Georgia authorities have arrested a man they say is connected to the 1988 killing of 8 year old Joshua, whose case went cold for more than three decades.
According to CNN, the suspect, James, 56, faces several charges, including felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated child molestation, concealing the death of another and tampering with evidence. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Roswell Police Chief James Conroy said in a news release on Friday that he hopes the arrest brings the family “a sense of closure.”
Joshua went missing in May 1988 after he did not come home from dinner. His body was found in a wooded area near his apartment building in Roswell after a 48 hour search.
Police said investigators revisited the case over the years as technology advanced. Joshua’s body was exhumed earlier this year in hopes of finding new evidence. In March, the Roswell Police Department received funding from the Georgia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative task force for additional DNA testing on crime scene evidence. Police said the results connected the suspect to the crime, and he was arrested on July 21. CNN also reported that he had a 1993 conviction in a separate child molestation case.
At a news conference on Friday, Joshua’s aunt, Marlene, thanked law enforcement for their work and called the moment bittersweet for the family. She said Joshua’s mother, Cherie, who passed away last year, never gave up hope.
Reports at the time did not include a public response from the suspect or his attorney.
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