Home / Crime and Justice / 40-Year Cold Case Solved by DNA Match
40-Year Cold Case Solved by DNA Match
28 Feb
Summary
- Gainesville man convicted for 1988 rape and murder in California.
- DNA evidence from 1988 autopsy linked suspect after nearly four decades.
- Convicted killer faces life without parole for 1988 homicide.
After nearly four decades, a California cold case murder has been solved. A jury found Aloysius Winthrop James guilty on February 27, 2026, of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of rape in the 1988 killing of Ofelia Sandoval. Sandoval was discovered strangled to death on September 18, 1988, in Santa Maria, California. The initial investigation went cold in 1989.
In the early 2000s, a DNA profile from evidence collected during Sandoval's autopsy did not match any known individuals. The case remained open, with investigators revisiting evidence over the years. In 2018, the FBI assisted Santa Maria police in obtaining a covert DNA sample from James. By 2023, the Department of Justice confirmed the 1988 DNA evidence matched James.
At the time of his arrest on April 16, 2024, James resided in Gainesville. Detectives, along with federal and local law enforcement, served an arrest warrant at his home. James, who had been a Santa Maria resident when the murder occurred, was arrested and extradited to California to face charges.
Prosecutors stated the verdict represents nearly 38 years of investigative effort. James faces a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole, with sentencing scheduled for April 14. Authorities believe James may have had other victims and urge anyone with information to come forward.
