Image Courtesy of Missouri Courts |
Murder charges against a man from in the murder of a woman nearly 40 years ago have been dismissed.
Donald Nash was convicted of murder in 2009, when his DNA matched that of DNA collected from the body of Judy Spencer.
Spencer was found dead in 1982. Police believed she was strangled with a shoelace and then shot in the neck with a shotgun round.
Initial testimony by a DNA expert said the DNA found on Spencer’s body amounted to “great effect.”
A new prosecuting attorney picked up the case in 2020 and convinced the Missouri Supreme Court to vacate the Jury decision of 2009 after testimony by the same DNA expert suggested that the evidence against Nash was not as compelling as originally thought.
In addition, DNA from two different men were found on the murder weapon, casting doubt on Nash’s conviction.
