Seattle police say they have solved the murder of a 14-year-old girl that happened more than 30 years ago.
Mark Anthony Russ, 57, was arrested and charged with the murder of Tanya Frazier, the Seattle Times reported.
Frazier disappeared in 1994 after leaving a summer school class at Meany Middle School, and police initially classified her as a runaway. However, five days after she went missing, her body was found, the newspaper reported.
Police told the newspaper that advances in DNA technology had allowed them to tie Russ to the crime.
"For more than 30 years, Tanya's family wanted nothing more than answers, closure and justice," Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes said according to the newspaper. "As a father of three kids, I can't imagine the pain Tanya's family has had to endure. Today, I am grateful to announce that we have finally found the man responsible for taking her life."
Fox 13 reported that Russ is a Level III sex offender who was non-compliant at the time of his arrest for Frazier's murder. According to the network, Russ was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in 1996.
"Multiple generations of investigators and scientists have worked on this case for over three decades," said Seattle Police Detective Rolf Norton told Fox 13. "Today is not a day for celebration; it's a day to reflect on Tanya Frazier and her surviving family as they continue to grieve for their daughter, sister, and aunt. Our thoughts go out to them."
