Unsolved mysteries that were solved in 2023: Cold cases cracked.

In 2023, a cascade of long-standing mysteries finally met their end.

This year, the dedication of detectives, forensic experts, and other committed individuals was crucial in solving cold cases.

Let's revisit the investigative breakthroughs that brought closure to victims' families and communities as justice prevailed as we reflect on the events of 2023.

Cold case murder of Kansas woman solved with "cutting-edge" DNA technology

The murder of Krista Martin, 20, in Kansas, which had been a cold case for 34 years, was solved using advanced DNA technology.

After the Oct. 2, 1989, sexual assault and beating murder of Martin, DNA evidence was gathered, but testing was not yet available.

In 2021, a genetic genealogy team, comprising an FBI special agent and a Wichita police detective, successfully identified Paul Hart as the suspect after multiple attempts to find a match over the years were unsuccessful.

According to police, Martin's neighbor at the time of the murder was Hart.

If Hart were still alive, charges would have been filed against him, but he died in a car crash in 1999.

At a press conference, Ember Moore, Martin's niece, expressed gratitude to the investigators who solved her aunt's murder.

"I, along with my family, would like to express our gratitude to the Wichita Cold Case Unit and Homicide Department for their relentless efforts in solving Krista's case," Moore stated. "It brings us great comfort to know that her killer is no longer a threat to our community."

Investigators crack 1972 cold-case murder of 9-year-old girl

The 51-year-old cold case of the murder of 9-year-old Debbie Lynn Randall was solved by Georgia authorities.

In 1972, Randall was murdered while walking home from a laundromat.

Two years after being identified as a suspect in her killing, William Rose took his own life.

The familial DNA profile obtained by investigators was instrumental in linking Rose to the crime through recent advances in genetic genealogy technology.

During a press conference, Melvin Randall, Randall's brother, announced the conclusion of his sister's murder case.

He said, "Although I wish my mother was here, I know she's aware in Heaven now that it's over, and we simply want to express our gratitude for your actions."

"I battled with blaming myself for it, but then I realized that it was beyond my control and just happened. I'm grateful for the support of the community."

A West Virginia man was arrested for a 1985 cold case, claiming he stabbed a 13-year-old boy during an argument over a bike.

In 1985, a 13-year-old West Virginia boy was murdered, and after nearly four decades, a breakthrough was made in the cold case investigation.

In Terra Alta, West Virginia, Jerimiah "Jerry" Matthew Watkins was fatally stabbed and discovered in a shallow hole near the railroad tracks.

David Monroe Adams, a 56-year-old man, was arrested by the Preston County Sheriff's Office for second-degree murder in relation to the case.

The sheriff's office stated that Adams, who was 18 at the time of the crime, confessed that an argument over a stolen bicycle led to Watkins' murder.

Oregon man confesses to "brutal, ice-blooded" murder in Boston

This year, the 44-year-old cold case of Susan Marcia Rose's murder in Boston, Massachusetts, was solved.

In August, the case was concluded when 68-year-old John Michael Irmer walked into the Portland FBI field office and confessed to the murder.

At the skating rink, Rose met Irmer, who later fatally attacked her with a hammer, and a DNA match linked him to the crime scene.

After 44 years of not knowing what happened to her, Rose's family now has answers, thanks to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden's office.

"The DA stated that the murder was brutal and ice-blooded, and despite the fact that a person was charged and tried, the real murderer remained silent until now. The DA emphasized that resolving cold cases is important for those who have lived with grief and loss and have many agonizing questions."

The mystery of the grisly murder that occurred 49 years ago in the vacation town has finally been solved with the apprehension of the "Lady of the Dunes."

The "Lady of the Dunes" cold case was solved, revealing that Ruth Marie Terry, a 37-year-old Tennessee native, was killed by her late husband.

In 1974, Terry's nearly decapitated body was found in the sand dunes of Provincetown, Massachusetts.

For decades, the case remained unsolved until a Texas-based forensics lab used genetic genealogy testing to positively identify Terry.

According to authorities, Guy Rockwell Muldavin, the individual linked to the murder, passed away in 2002.

California police solve 32-year cold case with DNA found under victim's fingernails

In 1991, Vicki Johnson was murdered in Northern California, and now, after 32 years, the cold case has been solved, bringing closure to her family.

The discovery of Johnson's body near a playground in Seaside's Sabado Park, with sand used to suffocate her, bite marks on her body, a strangled neck, and burns, brought attention to her case.

The match of DNA found under her fingernails identified the murderer as Frank Lewis McClure, a Seaside resident and ex-convict who passed away in 2021.

Orlando Johnson, a 34-year-old NBA player and Johnson's son, has honored his late mother's memory throughout his basketball career.

He posted pictures on social media, including those celebrating Mother's Day and his mother's birthday.

"Johnson wrote, "I eagerly anticipate our upcoming heart-to-heart and bringing you some flowers upon my return. Your sons deeply miss you and our family constantly thinks about you.""

Kentucky teen's murder solved after nearly half a century

In Kentucky, the Boone County Sheriff's Office solved a 46-year-old cold case that involved the murder of 16-year-old Carol Sue Klaber.

On June 5, 1976, Klaber's body was found in a roadside ditch on Chambers Road in Walton, Kentucky.

The Kentucky State Police's initial investigation found that she died from blunt force trauma, with evidence of strangulation and sexual assault.

Using advanced DNA testing, detectives identified Klaber's murderer as Thomas Dunaway.

At the age of 33, Dunaway had a criminal history and died after committing a murder when he was 19 years old, authorities stated.

New Hampshire woman's 1981 murder solved with DNA evidence

New Hampshire law enforcement solved a decades-old cold case with the help of DNA analysis and forensic genealogy technology.

In September 1981, Laura Kempton, a 23-year-old victim, was discovered deceased in her apartment.

Earlier that morning, a Portsmouth Beauty School student named Kempton, who worked at a gift shop and ice cream parlor, was last seen returning alone to her apartment after a night out with a friend, police said.

In 2005, Ronny James Lee, who is accused of murdering Kempton, passed away due to an overdose.

The Portsmouth Police Department was thanked by Kempton's family with their "deepest gratitude."

"Laura's moment has been achieved through their diligence, determination, and personal commitment over the past decades," the Kempton family stated.

"Unprovable" rape case in California cracked with DNA

In one of the nation's oldest cold case murders, an arrest was made in Washington state using DNA evidence from a separate crime.

In California, a 1979 murder case that had remained unsolved for decades, Harold Carpenter, 63, was arrested.

At a South Lake Tahoe campground, Carnahan was brutally assaulted, his life hanging in the balance.

In 1994, a rape case in Spokane, Washington, initially deemed "unprovable" led to a critical lead when DNA was retested and linked Carpenter to Carnahan's murder.

""Untested kits could be a potential break in cold cases, as Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson stated. The success of this case was due to hard work and cross-state collaboration. I appreciate the dedication of law enforcement in pursuing justice in this case," said Ferguson."