DNA Links Los Angeles Man to 1980 Cold Case Murder NR14239bb

Los Angeles: Detectives from the Cold Case Homicide Special Section of Robbery-Homicide Division announced the arrest of a Los Angeles man for an unsolved 1980 Los Angeles Sexual Assault Murder.

LAPD detectives have been investigating the murder of 36-year-old Los Angeles resident Stephanie S. for over 33 years.  The victim was murdered inside her apartment in the 3500 block of Marathon Street between August 28-30, 1980.  The cause of death was attributed to blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds.  The motive for the murder is unknown.

Cold Case Homicide detectives linked Harold Anthony Parkinson to the murder after DNA evidence matching Parkinson was discovered at the crime scene.  It was later discovered that Parkinson was in custody on an unrelated murder at the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe, California.  Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Parkinson for the murder of the victim and the warrant was served while he was still in the custody of the California Department of Corrections.

On June 19, 2014, at 9:10 a.m., Detectives took custody of Harold Anthony Parkinson on a Los Angeles County murder warrant at the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison.  Parkinson was booked for murder with no bail into the Los Angeles County Jail and will be arraigned on June 20, 2014.

Detectives handling the investigation are Detectives Michael Pelletier and Richard Bengtson, Robbery-Homicide Division, Cold Case Special Section at (213) 486-6831 or (213) 486-6819.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.