Man Accused Of Killing Newport Beach Girl Nearly 50 Years - CBS News O'Keefe's suspected killer, James Neal, who lived in Southern California in the 1970s, was arrested this week in Colorado where he had been living, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, who was 12 himself at the time of the murder, at a Wednesday news conference. I dont have any friends because Ive always been afraid to make any because I just figured they would only see me as everyone else has in the past.. Photo Source. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted. Spitzer lauded noted DNA investigator CeCe Moore for helping police develop a "pointer" toward Neal. On Tuesday, 45 years after Lindas brutal murder, authorities arrested the man that DNA evidence from a genealogy site allegedly points to as her killer: James Alan Neal, 72, of Monument, Colorado, officials announced at a press conference Wednesday. "Just before midnight, 'a lady in the bluffs above Back Bay hears a female voice outside, screaming "Stop, you're hurting me," ' the police tweeted in O'Keefe's name. "Generations of investigators worked on her case. Over 45 years ago, Linda went missing while. He was apprehended in February after DNA analysis identified him as a suspect in OKeefes slaying. Linda Ann O'Keefe's killing in 1973 in Newport Beach, California went unsolved for more than four decades. DNA recovered from O'Keefe shortly after her death was put into the Combined DNA Index System the law enforcement database known as CODIS but there was no hit, said Spitzer. Track Latest News and Karnataka Elections 2023 Coverage Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. Linda never made it home that afternoon, he said. That night, family members, volunteers and police spread out to search for her. ", "I couldn't carry that burden in my heart of hating an individual even though he committed this horrible crime," she said. James Allen Neal. Investigators would later learn that the girl had last been seen at an intersection, talking to a stranger in a turquoise van. On the day Linda Ann O'Keefe died, it was a cooler-than-normal July morning in Newport Beach, California. It is not clear if Neal, 72, will waive extradition, Spitzer said. James Neal, 73, was arrested last year in Monument for the 1973 murder of 11-year-old Linda O'Keefe in Newport Beach, California. Neal moved to Southern California from Chicago before the murder and relocated to Florida after the girl's slaying, authorities said. But that day, she was dropped off. Last year, 45 years after O'Keefe's body was found, police released these sketches of her suspected killer. Neal was arrested Tuesday "without incident" in Colorado Springs, Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis said at a news conference Wednesday. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer also called the arrest "bittersweet," noting that he had been 12 years old when the 11-year-old was killed. She was raped and then strangled to death. Linda O'Keefe. When O'Keefe didn't return home right away, there was little concern at first. Spitzer said a DNA sample was recovered from O'Keefe after her body was found and uploaded to a database, where it never matched others. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. PRESS RELEASE: Linda OKeefe Homicide https://t.co/sSg9rjwXgH, Starting tomorrow at 7:45 am, #LindasStory will be told here, through our Twitter account. "But it created an awareness . According to police, O'Keefe normally rode her bike to summer school. After Lindas death, Neal moved to Florida, where he changed his name to James Alan George Leyton, Spitzer said. He feels he has always been picked on and never given a chance to better himself or be equal to others, Neal wrote in the report. Records obtained by the Southern California News Group show that Neal was arrested more than a dozen times in California, Florida and Colorado from 1959 to 1974. "I never really thought that they would actually ever find the individual responsible," Cindy Borgeson, a sister of Linda OKeefe, told ABC News. A day later, her body was found in a ditch, and she had been sexually assaulted. Then in January, CeCe Moore of San Clemente, who heads Parabons genetic genealogy unit matched DNA evidence gathered in the OKeefe investigation to a sample provided to genealogy website FamilyTreeDNA.com leading authorities to identify Neal, now 72, as a suspect. For an optimal experience visit our site on . The novel investigative technique of genetic genealogy takes an unknown killer's DNA from a crime scene and identifies the suspect through his or her family members, who voluntarily submit their DNA to genealogy databases. Her body was found the next day -- but decades went by without an arrest. SANTA ANA, CA Officials in California say James Alan Neal, who was arrested last year in Monument for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Linda O'Keefe, has died. O'Keefe disappeared while she was walking home from summer school. pic.twitter.com/47pA4FhBmG, Newport Beach Police (@NewportBeachPD) July 5, 2018, Im wearing a dress today Its white, with light blue flowers on it, and dark blue trim. Investigators said he used to live in Southern California in the 1970s and was known as James Albert Layton Jr at the time, although he later moved to Florida and changed his name. Linda Ann O'Keefe was the middle child in a family of five. (Courtesy of Newport Beach Police Department) Then her mother made that call that every parent dreads and told police her daughter was missing, he said. Cold Case Suspect In Newport Beach Child Death Dies Before Trial