After 46-years, a cold case murder involving a 5-year-old girl from Montana has finally been solved after DNA evidence preserved from the crime scene was analyzed, identifying her killer as a homeless man who died in 2012, according to authorities. DNA technology led police to Richard William Davis from Arkansas, who was in the Missoula-area when Siobhan McGuinness disappeared back on February 5, 1974, according to police. The little girl’s body was discovered two days later on Interstate 90 close to the Turah exit. The child had been sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. According to Missoula Police Chief Jason White, DNA preserved from the scene led to a partial match of the DNA collected from one of Davis’ family members, who had a sample on file in a consumer database.
“Forty-six years is a long space of time to be in a state of unending grief and sorrow,” Steve McGuinness, Siobhan’s father, said through tears at a press conference.
“I was amazed this has happened, but not totally surprised,” he added, “DNA is an amazing thing.”
Along with DNA evidence, the vehicle Davis was driving at the time of the murder and statements from two witnesses that matched his physical description led police to consider Davis as their prime suspect, said White. Davis was 32-years-old when the murder took place. He later died in Arkansas in 2012 at age 70. His obituary claimed that he had become a born-again Christian and is survived by his wife and four daughters.
Othram solves cold case using DNA: killer of Siobhan McGuinness (age 5) identified after 46 years. Montana Girl Abducted Near Home, Found Dead in Drain. Killer ID'd 46 Years Later. https://t.co/PfiHQhrkHR
Please alert law enforcement contacts: new DNA technology! pic.twitter.com/oAVtHUFC6t
— steve hsu (@hsu_steve) October 29, 2020
According to Siobhan’s half-sister, Oonna McGuinness mentioned on Monday that the Davis family reached out to help.
“They sent us a very lovely statement to our family from theirs, and they are also experiencing their own new family tragedy,” Oona said.
#ICYMI: We break down exactly how authorities found Siobhan McGuinness' killer 46 years after the five-year-old girl was found dead near #Missoula. LISTEN to the #MontanaMurderMysteries podcast now: https://t.co/U0bSMo2wu4
— Angela Marshall (@_AngelaMarshall) October 30, 2020
Oona also asked that folks respect the Davis family’s privacy “as they are healing right now and had absolutely no idea that somebody that they loved would have been capable of such a thing.”
Davis was never convicted nor suspected of being involved in any other crimes, according to White. Still, Missoula police provided the DNA information to be added to the FBI violent criminal apprehension program as it may help solve other unsolved cases.
The Missoula County sheriff's office said DNA evidence from the scene of the killing of Siobhan McGuinness matches that of Richard William Davis, who lived in Arkansas at the time of his death in 2012. https://t.co/eGyeDV4Grj
— 40/29 Emma Claybrook (@4029emma) October 27, 2020
Authorities also used the same method to identify the man known as the Golden State Killer.
NEW TODAY: DNA IDs murder suspect in cold case. Siobhan McGuinness went missing Feb. 5, 1974 a few blocks from her northside Missoula home. #mtnews https://t.co/UMkPuT4Qzi
— Maritsa Georgiou (@MaritsaNBCMT) October 26, 2020
You can watch a news report about this story below.
You can also hear from the father of Siobhan McGuinness as he shares his feelings about his daughter’s case’s closure.