Thumb Print Leads to Suspects in ’76 Slaying
Manuel Alvarez Solano’s thumb has pointed police to suspects in his slaying, 18 years after his body was found.
The sheriff’s office Monday said two people have been arrested and a third is being sought in the shotgun slaying of the Cuban-born drug dealer.
Initially, police had been unable to identify the body and held onto the thumb in hopes it would eventually yield clues. A state crime lab injected some chemicals to raise the ridges on the thumb, and Solano’s prints were found on file at the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
“Back in ‘76, they didn’t have a lot of technology we have now,” sheriff’s Detective Jay Glover said.
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