Posted on 04/22/2006 10:24:53 AM PDT by csvset
Diana Sue Sylvester had been living in San Francisco only six months when she was raped and killed in the Sunset District after walking home from work at UCSF, three days before Christmas in 1972. On Friday, San Francisco police said DNA evidence and a computer search of sex offender records finally had led them to a suspect.
John Puckett, 72, a retired carpet installer living in Stockton, was arrested at a trailer he shared with his wife, Marlene, and is expected to be arraigned next week on murder charges in the slaying of the 25-year-old nurse.
"Even though he's older and frail and not offending any more,'' San Francisco police Inspector Holly Pera said, "he needs to be accountable for what he did in earlier years, because he destroyed many, many lives.''
The victim's sister praised the police for reopening the case.
"We have had a lot of pain for a long time,'' said Donna Gaylord, 54, of Wells, Maine. "I for one, I know that we will all feel better when we know the man who did this is behind bars and held accountable. Not that it will make up for my sister's loss. Believe me, this world lost a lot more with my sister's loss than it gained with this man's living.''
Evidence recovered from the victim and her flat, the scene of the homicide, was compared with records in a statewide database. Late last year, Puckett turned up a match.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
He was paroled in 1963. At one point, he was determined to be a mentally disordered sex offender. He went back into custody in 1969, 1973 and 1977.
Over the years, Puckett was convicted three times for sex crimes -- a kidnap-rape in Long Beach, a kidnap-sexual assault in San Rafael and sexual assault in San Francisco.
He officially started registering as a sex offender in 1985. His genetic information was put into the state's database. Last year, police learned that Puckett's sample matched the DNA left behind in the 1972 attack.
To read how many times the scumbag had been arrested and released is infuriating.
Everybody needs a goal.
But I thought DNA was hardly ever captured or used in rape cases? That's what the out of control DA in the Duke case keeps telling us.
He should have been arrested decades ago.
Yeah, that was my reaction. I'm glad they caught this guy, but I wish they'd done the DNA analysis a long time ago.
"Over the years, Puckett was convicted three times for sex crimes -- a kidnap-rape in Long Beach, a kidnap-sexual assault in San Rafael and sexual assault in San Francisco."
Incredible!
"He should have been arrested decades ago."
But he was, not for this crime, but multiple times, for pretty much everything short of murder. Arrested, convicted and imprisioned, time after time after time. The problem was: they kept letting him out.
Well,the upside is,we may not hve to foot the bill for an extended stay.He should have been put away a LONG time ago.
That's a positive way to look at it.
This makes the police look pretty inept.
"He was paroled in 1963. At one point, he was determined to be a mentally disordered sex offender. He went back into custody in 1969, 1973 and 1977.
Over the years, Puckett was convicted three times for sex crimes -- a kidnap-rape in Long Beach, a kidnap-sexual assault in San Rafael and sexual assault in San Francisco."
Kinda' give you an idea why they used to just HANG these pieces of shit. 'Course were infinitely wiser and more compassionate today so we keep letting them go.
"To read how many times the scumbag had been arrested and released is infuriating."
But he was cured. Lots of patients slip backwards during the healing process.
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Proposition 69 will not make you safer, but could trap your DNA in a criminal database. 69 treats thousands of Californians that are never charged with a crime just like the guilty. 69 risks your most sensitive, private information --your DNA. Protect your privacy. No on 69!
Jerks.
Yes, that's pretty much what I recall. Now that one of the indicted players seems to have an airight alibi, I'm waiting for him to start telling us how cab drivers, surveillance cameras, ATM receipts, and eye witnesses don't constitute credible evidence of non-guilt. He used teleportation or an identical twin to throw us off the scent. It's all a giant conspiracy to cover for this guy, just like the entire LAPD was engaged in fabricating evidence against OJ.
No, the State should have killed him after the first trial.
The shame and blame belong to the state.
It's no comfort for all those victims across the decades is it? At least he's finally been grabbed for a murder he's avoided charges on for almost 35 years.
May he never see the light of day to harm another woman. I wonder if his wife knew of his past.
Prop 69 had no baring on this repeat rapist showing up in the DNA database. Had three-strikes been implemented earlier I think he probably would've stayed in prison long ago and society would've been better off.
The Duke case looks is a sham perpetrated by a DA seeking to be reelected. I saw on Drudge today that she only had all the white players to pick from in the line up. There were no photos presented of non-Duke lacrosse players, not one cop or other "control" sample. That's an intolerable method of identification.
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