DNA evidence, undercover detective in Sunnyvale help make arrest in 1996 cold case

Sunnyvale detectives have made an arrest in a cold case that dates back to 1996.

Thanks to DNA evidence and some very creative police work by a determined detective, a San Jose man is now facing charges of sexual assault on a 7-year-old.

On Monday, a team of officers from the Sunnyvale Police Department descended on a San Jose apartment complex. One of the residents, 59-year-old Richard Jeffrey Martinez, was arrested on four counts of child sexual assault.

It's a crime police accuse him of commiting 27 years ago when he was about 32 years old.

According to court documents, the victim was 7 years old.

Police collected evidence in that 1996 case, but the DNA sample they had, never matched up with anyone in the national criminal database.

Recently, investigators turned to a new resource. They submitted the DNA to a public site to build a family tree.  

“Genealogy has been a real game changer in terms of trying to identify people who aren't in the database,” said Rob Banker, Santa Clara County deputy district attorney.

Sunnyvale detective Matthew Hutchinson said they actually narrowed their search to three brothers. Huchinson was able rule out two of them by legally collecting DNA samples from discarded garbage and other evidence.

But to finally link Martinez to the 1996 case, Hutchinson had to get creative. 

Through social media, the detective learned the suspect always celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at the same pub.

So he got a court order to allow him to go undercover at that pub as a busboy for the whole day and collect DNA samples from Martinez. Which turned out to be half eaten hot wings.

“It was a long day. I joke with folks that my feet hurt, my back hurt and it was pretty physically exhausting,” said Hutchinson. 

“My understanding is he froze the hot wings and he handled it however you handle evidence. He's very well trained and he made sure it was isolated. I think he sent that stuff off like within a day,” said Baker.

This is not the first cold case Hutchinson and Baker have cracked in Santa Clara County. Last August, Hutchinson arrested 75-year-old Gary Gene Ramirez in the 1982 murder of Karen Stitt.

In February 2021, he arrested Thomas Hinnard in the 1979 murder of Keith Judd.

After Monday's arrest of Martinez for child sexual assault, two more victims have come forward.

Detective Hutchinson says he's happy that the first victim has also been helpful in this case.

“I hope she allowed other victims to come forward and share their stories as well,” he said.