BREAKTHROUGH

DNA From Discarded Coffee Cup Solves ‘Oldest Cold Case’ Murder of Lindy Sue Biechler

Lindy Sue Biechler was just 19 when she met her gruesome end, and almost five decades later, her killer has been found alive.

DNA has done it again and solved a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania murder case dubbed the “oldest cold case in the county,” thanks to a discarded coffee cup. Lindy Sue Biechler was only 19 when she was sexually assaulted and stabbed 19 times in her apartment on December 5, 1975. Her husband, Philip, who was at work during the attack, said he believed the murderer was someone Lindy knew. Turns out, he was right. Almost five decades later it has been revealed her killer, David V. Sinopoli, had lived in the same apartment building as her. The 68-year-old has now been arrested and charged with criminal homicide. He is being held in prison without bail. Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams called it the oldest unsolved cold case in the county. “We are here today due to advances in DNA technology,” she said. Officials used both DNA and immigration history to find a suspect and honed in on Sinopoli, following him until they could obtain a discarded coffee cup. It matched the DNA found on Biechler’s pantyhose.