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DNA Evidence Solves 20-Year-Old Utah Cold Case, Leading to Arrest

Mark Munoz, 53, has been charged with the 2005 murder of Jason Royter, bringing new hope to the victim's grieving family.

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From left (of podium,) Niki Price, Andrew Royter, and Stephani Perschon, address the media after an arrest was made in the Jason Royter cold case, in South Salt Lake, Utah, on Friday.

Overview

  • Jason Royter, a 33-year-old father, was found stabbed to death in his Magna, Utah, home in 2005, with the case remaining unsolved for nearly two decades.
  • A DNA match from a national database linked Mark Munoz, a 53-year-old man with no fixed address, to the crime, leading to his arrest last Thursday.
  • The breakthrough was made possible by advancements in forensic technology and the persistence of the Salt Lake County cold case unit.
  • Royter's family expressed relief and hope for healing, with his son describing the arrest as lifting a 'giant weight' off his chest after years of unresolved grief.
  • Authorities continue to investigate the case, seeking additional evidence and a motive, as Munoz has not cooperated with questioning.