Kentucky Man Charged for 1994 Murder of Gary Woman | Federal Bureau of Investigation

MERRILLVILLE—The Lake County Prosecutor’s Workplace has charged Gerald Lynn Smith, 60, of Madisonville, Kentucky, with homicide, homicide whereas committing or trying to commit rape, and rape in reference to the brutal slaying of 69-year-old Gloria Hansell who was discovered strangled inside her Gary, Indiana residence on June 17, 1994. Hansell, a widow, lived alone at 3966 Buchanan Avenue and relied on an in-home oxygen machine as a consequence of poor well being.

In 2020, the Indiana State Police Lowell Regional Laboratory was requested by The FBI’s Gang Response Investigative Group (GRIT) to re-examine proof collected on this case and Smith was developed as a suspect from the evaluation of male DNA discovered within the sufferer’s sexual assault equipment collected at her post-mortem. Upon additional re-investigation of this case, GRIT investigators have been in a position to place Smith in Gary shortly earlier than Hansell’s homicide and realized he knew Hansell.

A witness reported Smith, who was 32 years outdated on the time of the homicide, had gone to Hansell’s home on not less than two events within the weeks earlier than her homicide and stated he had simply moved again into the realm from out of state. The witness said on one event Smith requested Hansell if he might lower her grass for cash, however she declined his provide. The witness said on one other event Hansell stated Smith made an undesirable advance in the direction of her inside her home that made her uncomfortable when he tried to kiss her neck.

Different businesses who assisted within the investigation are the Gary Police Division, Lake County Police Division Crime Scene Unit, and Hopkins County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Division.

GRIT investigators are asking anybody with data on this case or another chilly case to name 219.942.4899.