On the morning of January 16, 1980, 19-year-old Barbara Tucker was found dead in a wooded area near Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon, USA.
At around 7pm the night before, police believe she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and beaten to death in a nearby car park. For 44 years, the case remained unsolved.
But last week, 60-year-old Robert Plimpton was found guilty of premeditated murder, according to a press release from Multnomah County District Attorney's Office. Charges of rape and sexual assault were dropped.
The man denies committing a criminal offence.
– We will appeal, and we are certain that the ruling will be overturned, say the man's defenders, Stephen Howes and Jacob Howes, in a statement to CNN.
Traces of the man's DNA were found in Tucker's vagina, according to police, who identified him in 2021.
The police began to monitor Plimpton, and were able to link him to the case by seizing a piece of gum that he threw on the ground. The DNA profile found in the gum matched that found in the victim's vagina, according to state prosecutors.
Plimpton was arrested on June 8, 2021.
“Organizer. Social media geek. General communicator. Bacon scholar. Proud pop culture trailblazer.”