KEY POINT SUMMARY: Cold case solved
• Cold case solved in Utah teen’s 1985 rape and murder
• DNA and genealogy link suspect Ricky Lee Stallworth to the crime
• Stallworth died in 2023, never questioned or arrested
• Victim Christine Gallegos was just 18 when she was killed
• Gallegos’ mother says her family’s grief never faded
Cold Case Solved With DNA Evidence After Decades
A 40-year-old mystery has finally been resolved. Police say a cold case solved in Salt Lake City reveals that Christine Gallegos, 18, was murdered by Ricky Lee Stallworth, an Air Force airman who was stationed nearby at the time of the brutal crime.
Gallegos vanished while hitchhiking to work in 1985. Her body was discovered the next morning. She had been raped, stabbed, beaten, and shot twice. Investigators said the teenager put up a fierce struggle before she died.
With no suspects and few leads, the case remained cold until now.
Cold Case Solved Through Genealogy And Technology
The breakthrough came thanks to DNA evidence preserved from the scene. Investigators sent the sample to Othram Labs, which used genetic genealogy to build a family tree. A relative of Stallworth later gave a DNA sample that confirmed the match.
The cold case was solved, but it came too late to question Stallworth, who died of natural causes in 2023.
Detective Cordon Parks called him a “State Street stalker,” citing late-night activities and frequent encounters with sex workers. Despite his quiet public life, Stallworth reportedly left home in the middle of the night and never explained his whereabouts.
Christine’s Mother Speaks Out After Cold Case Solved
For Christine Gallegos’ mother, Leah, the pain never went away. “I sure miss that girl every day,” she said through tears during the press conference. She remembered her daughter as bright, loving, and hopeful about starting a family.
“She was engaged. I wonder about the kids she would have,” Leah added.
The resolution of the cold case brought some closure but also stirred painful memories. “They took so much away when they took her away,” she said.
Not Everyone Convinced Killer Is Guilty
While police are confident the cold case is solved, one of Stallworth’s ex-wives is pushing back. “We just don’t believe it,” she said, arguing that Stallworth was a kind and gentle man. “He never raised his hand or his voice to me in 19 years.”
Still, investigators believe the DNA evidence is airtight.
Stallworth had no known connection to Gallegos and was never interviewed in previous investigations. His name never surfaced until now.
Closure, But Not Justice
Steve O’Camb of the Utah State Bureau of Investigation said that this cold case solved provides partial justice. “We weren’t able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of peace,” he said.
Christine Gallegos’ case is now officially closed. For her family, the wait is over—but the sorrow remains.