On April 14, 2022, the Honolulu Police Department announced that Cecil H. Trent was identified as the lead suspect in the 1994 murder of 37-year-old Lisa Fracassi in Honolulu, Hawaii. The case has been cleared by exception due to the death of Trent.
Fracassi was found strangled to death in her own apartment on November 3, 1994. She worked as an exotic dancer but had wanted to become a nurse and was trying to save money to go to school.
The FGG investigation was conducted by CeCe Moore of Parabon Naolabs, beginning in 2020. The final confirmation was made by comparing fingerprints taken at the crime scene to those taken of Trent after his death. It has not been reported as of yet if a DNA sample taken at his autopsy was also used in the final confirmation. Investigators state that the DNA evidence in this case was well-preserved as the HPD had begun using an updated method of storing evidence in the year before Fracassi’s murder.
Trent died of heart failure in Honolulu in 2013.
Sources:
Hawaii News Now Staff. “Advances in DNA Research help HPD Link Suspect to 1994 Murder in Waikiki.” Hawaii News Now, April 14, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/04/15/through-dna-tests-police-link-suspect-1994-murder-waikiki/.
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Hawaii Police Solve Cold 1994 Case Murder of Exotic Dancer Strangled to Death in Her Own Apartment.” Law & Crime, April 15, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/hawaii-police-solve-cold-1994-case-murder-of-exotic-dancer-strangled-to-death-in-her-own-apartment/.
Ladao, Mark. “Primary Suspect Identified in 1994 Waikiki Murder Case Through DNA, Fingerprint Analysis.” Yahoo News, April 15, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https://news.yahoo.com/primary-suspect-identified-1994-waikiki-160800447.html.