Credit: Ohio AG's Office
Evidence preservation, familial DNA, covert collection and incredibly persistent investigators has led to the arrest of Robert Edwards for the rape and murder of a young woman in Ohio 31 years ago. DNA from that case has also hit to a similar 1996 cold case, although no charges have been made in that case yet.
“[Edwards] had a reckless, violent past. It’s not unreasonable to believe he may be responsible for other cases. If there are other counties in Ohio, or other states he may have lived in who have cases that are similar in nature, I hope they reach out,” said Rick Minerd, Chief Deputy of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
The cases
Last week, Minerd, his team and the Cold Case team from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) arrested Edwards, 67, for the murder of 30-year-old Alma Lake.
On June 3, 1991, two passersby found Lake’s nude body lying in the grass near a street corner in Urbancrest. Lake was strangled, bound and showed signs of sexual assault. Evidence was collected and although the case grew cold quickly, the evidence was well-preserved.
That’s one of the reasons Lake’s case stood out to the BCI Cold Case team when they began reviewing open cases. With the advancement of DNA technology, BCI’s forensic laboratory was able to develop an offender’s profile, but it did not generate any hits in CODIS.
After what investigators described as “covert work” to collect additional DNA, BCI turned to familial DNA searching and genetic genealogy to try to develop a lead. They were successful, with the data pointing to Edwards.
A subsequent search warrant for Edwards’ DNA was executed, and eight days later on Nov. 11, 2021, BCI confirmed that Edwards’ DNA matched evidence retrieved from Lake’s body 31 years ago.
But that wasn’t all. The lab also confirmed Edwards’ DNA matched evidence retrieved from the body of Michelle Dawson, who was found dead on the side of a road in Licking County, Ohio—about 50 miles east of where Lake’s body was found. The 1996 rape and murder of Dawson shares many similarities to that of Lake, including suspect DNA.
However, at this time, Edwards is not currently charged in Dawson’s death.
“We will leave no stone unturned with the suspect that was arrested for this case, whether that is previous cases he is involved in that may be within the statute of limitation, or may not be. We are going to work out everything this individual has been involved in,” said BCI Special Investigator Roger Davis.
The BCI Cold Case team was established in 2020 and has had some degree of success in about 25 cases thus far. But, BCI superintendent Joseph Morbitzer said one of the issues his team regularly faces is the 25-year statute of limitations on sexual assault and rape. Ohio Attorney General Yost has been outspoken on ending the statute of limitations on rape completely, with former Ohio attorney generals as well as Ohio governor Mike DeWine signing letters of support for Yost’s plan.
During the press conference announcing Edwards’ arrest on Tuesday, Minerd briefly mentioned a “similar case” that occurred in the county just a couple days after Lake was found murdered. The victim of this assault survived, but even if Edwards or someone else is eventually linked to the crime, the statute of limitations has already run out.
Minerd did not provide any further information on the case, but did say, “Honestly we wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for her contribution.”