Linda O'Keefe Murder Defendant James Alan Neal Is Dead | Law & Crime Using details from the investigator's decades-old case files, police relayed O'Keefe's last hours, as well as her family's frantic search for her, as if they were unfolding in real time, as The Washington Post's Meagan Flynn reported: "At 6:42 p.m., six hours since her mother had last heard from her, O'Keefe's parents reported her missing to the Newport Beach Police Department, convinced by then O'Keefe was not simply running off with friends to retaliate for not getting a ride. He worked odd jobs as a cook, factory worker, a floral delivery person, etc., but could never consistently hold down a job. McMillan remained skeptical. Girl Was Stabbed 59 Times After Parting Ways with Boyfriend in 1982 and Suspect Was Just Arrested, to recount the story of Lindas life, mysterious disappearance and death. It was our intention to see James Alan Neal stand trial and answer for the murder of Linda Ann OKeefe. After his arrest in 1966 for a burglary he committed earlier, his parole officer called him quite immature and psychologically unstable.. The girl, whose body was found the next day, was strangled. "I hope that he has remorse. The authorities confirmed that the 73-year-old showed no symptoms of COVID-19 and that his death was not considered suspicious. "They haven't forgotten about her and we haven't, either.". Since April 2018, genetic genealogy has helped identify more than three dozen suspects, said CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs. Based on a witness statement, it was believed a man in a van kidnapped Linda. Her parents checked with friends and searched the neighborhood and the path she took home to no avail, Lewis said. Two years later, he began burglarizing homes for fun, according to McMillan. Their mother "carried that guilt the rest of her life," Borgeson said. The sketches depict what the suspect may have looked like at 25 years old as well as an age-progressed version. That I'll be dead by morning. Spitzer refused to elaborate on how they were able to track down Neal and identify him as a suspect after 45 years, but he said police had received a "pointer notification through genealogical DNA" - perhaps suggesting that authorities had come upon DNA from someone related to Neal that would have implicated him as a possible match. Here at this jail, people want to give me a bad time. He was released from the penitentiary in July 1971. Parabon has worked on the majority of the cold cases cracked through genetic genealogy, including O'Keefe's case. "We have heard from a number of her friends from when she was in school, and her death has touched so many people," Newport Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said at the time. James Alan Neal has been arrested in the July 1973 murder of 11-year-old Linda Ann O'Keefe in Newport Beach. "It is bittersweet to hear that, yes, this case has been resolved. James Alan Neal fue arrestado el 19 de febrero de 2019, en relacin con su muerte, segn anunciaron los fiscales en una conferencia de prensa. The following morning, O'Keefe's body was found in a ditch. "That sample remained in the system for a long period of time," Spitzer said. Linda O'Keefe. James Alan Neal, the 73-year-old charged in the 1973 cold case murder of 11-year-oldLinda OKeefe, died on Wednesday at about 5:15 a.m. Thats according to Orange County Sheriffs Department spokesperson Jaimee Blashaw in an NBC Los Angeles report. While their parents did not live to see an arrest, Borgeson said, "I'm sure she [O'Keefe] and my parents are rejoicing.". For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. James was in and out of prison throughout his younger life, with arrest records in California, Florida, and Colorado between 1959 and 1974. NDTV Public Opinion: Will Tipu Sultan Controversy Impact Karnataka Votes? SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) A Colorado man has pleaded not guilty to murder in the 1973 death of an 11-year-old California girl. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The brown-haired, blue-eyed 11-year-old got a ride to summer school - about half a mile away - but had to walk home in the afternoon. After the burglary sentencing, James moved to Denver, Colorado, where he was accused of stealing from the gas station he worked at. Later he moved to Colorado, where he was living when he was arrested, he said. If he pursues these goals conscientiously and stays away from downtown Santa Ana where associates congregate, he feels he will never again become involved in difficulty, the probation officer wrote. "The tweets extend the period of time that Linda's story can be out there for people to relate to," Manzella said in July. This photo shows a poster of James Neal during a news conference at the Orange County District Attorney's office in Santa Ana, Calif., Feb. 20, 2019. The 72-year-old Neal was extradited to California from Colorado after he was charged with murder in the death of 11-year-old Linda O'Keefe in the seaside community of Newport Beach. Linda O'Keefe murder: James Neal DNA match leads to arrest for 1973 It was July 6, 1973, a Friday. IE 11 is not supported. Parabon used the DNA from the crime scene to predict the suspect's eye color, hair color and skin color. Authorities did not elaborate on his death but said he was not exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms. Neals extensive criminal history and the circumstances of the 1973 sexual assault and murder of 11-year-old Linda OKeefe lead law enforcement to seek potential additional victims and witnesses. 