DNA Points to Suspect of 2005 Killing; Authorities Arrest Man 17 Years After Murder

A Hawthorne man was arrested in connection with the 2005 murder of a black woman based on DNA and fingerprint evidence, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced.

The Sheriff's Homicide Unsolved Unit used "modern technology" to evaluate evidence from the crime scene. The evidence led to the arrest of Charles Wright, 56, in the killing of Pertina Epps, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Saturday.

On April 26, 2005, on the 2700 block of 141st Place, Gardena, a 21-year-old black woman was found lying underneath a carport. Her lifeless body was discovered in the empty parking slot by a citizen backing out of one of the carport's four stalls.

According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner's investigation, she was strangled to death.

Detectives began reviewing the case in 2021 and resubmitted forensic evidence from the crime scene using new technology. They were then able to connect it to Wright, per the LA Times.

Before the DNA evidence produced a match, "detectives believed both the suspect and the victim did not know each other," according to the release.

On Thursday morning, Wright was arrested but was later released after posting bond. When reached by phone, his response to the charge was: "I'm innocent until proven guilty."

According to the LASD, he will be arraigned in court on June 28.

DNA leads to arrest in 20-year-old killing

This is not the first time an arrest was made using DNA sampling and modern technology.

Last December 2021, Grant County Prosecutor's Office filed murder charges against Darwish Bowlds in relation to the December 28, 2001 killing in Grant County.

Bowlds was arrested on a warrant by Tulsa Police on December 1, the prosecutor's office said.

He will be moved back to Indiana to face charges.

Twenty years ago, police did question Bowlds after his name was tied to the death of Jessie "Pete" Flowers by witnesses. Bowlds refused to provide a DNA sample to police, telling them that "they needed a warrant."

Bowlds admitted to shooting and killing Flowers, according to a taped statement given to police in 2004. According to a witness, the victim was attempting to acquire cocaine from Bowlds.

In 2005, Bowlds had two active warrants that weren't tied to Flower's death. He was arrested during a traffic stop and ordered to provide a blood sample by the court.

Police were able to match his DNA to the baseball hat that was left on the scene the night Flowers died five months after the blood sample was taken.

It's unclear why it took so long to make an arrest after the DNA match was confirmed. Briana Brownlee of WANE 15 reached out to the prosecutor's office on Tuesday, but they were unable to respond.

Bowlds faces charges of murder and murder when the killing occurred while dealing in cocaine or narcotic drug.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

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