DNA helps Fort Worth police identify suspect in 1997 cold case stabbing

Michael Puryear (Fort Worth PD)

Fort Worth police arrested a man they said killed a woman more than 25 years ago.

Michael Puryear is charged with capital murder in the killing of Verna Dennis.

She was stabbed and beaten to death during a robbery attempt at her home back in 1997.

Puryear was arrested several years ago, but the charges were dropped because the evidence in the case was not strong enough.

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85-year-old man arrested for Garland cold case murder

Investigators used DNA technology to link Liborio Canales to the 1986 death of his sister-in-law, Barbara Villareal.

Investigators said recent advancements in DNA testing helped them identify Puryear as the suspect.

He’s 46 now. He was 20 when the crime happened.

Fort WorthCrime and Public Safety