A 79-year-old man has been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old woman who was stabbed more than 120 times in her suburban Chicago home nearly six decades ago.
Karen Snider was found dead by her husband Paul Snider on the night of November 12, 1966, after he returned late to their home in Calumet City, Illinois.
James Barbier was arrested at his home in Missouri on Monday and charged with first-degree murder.
Police reopened the case in 2022 and sent items from the scene, including the victim’s dress and blood-stained bedsheet, for testing, according to Sky News’ US partner network NBC News.
The blood matched Barbier’s DNA and after his arrest he was extradited to Illinois.
Snider was stabbed about 125 times, according to the medical examiner, while her two-month-old daughter was in her crib, unharmed.
Barbier, who worked with her husband at a railroad yard, was arrested in 1966 but was never charged.
“The defendant arrived home and appeared nervous and was observed by her with cuts, blood, and blood on his clothing,” the state attorney’s office said.
“The defendant immediately entered his home, took off his clothes and placed them in the washing machine.”
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The state attorney’s office said Barbier was released Thursday after prosecutors did not attempt to keep him in prison because of his age and “physical infirmity.”
But he is prohibited from leaving Missouri or Illinois and has been ordered to surrender his passport and firearms.
It was unclear whether Barbier has a lawyer and he faces another hearing on May 21.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
