DNA breakthrough solves 1985 teen murder in US after 40 years

 

By SUMESH RAJAN | 16 May 2025

 

In a remarkable milestone for cold-case investigations, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) in the U.S. state of Utah has solved the 1985 murder of 18-year-old Christine Gallegos — exactly four decades after her death shocked the community.

 

Through a combination of advanced DNA testing and investigative genealogy, police have identified Ricky Lee Stallworth, a U.S. Air Force airman stationed in Layton, Utah, as the perpetrator. Stallworth, who was 27 at the time of the crime, died of natural causes in July 2023, just months before authorities could interview him.

                                                                                       

“This case reflects the persistence of law enforcement and the incredible advancements in forensic science,” said Chief Brian Redd of SLCPD. “In the state of Utah, and across the country, we are committed to delivering justice — no matter how much time has passed.”

 

The Night Christine Gallegos Was Taken

 

Christine Gallegos was last seen alive at 10:30 pm on May 15, 1985, in the city of Kearns, Utah. She had told her family she was hitchhiking to work at a bar in downtown Salt Lake City. Witnesses later reported hearing gunshots around 11:30 pm near 1384 Jefferson Street in Salt Lake City.

 

Her body was discovered at approximately 3:50 am on May 16 by a passerby. Gallegos had suffered brutal injuries — she had been beaten, stabbed, and shot twice in the head. Investigators believed she was picked up by an unknown person who drove her to a remote location before killing her when she resisted.

 

The murder stunned Utah’s capital city, but despite public outcry and sustained investigative efforts, no suspect was ever identified at the time.

 

A Forensic Trail That Spanned Decades

 

In 2010, preserved biological evidence from Gallegos’ body was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national database. Although no match was found, the DNA remained a key piece of evidence.

 

In 2023, nearly four decades later, the Utah Cold Case Review Board and the State of Utah Crime Lab recommended the use of investigative genetic genealogy. The SLCPD partnered with Othram Inc., a forensic DNA lab based in Texas, which specializes in tracing family lines through DNA profiles.

 

Othram developed a genealogical profile and eventually identified a potential family match. Police then contacted Stallworth’s biological son, who voluntarily submitted a DNA sample. That sample confirmed a direct link to the DNA recovered in 1985.

 

“We may not have had the tools back then, but Utah now has the capability and commitment to solve these crimes,” said Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer at Othram. “This technology is restoring truth for families who have waited too long.”

 

The Suspect: A Former Airman in Utah

 

Ricky Lee Stallworth was living in Layton, a city in northern Utah, at the time of the crime. He was serving as an enlisted airman at Hill Air Force Base, a major U.S. military installation.

 

Police investigators interviewed several people close to Stallworth, including three of his four ex-wives and a longtime friend. Eventually, his biological son’s cooperation allowed investigators to make a definitive DNA match.

 

Detective Cordon Parks of SLCPD, who led the final stages of the case, confirmed, “We missed our opportunity to speak with him by just a few months, but the science is clear — Stallworth is the man who killed Christine Gallegos.”

 

Sexual Assault Kit Initiative and Utah’s Cold Case Reform

 

The case also benefited from the efforts of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), a nationwide program introduced in Utah in 2015. SAKI is designed to address backlogs of untested sexual assault evidence and has helped close at least five cold-case homicides in the state.

 

“In cases like this, we may not get to arrest anyone, but we can still deliver answers,” said Steve O’Camb, a SAKI investigator with the Utah Department of Public Safety. “The victim’s family deserves to know the truth.”

 

A Mother's Decades of Grief in the State of Utah

 

For Leah Gallegos, the victim’s mother, the announcement brought long-awaited resolution. She had spent 40 years waiting for justice in her home state of Utah, often frustrated by the slow pace of the investigation.

 

“I miss her every single day,” she said in an emotional statement. “I wonder what her life would have been like — the children she might have had, the joy she could have brought. They stole that from her — and from all of us.”

 

“She was bright, sweet, in love with her fiancé, Troy. They took everything when they took her,” Leah added, fighting back tears.

 

Closure Without Prosecution

 

Though no criminal trial will take place due to Stallworth’s death, police are confident in their conclusion.

 

“This case is now officially closed,” said Detective Parks. “We can say with certainty that Ricky Lee Stallworth was responsible. And while we cannot put handcuffs on him, we can give this family — and the state of Utah — the truth they deserve.”