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The first public arrest through genetic genealogy was the April 2018 identification of the suspected "Golden State Killer." Since then, genetic genealogy has helped identify more than three dozen suspects in violent crimes, with one of those being the murder of Pamela Cahanes. In August of 1984, Orlando Navy recruit 25-year-old Pamela Cahanes was found beaten and strangled to death in Sanford, Florida. Almost 40 years later DNA and genetic genealogy would link Thomas Lewis Garner, a former naval classmate of Pamela’s, to her 1984 murder. Garner was arrested and convicted of Pamela’s murder. However, tis would not be his only killing. In 2021 he was linked to the death of 25-year-old Kathy Hicks who was murdered in September of 1982. So, could Thomas Lewis Garner be responsible for other unsolved murders.
References:
DNA links Navy classmate to 1984 cold case murder of 25-year-old Pamela Cahanes: Officials - ABC News (go.com)

Suspect in Hawaii cold case from 1982 pleads not guilty to murder; already serving life sentence for Florida murder (khon2.com)

Man reacts with disbelief after DNA links him to decades-old killing: ‘This is almost like the Twilight Zone’ – Orlando Sentinel

34 years later, police make arrest in cold case murder of Navy recruit | kare11.com

DNA evidence leads to Jacksonville man's arrest in 1984 cold case – Action News Jax

Thomas Garner Indicted in Murder of Kathy Hicks (lawandcrime.com)

Florida man arrested, extradited in connection with 1982 murder in Honolulu | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (staradvertiser.com)

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