The cold case murders of two Pennsylvania women have been solved as a long-haul trucker was revealed to be the killer up to 50 years later.
James Richard Clark, 66, was identified as the killer of Susan Rush, 21, and Brenda Ritter, 18, who were both sexually assaulted and strangled in Washington County in 1976 and 1977.
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Department announced the significant development found using DNA technology in a press conference on November 4.
'Through advancements in DNA technology and continued investigative efforts, investigators were able to link James Richard Clark to the 1976 homicide of Susan Rush and the 1977 homicide of Brenda Ritter,' the PSP wrote in a Facebook statement.
According to PEOPLE, Rush was leaving a Washington County shopping center before planning to attend a Thanksgiving dinner on November 25, 1976. The young woman never arrived at her destination and was later found dead in the trunk of her car on North Avenue.
Only a year later, Ritter was leaving her boyfriend's home on in a thunderstorm before she was sexually assaulted and strangled on May 18, 1977. The following day her car was found empty, and her naked body was located a mile away in South Strabane, Pennsylvania.
State authorities reported that the DNA left at the scene of Ritter and Rush's death matched with Clark who died of natural causes at 66 years old in 2023.
PSP reported in their news conference that Clark was a long-haul trucker and was not originally a suspect until DNA evidence was recently found.
Susan Rush, 21, was leaving Washington County shopping center before planning to attend a Thanksgiving dinner on November 25, 1976.
Brenda Ritter, 18, was leaving her boyfriend's home on in a thunderstorm before she was sexually assaulted and strangled on May 18, 1977. The following day her car was found empty, and her naked body was located a mile away in South Strabane, Pennsylvania
According to the outlet, investigators submitted DNA evidence from Ritter's case in 2008 to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), 'a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons.'
Although investigators checked weekly for results, nothing was found for years.
According to The Observer Reporter, The Washington County District Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA Program granted PSP funding for the DNA testing in August 2021 and May 2022.
At this time, it is unclear if Clark had any connection to the two women or if their murders were random encounters.
PSP authorities have reported Corporal James Petrosky serves as the lead investigator in both cases.
'We don't know at this point, and unfortunately he died, so we don't have the opportunity to arrest him and interview him,' Corporal Petrosky told the outlet.
Police reported no other victims have been identified but investigators will continue their search.
'We're constantly revisiting these cases, trying to go through and see if there's additional evidence that can be tested or retested and different disciplines of DNA testing or fingerprinting examination,' Corporal Petrosky told the outlet.
State authorities reported that the DNA left at the scene of Ritter and Rush's death matched with Clark who died of natural causes at 66 years old in 2023
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Department announced the significant development found using DNA technology in a press conference on November 4
'These cases never go away. They remain open. Our unit strives to try to progress these cases forward,' Corporal Petrosky said in the news conference.
Police officials have encouraged anyone with information regarding either homicide to contact the PSP directly as the investigation remains ongoing.
The Daily Mail has reached out to PSP and the Bureau of Justice Assistance Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA Program for comments.
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