DNA evidence leads to suspect in 48-year-old Sharron Prior murder cold case
Longueuil police (SPAL) in Quebec are one step closer to solving a 48-year-old cold case involving the brutal murder of Sharron Prior.
Using advanced DNA testing techniques, investigators have identified a suspect in the decades-old crime that took place in Montreal’s Pointe-Saint-Charles neighborhood in 1975.
Sharron Prior, a 16-year-old girl, disappeared after planning to meet friends at a local pizza restaurant but never showed up.
Her body was later discovered in a field, bearing signs of assault and rape.
The shocking nature of the crime rocked the community and turned it into one of Quebec’s most high-profile cold cases.
Over the years, police examined more than 100 suspects but were unable to make an arrest.
However, recent advancements in investigative techniques provided a breakthrough.
Authorities exhumed the body of Franklin Romine, an American who passed away seven years after the murder, after DNA evidence found on Prior’s clothing linked him to the crime.
Romine fit the description provided by witnesses in 1975 and had an extensive criminal record involving violent offenses.
Despite objections from Romine’s family, the court granted permission for the exhumation in order to confirm his involvement in the killing and bring closure to Prior’s grieving family.
Yvon Prior, Sharron’s mother, has endured decades of anguish and tirelessly searched for answers.
The news of a potential resolution to her daughter’s case has brought both hope and pain.
At 85 years old, Yvon Prior eagerly awaits the results of the lab tests, which are expected to confirm the suspect’s identity within the next few weeks.
The imminent closure of this 48-year-old cold case marks a significant milestone for Longueuil police and brings the prospect of justice for Sharron Prior and her grieving family, who have long yearned for answers and the alleviation of their pain.
