After nearly 50 years, an attacker has finally been identified in the case of the 1975 Slasher attack in Indianapolis. Detective Sgt. David Ellison had been tirelessly working on the case since 2018, trying to solve the kidnapping and stabbing of three young girls, and the rape of the youngest victim. Despite his efforts, the perpetrator remained unknown.
Ellison decided to explore forensic genetic genealogy as a last resort. With the help of a friend, he secured funding for the testing, which would cost about $8,000. Ashley Flowers, the founder of Audiochuck, a crime-related podcast company, donated $6,000, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department covered the rest.
In January 2023, DNA Labs International completed the analysis, extracting the suspect’s DNA from the evidence and uploading it to genetic ancestry databases. In July 2023, Ellison retired from the police department, but the investigation continued.
The lab found the suspect’s children through the databases, leading to the identification of Thomas Edward Williams as the perpetrator. Williams, who had a history of criminal activities, had died in prison in 1983. The survivors of the attack, Kathie, Kandice, and Sheri, were finally informed of the breakthrough in January 2024.
The closure brought mixed emotions for the survivors, with Kandice finding peace and justice, Sheri forgiving but not forgetting, and Kathie reflecting on her relentless pursuit of answers. The identification of the attacker, even after his death, brought a sense of closure and freedom to the survivors, knowing that the man who had haunted them for decades was no longer a threat.
