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.