Former Marine Charged with 1979 Murder of Cheshire Woman

CHESHIRE, CT — Former Marine Roger Pollard has been charged with the murder of Cheshire’s Karen Trevethan Johnson in 1979.

Pollard was arrested for the 37-year-old cold case earlier this month and is due back in court on May 26, according to WCTI News 12 in North Carolina.

WCTI reports that investigators suspected Pollard of the murder all along but were finally able to make an arrest with the advancements in technology that led them to find more witnesses and uncover more evidence.

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Tom Trevethan, Karen’s brother, told the Meriden Record-Journal that he doesn’t know what the new evidence was but he’s happy that the man they always suspected has been arrested.

Gary Johnson and Karen Johnson were married in 1979 and moved from Cheshire to North Carolina when Gary joined the Marine Corps, according to the Record-Journal.

Karen was killed shortly after turning 20 while she was home alone while Gary was away on training, according to the Record-Journal.

Read more about the cold case and the family’s reaction to the arrest at the Meriden Record-Journal here.