Brutal 1985 stabbing of aspiring model leads L.A. County detectives to Las Vegas man
Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives hope to extradite a Las Vegas man accused in the 1985 slaying of an aspiring model.
A cold case squad made the arrest Wednesday after picking up the case of the unsolved stabbing of the Long Beach woman.
Stafford Joel Spicer, 59, was apprehended by Los Angeles County cold-case sheriff's homicide investigators in Las Vegas, where he was living.
Authorities said Spicer was served with an arrest warrant at his home in connection with the killing of Joanne Marie Jones, who was 23 when she disappeared April 29, 1985. Her body was found in June of that year in a remote area of Azusa Canyon east of Highway 39.
At the time, Spicer was arrested by Long Beach police after he was spotted driving Jones' Chevrolet Camaro. He was later released for lack of evidence, the Sheriff's Department said.
The case was reopened in 2009 by the department's cold-case unit, which uncovered new DNA evidence, according to authorities.
The unit's motto is "Time is on our side," Capt. Mike Parker said. "Homicide cases," he said, "are never closed until they are solved."
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Steve Davis at (323) 890-5500. Or tipsters can remain anonymous by calling LA Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS, texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637)
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-- Robert J. Lopez
Twitter: @LAJourno
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Look at that 80s hair!
Posted by: Captain Howdy | March 10, 2011 at 08:40 AM
"At the time, Spicer was arrested by Long Beach police after he was spotted driving Jones' Chevrolet Camaro. He was later released for lack of evidence.."
WHAT? So, driving the car of a missing woman - probably dead - is not enough to trigger the sort of investigation that got the guy caught 25 years later?!? What if, while walking free, he killed again? And for all we know, he might have!!! Do we have to wait another 25 years to find out?
Posted by: Eric of Reseda | March 10, 2011 at 08:48 AM
Awesome! Justice is served. I'm glad it was only a matter of time. Great job to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and especially to the L.A. County Sheriff detectives working this case!
Posted by: S.G. | March 10, 2011 at 09:19 AM
Great work, Capt. Parker! Nice to know she was not forgotten. And that her (alleged) killer will have PLENTY of time to regret what he did behind bars.
Posted by: Mister DUI | March 10, 2011 at 02:56 PM