MALDEN, MASS. (WHDH) - A man is facing a murder charge in the unsolved cold case of a teenage girl who was fatally shot at a foster home in Malden in 1991, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Wednesday.
Rodney Daniels, 48, of South Fulton, Georgia, has been indicted on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Patricia Moreno, who was 17 years of age when she died, Ryan said during a news conference.
Daniels is accused of shooting Moreno once in the head at a foster home on Henry Street on the morning of July 20, 1991.
Moreno was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where it was determined that she had suffered an irreversible brain injury. She died that afternoon.
Daniels was in a relationship with Moreno’s foster sister, according to Ryan.
There was no evidence of forced entry into the home. During an initial investigation, police interviewed Daniels, who claimed that he had been sleeping in an armchair in the living room when he was awakened by the sound of two gunshots, and that he walked out onto the fire escape where he located Moreno. The victim’s foster mother then called for police and an ambulance.
Investigators later learned that Daniels had been in possession of multiple handguns close in time to the murder, according to Ryan, and further investigation also revealed that Daniels had engaged in threatening behavior toward the victim in the weeks before her death.
Ryann added that recent witness testimony led to Daniels’ arrest.
Investigators spoke with a witness who had been awakened by a loud noise and immediately looked to the fire escape on the night of Moreno’s death, according to Ryan. The witness was able to provide a physical description of the suspect, which was consistent with the appearance of Daniels.
The witness added that the suspect immediately retreated into the apartment and closed the door behind him.
“This is a case that was solved not by a new development in forensic science, but as a result of relentless investigative work and a change in circumstances for some parties involved,” Ryan said. “When we created a dedicated unit to look at our uncharged cases, we hoped for outcomes like this one. We know that time can change many things and in this case we were able to uncover new information that led us to this arrest.”
Daniels was taken into custody in South Fulton on Tuesday without incident.
He is slated to be arraigned Thursday in Middlesex District Court.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS for updates online and on-air.
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