Spokane: Suspect Identified in Unsolved Murder of Margaret Anselmo
Washingtoner/10309742

~ Spokane Police Department Identifies Suspect in 1997 Murder Case

After more than two decades, the Spokane Police Department has finally identified the suspect in the 1997 murder of Margaret Anselmo. The suspect has been identified as Brian J. Anderson, a resident of Pend Oreille County who has since passed away.

On January 3, 1997, Margaret's body was discovered in an alleyway near 700 E Pacific. Investigators found evidence of severe head trauma and indications of sexual assault. The Spokane County Medical Examiner determined that her cause of death was homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head.

Despite tireless efforts from detectives, they were unable to link a suspect to Margaret's murder. However, with advancements in technology and the assistance of a company specializing in Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG), new leads were uncovered.

The evidence preserved from the scene was sent to Othram in The Woodlands, TX where a DNA profile was developed. Local genealogist Lynda Keenan volunteered to assist the Spokane Police Department with FGG cases and was able to identify relatives of the profile. Detectives then contacted these relatives and asked for their help.

More on Washingtoner

• Wohler announces three SRT monitoring enhancements for its iVAM2-MPEG monitor and the addition of front panel PID selection of A/V/subtitle streams
• Schemawriter.ai launches WordPress plugin as industry leaders confirm - schema markup is critical
• 20 Million Financing to Accelerate Growth and Advance Digital Asset Strategy Secured for Super League (N A S D A Q: SLE)
• uCAR Trading Launches goldsilbermarkt.de, a New Online Shop for Precious Metals
• Webinar Announcement: Reputational Risk Management in Internal Investigations: Controlling the Narrative Before, During, and After a Crisis

The family members provided DNA samples and family context, expressing concern for Margaret's surviving family and a desire to help bring justice for her death. Othram performed kinship analysis on their DNA and found that one family member was the child of the suspect while another was his half-brother. This led investigators to conclude that Brian J. Anderson was indeed responsible for Margaret's murder.

If he were alive today, Anderson would face charges of 1st Degree Murder and 1st Degree Rape. The Spokane Police Department is urging anyone with additional information on this case to come forward by calling Crime Check at 509-456-2233 and referencing case number 97-2325.

Margaret Anselmo's family has been waiting for answers for over 20 years, and thanks to the dedication and persistence of the Spokane Police Department and the advancements in forensic technology, they may finally get the closure they deserve.

---

Show All News | Report Violation