Mitchell Gaff’s discarded chewing gum helped convict him of two cold case murders
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Mitchell Gaff, 68, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to the murders of Judy Weaver (1984) and Susan Vesey (1980) in Washington state, crimes linked through modern DNA technology decades after the attacks.
- Police used a covert operation involving chewing gum to collect Gaff's DNA, which matched evidence from the cold cases, highlighting advancements in forensic science such as STRmix software and genetic genealogy.
- Gaff, a convicted rapist with previous violent offenses, attacked multiple women over the years, including a 1979 assault on Jacalyn O’Brien, who has expressed ongoing trauma from the attack.
- The breakthrough in these cold cases has provided closure to the victims' families and underscored the importance of DNA profiling in solving long-unsolved crimes.
- Investigator Susan Logothetti emphasized that the cases required scientific advancements to be solved, and the resolution has helped families begin healing after decades of uncertainty and suspicion.
