Colorado In 1977, the Colorado Springs police think that William Charles Kernan Jr., who was studying at a local college, is the person who killed 14-year-old Maria Loraine Honzell by stabbing her.
At 11:21 p.m. on February 7, 1977, the Colorado Springs Police Department got a call about a potential suicide in the 5400 block of North Nevada Avenue. When they arrived, they found a 14-year-old girl dead with multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck. She was later identified as Maria Loraine Honzell. This was stated in a press release dated May 8. This information was shared in a press release on May 8.
Through genetic genealogy DNA comparisons, the police suspected William Charles Kernan, Jr., who also used the name Bill Kernan. He died in 2010, and since no DNA could be collected from him, the case is considered closed.
Kernan was a student at a local college and knew the woman that Maria Honzell was babysitting for. The police found that Kernan had been to the apartment complex on previous occasions.
The CSPD Detectives asked the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office to review the case with the Genetic Genealogy results of Mr. Kernan. After the review, the District Attorney’s Office concluded that William C. Kernan, Jr. is responsible for the murder of Maria Honzell.
Maria Loraine Honzell was looking after two children when she was killed.
CSPDMaria Honzell.
The investigation found that Honzell was babysitting for a female neighbor who lived in the same apartment complex.
The neighbor came home around 11:20 p.m. and found Honzell dead in the master bedroom. The kids, aged six and eight, were in bed and unharmed.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office did an autopsy and determined that Honzell died from multiple stab wounds and ruled it as a homicide.
DNA advances helped the police find a male DNA profile on Honzell’s clothing from a bloodstain.
CSPDWilliam Kernan.
The Colorado Springs Police Department investigated thoroughly and continued to follow leads and pursue other strategies.
As DNA technology advanced, evidence was re-analyzed and a male DNA profile was found on Honzell’s clothing. However, no match was found despite testing samples from potential suspects and the CODIS database.
In 2019, CSPD asked Parabon NanoLabs to do genetic genealogy DNA analysis using public commercial DNA databases. The blood on the blue jumpsuit was used for Genetic Genealogy (GG) research through Parabon, the release states.
The DNA Profile Was Sent to Public Genetic Genealogy Databases & Helped Lead to William Charles Kernan Jr., Police Say
CSPDWilliam Kernan.
Genetic Genealogy “employs advanced DNA testing along with innovative genetic analysis, sophisticated identification techniques, and traditional genealogical methods to establish the relationship between an individual and his or her ancestors. For forensic investigations, it is used to produce highly informative leads regarding the potential identity of an unknown victim or offender,” the release explains.
It clarifies:
In the investigation of the homicide of Maria Honzell, Parabon submitted the genetic data profile created from the unknown crime scene DNA sample collected from the jumpsuit to a public genetic genealogy database for comparison in hopes of finding individuals who share significant amounts of DNA with the unknown subject. These genetic matches served as clues to inform traditional genealogy research: first, family trees of the matches were constructed back to the set of possible common ancestors using online genealogy databases, newspaper archives, public family trees, obituaries, and other public records, after which descendance research was employed to enumerate the possible identities of the unknown subject.
“The Colorado Springs Police Department wishes to thank the numerous units/agencies who have provided a significant amount of investigative assistance in this case over the years including the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, The El Paso County Coroner’s Office, the Metro Crime Lab, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and Parabon NanoLabs. Parabon was a crucial part in finding the suspect in this investigation,” the release states, noting, “The family and friends of Maria Honzell have waited over forty-seven years to get justice for Maria. Through years of analysis & investigation, CSPD is proud to finally provide answers to Maria’s loved ones.”
