Looking For Linda's Killer: An evolving investigation (Part 3)

LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- 32 years after the abduction and murder of 10-year-old Linda Weldy, technology is changing the way investigators solve cases. While DNA is a big part of any cold case investigation, other new technologies are also helping to solve crimes. And, a new advancement could be leading investigators back to old suspects in the Weldy case. 

“I have my good days and I have bad days. And, especially around the anniversary of her death, those are my bad days.” Karen Egolf, Linda Weldy's mother said. “I wear her necklace. And I feel a little closer to her when I wear her jewelry.”

With every passing day, Egolf says hope of her daughter's murder being solved, fades further away. Even with investigators digging through old evidence with new technology, she says she's skeptical. 

“They have said to me too many times, ‘We’re on the verge. We’re on the verge. Somebody is going to be arrested tonight. Somebody is going to be arrested tomorrow. We have what we need.’ And it never happens.” She said.

“They have said to me too many times, ‘We’re on the verge. We’re on the verge. Somebody is going to be arrested tonight. Somebody is going to be arrested tomorrow. We have what we need.’ And it never happens.” Al Williamson, with the Indiana State Police, said. "(We're looking for) Anything that will lead us to a suspect. Through the genealogy now. You can go through the genealogy’s with the 23andme’s the ancestry.com. You can look at that. If we have any DNA we can extract, maybe we can look through them and say, whose DNA is this or what relative of this can we look into that wasn’t there before.”

But that new technology isn't all related to DNA. Other pieces of evidence that weren't as reliable in the past can also be re-examined.

"There’s some advancements I’m aware of with some of the trace evidence.” Detective Pat Cicero, with the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, said. “(Trace evidence) can be anything that’s considered very small; hairs, fibers, you name it. It’s something that’s very small, but it still applies to the linkage theory of how are we linking this crime or person’s location to the crime itself.”

And, it turns out, that evidence could lead investigators back to people who were suspected of the crime during the early parts of the investigation, according to Egolf.

“I feel like they have tunnel vision. All of their thoughts are focused on two people. And they’re not willing to look in any other directions.” She said.

Egolf told ABC57 who those two people are and we sat down with them. They explained why they believe police list them as suspects. We'll dive into their stories next week.