Officials: Arrest made in 16-year-old homicide case

ATHENS, Ga. - Police say they've solved a mystery of a 16-year-old murder thanks to new DNA evidence.

In Aug. 21, 2002 officers discovered a body of a woman in an apartment on the 2000 block of West Broad Street in Athens. The woman was identified as 49-year-old Pamela Crisler. Her death was ruled as a homicide but police were unable to identify a suspect during their investigation.

That all changed in November of 2017 when police say new information from DNA at the scene helped identify a suspect.

The suspect was determined to be 34-year-old Decatur resident Abdus Salaam Laroche.

On Tuesday, detectives took Laroche into custody without incident.

He has been charged with murder.

Police are asking anyone who may have information about the incident to please contact Sgt. David Norris at 706-613-3888 ext. 556.