Sunnyvale detective helps crack 1979 cold case homicide

Thanks to forensic evidence and ever-improving DNA databases, a Sunnyvale detective has helped solve a murder that dates back to 1979.

Elena Mena was 18 years old when she was found stabbed to death after an attempted sexual assault at a Sunnyvale office building where she worked as a security guard.

Detective Matthew Hutchison wasn't even born yet, but every cold case he works on becomes personal.

After a year and a half on the case, the district attorney says forensic evidence that wasn't available back then proves Hutchison's hunch: that Mena was killed by Sam Silva, a Colorado resident who happened to be in Sunnyvale at that time.

Silva died in a Colorado prison several years ago with a long criminal record to his name.

"It comes down to the tenacity of the investigators," Deputy District Attorney Rob Baker said. "I know that in the Elena Mena case that was just solved, Matt Hutchison is one of the most tenacious and dedicated detectives I know."

Baker runs the district attorney's cold case unit, which has solved 16 cold case homicides since 2018.

Hutchison is credited with cracking six cold case murders since 2015, and he's ready for the next one.

"There’s no excuse for me sitting at my desk with a free moment not putting every effort I can into solving these cases," Hutchison said.

Hutchison said his goal is to find answers for every family who has been waiting years for justice and for the detectives who first worked on the case, even Mena's 44 years ago.

"One told me that there's cases like these that give him sleepless nights," Hutchison said. "He was very pleased to hear the news that this was finally solved."

Hutchison said there were tears at Mena's family home when he broke the news that he had found their daughter's killer.

"Our guiding principle is we never forget," Baker said. "We never forget the victims, and we never forget the family and the friends of those victims."