, 35, was discovered with over 60 stab wounds, her body partially concealed under a bed, and with signs of a violent struggle in her bedroom.

During the initial investigation, police encountered a rare clue: bloody, bare footprints left at the crime scene. Retired forensic scientist Bart Epstein noted the unusual nature of such evidence, saying, "You don't see this at crime scenes in general, bare feet that have stepped in blood." These footprints were crucial in implicating the killer, as Childs was wearing socks at the time of her death, indicating the prints could only belong to the murderer.

Investigators compared the footprints with several individuals, including Childs' live-in partner, Arthur Gray, who had a solid alibi and was ruled out after forensic examination of his own footprints. Years went by without leads until 2015, when advanced DNA testing revealed an unknown genetic profile linked to several items from the crime scene.

Using investigative genetic genealogy techniques, authorities traced the DNA to two brothers in Minnesota, one of whom was Westrom. Following surveillance, they managed to obtain a napkin used by Westrom, which confirmed the DNA match.

Westrom was arrested in February 2019, but during questioning, he denied any involvement and claimed he did not know Childs. Authorities then collected his footprints for forensic comparison. Mark Ulrick, a forensic division supervisor, emphasized the uniqueness of friction ridge skin in identifying prints, a critical factor in confirming Westrom's culpability and ruling out other suspects.

As the case unfolds, investigators remain focused on solidifying their evidence against Westrom. While he has refrained from admitting guilt, the combination of DNA evidence and footprint analysis could finally bring justice to the unsolved mystery of Jeanie Childs' murder.