11-year-old Linda OKeefe was kidnapped on her way back from home in July 1973. The community made sure that justice would be secured, he said. Having spent two years living in England including Liverpool, he is an avid Beatles fan and memorabilia collector. "He seemed like a good guy," Neal's landlord, Michael Thulson,. He is awaiting extradition from Colorado Springs to Orange County. All rights reserved. Sister of victim in 1973 cold case murder speaks out after suspect They dont understand me or why I am the way I am. It is unclear whether he has retained a lawyer who can speak on his behalf. It was our intention to see James Alan Neal stand trial and answer for the murder of Linda An OKeefe, Newport Beach police Chief Jon Lewis said. "He lived here in the 1970s," Spitzer said. People in the city of Newport Beach have been following this case for literally 45 years, Spitzer said. At the least, prosecutors will ask for life without the possibility of parole if Neal is convicted, the district attorney said. 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Her body was found the next morning in a ditch in the area of Newport Beachs Back Bay. That I'll be found a couple hundred yards from her home. ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. Photo Source. On the day Linda disappeared, she was last seen talking to a stranger in a van, Lewis said. "Her picture hangs in our detective division, where our folks see it every day as a reminder of her and why we continue to pursue these cases.". He was rushed to a local hospital about a month before that. Three weeks later, he pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary, was sentenced to 40 days in jail with credit for time served and placed on probation against McMillans recommendation that he should instead be sent to Vacaville Prison in Northern California. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Although Linda died almost half a century ago, her family, the community and members of law enforcement never stopped thinking of her or hoping her killer would be brought to justice, Spitzer said. Shortly after Lindas murder, investigators recovered DNA evidence from her remains, Spitzer said. Police hoped that retelling the girl's story through the modern-day medium would help people from a different generation form an emotional attachment to the case. Spitzer noted that the DNA lead police had obtained was wholly unrelated to the department's live-tweeting of O'Keefe's last day but said the exercise had served to revive the case in the public's mind. James Neal, who was charged with sexually assaulting and killing Linda O'Keefe, died on Wednesday (Picture: AP) An man arrested for a series of cold case sex crimes against children died. James Neal Now: Is Linda O'Keefe's Alleged Killer Dead or Alive? Update The detectives dogged this case. The police department last year also "live-tweeted" O'Keefe's story from her perspective, narrating the final day of her life in real-time, exactly 45 years later. The Twitter campaign did not lead to the suspect's identification, but it did create an emphasis on the case and opened doors for the case to be pursued with renewed efforts, officials said. Neals education was terminated early and his work history was spotty, McMillan reported. He was paroled in July 1961 but returned to the Youth Authority in October 1962. As for her sister's suspected killer, Borgeson said, "because of my profound faith, I've been able to forgive the individual. James then escaped from a work project where he was sentenced to and was arrested yet again in April 1967. He will ultimately benefit more from a state prison sentence.. An undated photo of Linda OKeefe who was killed in Southern California in July 1973. While waiting to use the school phone, O'Keefe went outside. Neal told McMillan he was the second of three children, never got along with his siblings, rebelled against his parents and was an emotionally disturbed child. All my life up to this day has been going in circles, Neal said. The child disappeared while walking home from summer school, and her body was found strangled in a ditch the next day. However, James was never brought to justice because he died of an unspecified illness on July 22, 2020. Then, after he was paroled again in August 1963, he was arrested a year later for burglary and sentenced to nine months in the Orange County jail. It was a difficult conversation . On July 6, 1973, 11-year-old Linda OKeefe disappeared while walking home from summer school in the southern California beachside town of Corona del Mar. Suspect Changed His Name After Lindas Death, Colo. 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Neal became a suspect in the slaying through "genealogical DNA," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced the arrest of James Alan Neal in the 1973 murder of 11-year-old Linda Ann O'Keefe during a press conderence on Wednesday, February 20, 2019. Neal was arrested for burglaries in August and October 1959 and was committed to the California Youth Authority in December 1960. DNA recovered from O'Keefe shortly after her death was put into the Combined DNA Index System -- the law enforcement database known as CODIS -- but there was no hit, Spitzer said. Reportedly, Colorado resident James Alan Neal was arrested in 2019 after a DNA report linked him to Linda O'Keefe's 1973 cold murder case. About a month later, the police brought additional charges of sexual assault against a child younger than 14. Anyone who may have any information on this unsolved crime is asked to call the Newport Beach Police Cold Case Tip Line at 949-644-3669. So, if youre curious