DNA ties Racine man to 1986 Green Bay homicide

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- DNA ties a Racine man to a Green Bay homicide dating back nearly 35 years.

Police arrested 65-year-old Lou Archie Griffin at his home in Racine last Wednesday, Oct. 28.

He's charged with the murder of Lisa Holstead. 

The 22-year-old was killed on Aug. 12, 1986 and her body was recovered in a Green Bay park.

Police shared new details about the cold case Monday and how they identified Griffin as the suspect.

"She was last seen at Mason Street and Taylor, when she got into an argument with her boyfriend and jumped out of the car," said Green Bay Police Department Chief Andrew Smith. "It was the next day that they found her body, and a passerby found her body at Ken Euers park. Arrested in this case was an individual by the name of Lou Archie Griffin, a resident of Racine, Wisconsin. He's a 65-year-old man. The reason why we're able to solve this case was through forensics genetic genealogy."

Investigators say Griffin has a pattern of violence against women, including the use of strangulation, which is how Holstead died. 

Griffin was once convicted of second-degree sexual assault of a child. 

He was released from prison three months before Holstead's death. 

Griffin is due back in court on Dec. 10.