New DNA Lead in 25 Year Old Starkville Cold Case

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been 25 years and now technology may finally catch up with a killer.

The Starkville Police Department has a new lead in the Labor Day murders from September of 1990.

That’s when an unknown white male entered the Lee Street home of Kathryn Crigler, assaulting her and leaving her for dead. Her friend Betty Jones was dead at the scene.

Now the Suspect DNA profile reveals two possible family names.

Those family names are Hicks and Devine or Divine.

That means the killer’s DNA is tied to those family names.

Crigler identified the suspect as a white male with blonde hair and blue eyes and very tan complexion at the time of the crime.

Investigators believe at the time the suspect was between 16 and 28 years old. That would make him between 41 and 53 years of age now.

Previous DNA testing shows the suspect to be approximately 90% white European descent and possibly 10% American Indian and with possibly some portion of Jewish descent.

if you have information contact Sergeant Bill Lott of the Starkville Police Department at 662-323-4131.