Man Linked to Three Cold Case Murders NR13009cj

Los Angeles: 72-year-old Samuel Little has been charged with the 1987 murder of Carol Alford and the 1989 murders of Audrey Nelson and Guadalupe Apodaca.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s, Robbery Homicide Division, Cold Case Homicide Unit, began the investigation of Little’s involvement after DNA evidence cases were linked to him through the California Department of Justice’s DNA Combined Internet Index System (CODIS) offender databank earlier this year on the Audrey Nelson and Guadalupe Apodaca cases.

The detectives were able to have Little, also known as Samuel McDowell, taken into custody in Louisville, Kentucky on September 5, 2012, on a Los Angeles narcotics warrant from 2009.  The U.S. Marshal’s Office in Louisville assisted LAPD detectives in locating and arresting little.  Little subsequently waived extradition and was returned to Los Angeles in October.  Cold Case detectives continued building the murder investigations while Little awaited court disposition on the narcotics charge.

On November 27, 2012, Little was connected to a third case involving the murder of Carol Alford.  Again, this was accomplished by DNA evidence linked to Little.

This arrest represents the conclusion of successful investigations initiated as a direct result of cold case screenings and DNA evidence testing financed by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), through the Solving Cases with DNA grant, which was awarded to the LAPD by the United States Department of Justice.

Cold case detectives are continuing to work with other law enforcement agencies throughout the nation in areas where Samuel Little has been known to frequent.  Other Los Angeles area cases are still being reviewed for a possible connection to Little.

Anyone with information related to these cases should contact Detective Rick Jackson or Detective Mitzi Roberts at 213-486-6810.  Anyone that would like to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Text messages to Crime Stoppers may be sent to 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads).  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.’  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.