Man kills himself after DNA links him to Priscilla Strole murder

May 2024 ยท 3 minute read

'I'm taking the coward's way out': Man kills himself after DNA evidence links him to brutal murder and sexual assault of his friend's mother 30 years ago

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Solved: Detectives investigating the 30-year-old cold case murder of Priscilla Strole have said they are satisfied that Robert Hathaway (left) was responsible for her death after DNA evidence matched him at the scene

Solved: Detectives investigating the 30-year-old cold case murder of Priscilla Strole have said they are satisfied that Robert Hathaway (left) was responsible for her death after DNA evidence matched him at the scene

A 48-year-old San Francisco area man identified last month through DNA evidence as the person who killed his childhood friend's mother 30-years ago left a suicide note admitting he 'was taking the cowards way out'.

On February 15, Robert Hathaway hanged himself four days after police interviewed him for the August 31, 1983 murder of Priscilla Strole, who was found dead after suffering a violent beating and sexual assault in her own home.

And as detectives announced they were satisfied the three-decade old cold case had been solved, the victim's brother said that he was disappointed Hathaway would not be facing execution for his crime.

Priscilla Strole was found naked and dead on her floor in Fairfield by her own 15-year-old son Kyle Stracner after he returned from a night out with friends.

At the time detectives found no sign of forced entry into the home, coming to the conclusion that Strole knew her killer.

According to officers, Strole suffered a gruesome attack, was raped and robbed of her jewelry.

'She suffered numerous injuries to her face and head from kitchen knives, a can opener and a piece of decorative wood,' police said according to SFGate.Com.

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Murdered: Priscilla Strole was found dead on the floor of her San Francisco home by her 15-year-old son with gruesome wounds and having suffered a sexual assault Murdered: Priscilla Strole was found dead on the floor of her San Francisco home by her 15-year-old son with gruesome wounds and having suffered a sexual assault

Murdered: Priscilla Strole was found dead on the floor of her San Francisco home by her 15-year-old son with gruesome wounds and having suffered a sexual assault

Thirty-years: A simple fingerprint search after 30-years helped to solve the murder of Priscilla Strole

Thirty-years: A simple fingerprint search after 30-years helped to solve the murder of Priscilla Strole

'All weapons used in the homicide were obtained from inside the house. The living room was in disarray and numerous items had been broken.'

Investigators collected fingerprints and DNA in the form of semen from the scene but nothing matched in the database and no suspect was identified in the murder.

However, in January, cold-case detectives reopened the file and ran the fingerprints through the  Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

Hathaway had a clean record in 1983, but was arrested for burglary in 1986 and therefore in the meantime his prints had been uploaded into the system.

Discovery: Priscilla Strole was discovered on the floor of 900 block of Buchanan Street in Fairfield

Discovery: Priscilla Strole was discovered on the floor of 900 block of Buchanan Street in Fairfield

Relief and anger: Ron Whitted, Strole's brother said that he was annoyed that Hathaway had killed himself as he would have liked to have seen him face execution

Relief and anger: Ron Whitted, Strole's brother said that he was annoyed that Hathaway had killed himself as he would have liked to have seen him face execution

Detectives obtained a search warrant to take DNA from Hathaway and his house and on February 11 they interviewed him about Strole's death.

At the time, Hathaway denied murdering the mother of his childhood friend.

However, four days later Hathaway took his own life and left a short suicide note that read he 'was taking the cowards way out'.

Subsequently, on February 20, the DNA evidence collected matched the semen found 30 years before at the crime scene and detectives decided to close the case.

Strole's brother, Ron Whitted, said that after 30-years of not knowing who killed his sister he would have liked Hathaway to have been executed, 'after spending some time behind bars'.

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