ANAHEIM, CA — More than 14 years after an 80-year-old man was found murdered inside of his Orange County home, police have finally identified and arrested the suspect.
The investigation originally began on Dec. 15, 2022, when Anaheim police conducted a welfare check on an apartment and found Il Jae Kim dead inside.
This March, detectives partnered with the Orange County Crime Lab to reexamine evidence from the original investigation, the Anaheim Police Department said in a social media statement.
"Advances in forensic DNA technology helped investigators identify 34-year-old Mike Nunez as a suspect," police said.
Nunez was arrested in Santa Ana on Tuesday, police said.
He has since been charged with murder by the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
"A cold case is not a forgotten case," the post says. "This breakthrough reflects the personal persistence of our Homicide Detectives and the critical role of forensic science and technology pursuing justice, no matter how long it takes."
Anyone with additional information about the case is encouraged to call the Anaheim Police Department at 714-321-3669 or submit an anonymous tip to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.
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