82-Year-Old Arrested in 1979 Cold Case Murder of Kathryn Donohue

Rodger Zodas Brown was identified through genetic genealogy and charged with first-degree murder and rape after decades of investigation.

Kathryn Donohue, a 31-year-old secretary, was beaten, raped, and murdered in Glenarden, Maryland, in 1979, with the case remaining unsolved for 46 years.
Advancements in genetic genealogy allowed police to analyze DNA evidence from the crime scene, leading to the identification of Rodger Zodas Brown.
Brown, now 82 and living in North Carolina, was arrested last week and is awaiting extradition to Maryland to face charges of first-degree murder, rape, and related offenses.
Investigators have found no apparent connection between Donohue and Brown, who lived near the crime scene at the time of the murder.
Donohue's family expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their persistence, while the investigation remains active as police seek additional information from the public.