Jerry Westrom was arrested on February 11, 2019 and charged in the June 13, 1993 murder of 35-year-old Jeanne Ann Childs in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Childs was found stabbed to death in her apartment. She had been stabbed multiple times in the abdomen, with several wounds being inflicted post-mortem. She was especially vulnerable as she had been working as a prostitute out of her apartment at the time she was killed.
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained from semen located on Child’s comforter as well as from a blue towel and a blood spot on the sink in the washroom, where the suspect had washed up afterwards. The killer had left the water running in her high-rise apartment, and it had begun seeping into the apartment below.
The FGG investigation was conducted by Barbara Rae-Venter. The initial confirmation was made through police surveillance followed by the surreptitious sampling of a napkin Wells had used and thrown away while attending a hockey game.
Wells turned himself in and was released on bail. He has a prior criminal record for impaired driving and solicitation. He was charged with second degree murder, and the sex assault charges were dropped.
Wells was convicted by a jury on August 25, 2022 of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder. On September 9, 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 30 years.
Sources:
CBS Minnesota. “Jerry Westrom Indicted on First-Degree Murder Charge in Jeanne Child’s 1993 Death.” CBS Minnesota, June 30, 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/06/30/jerry-westrom-indicted-on-first-degree-murder-charge-in-jeanne-childs-1993-death/.
CBS Minnesota. “Metro Hockey Dad Charged With 1993 Murder of Jeanne Ann Childs.” CBS Minnesota, February 14, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2019/02/14/metro-hockey-dad-charged-with-1993-murder-of-jeanne-ann-childs/.
Gafni, Matthias. “A Year After Golden State Killer Arrest, Genealogy Pro Keeps Solving Crimes.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 19, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/A-year-after-Golden-State-Killer-arrest-13779124.php.
Kalmbacher, Colin. “‘Honey, Justice Has Been Served’: Hockey Dad Convicted of Stabbing Woman 65 Times in Horrific Cold Case Murder is Sentenced to Prison.” Law & Crime, September 9, 2022. Accessed September 13, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/honey-justice-has-been-served-hockey-dad-convicted-of-stabbing-woman-65-times-in-horrific-cold-case-murder-is-sentenced-to-prison/.
Kytonen, Rachel. “Jury Trial Set for March in Westrom Alleged Murder Case.” County News Review, November 4, 2021. Accessed December 28, 2021. https://www.hometownsource.com/county_news_review/free/jury-trial-set-for-march-in-westrom-alleged-murder-case/article_76d0f414-3da2-11ec-b555-ff12d5f210f9.html.
Mayerle, Jennifer. “Jerry Westrom Found Guilty of Murder in Cold Case Killing of Jeanie Ann Childs.” CBS News, August 25, 2022. Accessed August 26, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/jerry-westrom-guilty-verdict/.
Mayerle, Jennifer. “Jerry Westrom’s Murder Trial Date Set for April, Accused of Killing Jeanie Ann Childs in 1993.” CBS 4 Minnesota, July 24, 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/07/24/jerry-westroms-murder-trial-date-set-for-april-accused-of-killing-jeanie-ann-childs-in-1993/.
State of Minnesota v. Jerry Arnold Westrom. Statement of Probable Cause. Court File No. 27-CR-19-3844. County of Hennepin District Court, 4th Judicial District. February 14, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://www.hennepinattorney.org/-/media/Attorney/NEWS/2019/Westrom-Jerry-murcplt.pdf?la=en&hash=894960D7733B2A80C452611C2E543B5EFC9AADFF.
Truesdale, Jeff. “Man Whose DNA Was Found on Napkin Discarded at Hockey Game is Charged in 1993 High-Rise Murder.” People, February 19, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://people.com/crime/dna-found-discarded-napkin-hockey-game-charged-1993-high-rise-murder/.