DNA leads to Bellevue murder charge after nearly 33 years
BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) - Bellevue police say DNA evidence has led King County prosecutors to file a murder charge against a known sex offender in a rape-homicide that happened nearly 33 years ago.
Police spokeswoman Carla Iafrate says 56-year-old Michael Allan Halgren has been arrested at the McNeil Island Special Commitment Center, where he has been held after being found to be a sexually violent predator.
He was charged Wednesday in the April 23, 1980, death of 19 year-old Susan Barbara Lowe.
The spokeswoman says Halgren's DNA was found at the murder scene but all investigative leads were exhausted in the early 1980s. Then Halgren's DNA profile was obtained as part of an updating process in 2012 that included a number of civilly committed sexually violent predators at the special commitment center near Tacoma.
Halgren's criminal history includes a 1989 kidnapping and rape of a woman in Bellevue.
He is being held without bail at the King County Jail.
Police spokeswoman Carla Iafrate says 56-year-old Michael Allan Halgren has been arrested at the McNeil Island Special Commitment Center, where he has been held after being found to be a sexually violent predator.
He was charged Wednesday in the April 23, 1980, death of 19 year-old Susan Barbara Lowe.
The spokeswoman says Halgren's DNA was found at the murder scene but all investigative leads were exhausted in the early 1980s. Then Halgren's DNA profile was obtained as part of an updating process in 2012 that included a number of civilly committed sexually violent predators at the special commitment center near Tacoma.
Halgren's criminal history includes a 1989 kidnapping and rape of a woman in Bellevue.
He is being held without bail at the King County Jail.
33 years feels like a long time ago but pales compared to eternity.
Story should read after 33 years another unsolved case falls into BPD laps...
 @Windowseat I do not think this fell into anyone's lap. If BPD had not done their job 33 years ago, technology would not have caught up with this pure evil excuse for a human, and the case would have remained unsolved.
 @Windowseat you live an angry little life ..... so sad....
I wish they would put a picture of him on here -- then and now. Chances are he has done this numerous times and someone might be able to recognize his picture.
For those advocating "quick and sure" solutions - remember our cumbersome legal system is in place to protect those falsely accused. If we DON'T allow trials and appeals, the truly evil among us will use our system against those who are least able to fight back....history shows us that.Â
 @cdc I'm calling "BS". I know of at least two cases where an accusation by a girl or woman with no proof was vigorously pursued by the prosecutor. The victims were placed in a "Prove your innocence" situation, facing extremely expensive lawyer costs unless they plea-bargained to a lesser offence, of which they had not committed, just to avoid the expense of a trial.
ALL sex offenders past and present should have their DNA profiled, and put into an easily searchable national database.. plain and simple... "cold cases" like these wouldn't go unsolved, or as in this case take decades to solve if we did this..
 @Aidenag All kidnapping and sexual offenders are required by law to provide a DNA sample. Samples are taken at intake once they've been convicted. It's been that way for over 20 years. Why his DNA was only recently matched to this case as part of an update is a mystery and shows the system has a serious hole.
Bruce Harrell is big fan of sex offenders. He would like to help them gain employment in Seattle. Too many in this country sympathize with criminals and show no respect to victims rights. This man should be hanged in front of all King County Registered sex offenders.
Seems silly to arrest someone that is already in prison. Just tack more time on..like 100 years and leave him there.Â
 @Ankle Biter Civil commitment is not prison. It's a highly secure "mental health" facility under the Department of Social Health Services. As such he is not an inmate or under the Department of Corrections. Thats how the law skirts around the double jeopardy provision of the constitution.
@Ankle Biter: Yes, it does seem silly but in order to tack on more time you have to be convicted of additional crimes. I know, I know. But under our laws you have to prove he did it in a court of law, be found guilty, then you can add additional penalties. Cumbersome, yes, but that's our legal system under our Constitution.
 @Ankle Biter Right now he is civilly committed and that's not even close to being in prison for a crime. I've maintained for years the first sex offense, jail time, second offense castration.
Looks like an instagram picture ;-)
@Komo Dragon: Yeah, and look at the clothes and the haircuts. There's no way we looked that dated when we were back then, were we? ;-)
33 years later. Give this turd his justice. Put a bullit between his eyes.
 @STK Maybe we could have a trial first... you know, satisfy all those constitutional requirements.Â
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While that's happening, maybe you could learn to spell "bullet."
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