to know more about James and what happened to him after his arrest, weve got you covered. Police were tight-lipped about exactly how they solved the case but said they received a lead in January that prompted them to begin investigating Neal, who had been living in Orange County at the time of O'Keefe's killing but had since moved to Colorado. James Alan Neal, 72, was picked up in Colorado on Tuesday and charged with the murder of 11-year-old Linda O'Keefe in 1973. In August 1969, he was convicted of fraud in Denver and sentenced to three to 10 year at Colorados Territorial Correctional Facility. However, through the genealogical data of his family members, who voluntarily submitted their DNA to genealogy databases, investigators were able to corroborate the DNA from O'Keefe's body and the DNA obtained from the suspect, according to Spitzer. In addition to the count of murder while committing lewd acts on a child, Neal was also accused of lewd acts against two other girls under the age of 14 in the late 1990s and early 2000s. IE 11 is not supported. The next day she was found strangled, her. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The DNA researcher Moore has been on the forefront of linking cold cases to suspects through genetic material voluntarily offered by Americans doing ancestry research. He is being held in Colorado, and if he waives extradition, could be moved to California before the end of the week, officials said. . In spite of rehabilitative attempts through California Youth Authority and Orange County Jail sentences (it) seems to negate any desire or ability (by Neal) to follow through.. James Neal, 72, who lived in Southern California and worked in construction in the 1970s, was arrested this week in Colorado, where he had been living, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said at a Wednesday news conference. Taking advantage of the latest in crime-solving techniques, in January, Spitzer said, they received a pointer indication through genealogical DNA.. Now a Suspect Has Been Arrested, JonBent Ramsey's Father Is Optimistic DNA Advances Will Catch Daughter's Killer, Slams Boulder Police, DNA Taken from Truck's Door Handle in Washington Leads to Arrest 34 Years After Wisconsin Mom's Killing, Pa. Police and prosecutors on Wednesday said they put Neal under surveillance and eventually got his DNA though they did not detail exactly how. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. US Man James Neal Arrested After Police Tweet Re-Creation Of Girl Watch: Aurora Dazzles Ladakh Skies As Geomagnetic Storm Hits Earth, This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Her image hung among the faces of other unsolved cases, reminding each. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he was previously a breaking news and multimedia reporter for the Ogden, Utah, Standard-Examiner. We will make sure that the defendant is fairly and justly held accountable in a court of law.". Neal appears gaunt and stoic in a black-and white prison photo. ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report. "He has a connection to Southern California.". Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Neal said that despite his recidivism, he was confident he could become successful. Nothing he said made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. He was the second of three children but had a difficult upbringing. Monument man mulls extradition in 1973 rape and murder of California A true-crime retelling of Linda O'Keefe's 1973 abduction & killing led police to James Alan Neal, ID'd through DNA as the primary suspect. Photo Source. Investigators identified Neal as a suspect using genealogical DNA. Colorado man arrested in case murder of 11-year-old girl - The Denver Post Have a tip or story idea? Through surveillance, a sample of Neal's DNA was obtained - one that ultimately matched a sample taken from O'Keefe's body in 1973. On one hand, we were grateful that we could have that conversation and provide some closure.". But she added that she was thankful for the "additional closure" brought to her by the investigators who never gave up, as well as the new technology, which made it possible to process the crime scene DNA. She was later found strangled to death and dumped in a ditch in Newport Beachs Back Bay. It was not clear from records if he was convicted for those offenses. Linda O'Keefe: DNA Leads to Arrest in 1973 Murder of Calif. Girl Neal was living in Monument at the time of his arrest and was extradited to Orange County, California, where he has remained since. "Technology has caught up with the law," Spitzer said Wednesday. Yet for 45 years the Newport Beach Police Department never gave up. James Neal (left) and Linda O'Keefe (right) (credit: CBS) The 72-year-old Neal was extradited to California from Colorado after he was charged with murder in the death of 11-year-old Linda O'Keefe . However, the case remained unsolved for about 46 years before the investigators found the killer. McMillan went on to say that Neals father, who designed drugstores, and his mother, who was a bookkeeper, were described as extremely neurotic people who were both physically and psychologically cruel to their children. They are reported to be detached emotionally and narcissistic, he added. Join our Fan Club to listen to this episode and more! Linda Ann O'Keefe cold case: Murder, sexual assault suspect dies in The defendants conscience began to bother him, so he walked off a job he had obtained in Inglewood, returned to Santa Ana and contacted an officer of the Santa Ana Police Department, McMillan wrote in the report.