Cold Case of Terri McAdams Solved

The Arlington Police Department has solved the nearly 40-year-old murder case of Terri McAdams, a 22-year-old University of Texas at Arlington student, through investigative genetic genealogy (IGG). McAdams was found beaten and sexually assaulted in her fiancé's apartment on February 14, 1985, but the case went cold despite numerous investigations. Recent DNA testing identified Bernard Sharp as the prime suspect; he died in a double murder-suicide in November 1985 before DNA databases could link him to the crime. A relative of Sharp provided a DNA sample that matched evidence from the crime scene. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of violent crime in Arlington and the innovative use of technology in solving cold cases. Police Chief Al Jones expressed gratitude for the support from the FBI in finally providing answers to McAdams' family after decades of uncertainty.