Authorities in Northern California have arrested a 75-year-old Hawaii man in connection with the rape and killing of a teenager in Sunnyvale nearly 40 years ago, using forensic genealogy to zero in on the suspect from his family tree.
Gary Ramirez was arrested Aug. 2 at his home in Makawao on the island of Maui, the Santa Clara County district attorney's office said Tuesday. Once extradited, he will be arraigned on a charge of murder with rape and kidnapping special circumstances, as well as being armed with a dangerous or deadly weapon during the commission of a felony.
Karen Stitt, 15, of Palo Alto was last seen the night of Sept. 2, 1982. She and her 17-year-old boyfriend met at a 7-Eleven shortly before 9 p.m., walked to a miniature golf course and continued on to Ponderosa Elementary School, according to a statement by Sunnyvale Det. Matthew Hutchison.
