(KRON) – The San Bruno Police Department said it has made a “major development” in a decades-old cold case murder case involving an infant who was found abandoned and dead in Buckeye Park in 1981.
Police said the killer used a sock to strangle the newborn, and the body was found in a trash can in the park.
Police said the newborn had died only a few hours earlier when it was found on November 11, 1981. Investigators suspect the victim was placed in a trash can sometime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Police said reddish-brown human hair and black dog hair were found on the sock. Without the child’s name, investigators had difficulty determining who was responsible for the murder.
The case remained cold for 44 years.
Using advanced forensic genetic genealogy technology, San Bruno Police Department investigators and specialized DNA laboratories were recently able to identify the infant’s parents, police announced Tuesday.
“Although the police department knows the identities of both parents, their names have not been released at this time. This identification represents a major step forward in the case and renews efforts to bring this case to justice,” SBPD wrote on Tuesday.
Investigators are now seeking the public’s help as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about this case, or the events that occurred at Buckeye Park in November of 1981, is urged to contact San Bruno Police.
Information can be provided by calling SBPD at 650-616-7100 or by emailing [email protected]. Information can be left anonymously.