A man has been arrested nearly 50 years after a young mother was murdered in San Jose.
Willie Sims, 69, is accused of strangling a 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston near a bar on Almaden Road in 1977.
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WATCH HERESims was recently identified as a suspect from a thumbprint on a pack of cigarettes in the victim's car. Investigators in Ohio later obtained a DNA sample, which in turn brought the case back to life.
"We brought a swab from his mouth back to our crime lab, which determined his DNA was consistent with the DNA from the murder weapon," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Rob Baker said.
Investigators believe the murder weapon was a long sleeve shirt used to strangle Ralston.
San Jose police and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's cold case unit have been investigating the murder for decades and said they believe there is a strong case, adding key witnesses are still alive and the original investigation was top notch.
Baker said he told Ralston's son, who was 6 years old at the time of the murder, about the arrest on Tuesday morning.
"He was thankful," Baker said. "He said his birthday is coming up and this was a great birthday present."
Sims was arrested Tuesday in Ohio and will soon be extradited to Santa Clara County where he will be arraigned on a murder charge. If convicted, Sims faces 25 years to life in prison.
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