Authorities in San Diego County, California, arrested a man this week in the cold case of the 2003 murder of his wife, whose remains were eventually identified through a DNA sample from a family member.
Laurie Diane Potter’s legs were found in a dumpster in Rancho San Diego in October 2003, but she remained a Jane Doe until investigators were able to find a blood relative through a commercial genealogy company, according to FOX 5 in San Diego.
She had been living in Temecula, California at the time of her murder and was never reported missing.
Investigators used genetic genealogy to further the case, explained San Diego County Sheriff’s Lt. Thomas Seaver.
“Once we identified Laurie Potter, we went through her life and tried to identify who she was, where she lived, who her friends or family were during that period,” he told FOX 5. “This is an ongoing criminal investigation.” so we can’t go into details, but we determined that there was substantial cause to believe that Jack Potter murdered Laurie.
Jack Potter was arrested by the multi-agency San Diego Regional Task Force Wednesday on a murder charge at his home in Rancho Cucamonga, California, about a two-hour drive north of San Diego in San Bernardino County.
FLORIDA DENTAL HYGIENIST FOUND GUILTY IN COLD CASE NAVY RECRUIT MURDER
Laurie Diane Potter remained a Jane Doe for nearly 18 years after only her legs were found in a San Diego dumpster in October 2003. Her husband was arrested Wednesday on a murder charge. (San Diego County Sheriff’s Department)
“In this case, the goal was to find family members whose own DNA profile matched that of an unidentified homicide victim,” the department said in a statement. “Once the victim’s profile was developed, it was uploaded to commercial genealogy sites that allow law enforcement agencies to participate.”
It is the same technology used to identify the Green River killer and the first time it has been used in the region to arrest a murder suspect, KGTV-TV reported in San Diego.
Principal Investigator Troy DuGall said that most of Laurie Potter’s relatives had long since lost contact with her and were unaware that she had died, but were happy about her identification and arrest.
“The victim’s family, and I have spoken with them, are very happy that I, number one, have identified Laurie,” he told a news conference. Because they thought she was living somewhere. Nobody knew. And they are extremely happy, once they got over the pain of Laurie’s death, that we identified and arrested the suspect. So it’s bittersweet.
He said investigators first found a distant 19th-century relative of hers, then living relatives whom they contacted for help in the case. Investigators eventually located Potter’s son, who gave a DNA sample, confirming his identity.
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Some people “feel comfortable living in the same community where they kill and feel like they’re so good,” Pete Carrillo, a retired homicide detective, told FOX 5. But the technology is improving and the detectives are improving. His time will come. There will be justice.
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