After nearly three decades, a suspect has been arrested in a Pontiac, Michigan, cold case homicide, authorities said Thursday.
The victim, 73-year-old Charles Barnett, was found shot to death in his Corwin Street home on April 30, 1998. A subsequent police investigation went cold, without a suspect identified.
Now, authorities have arrested Jack Anthony Young, 45, who was living in Mishawaka, Indiana.
Detectives say they believe Barnett entered his home and surprised Young, who was burglarizing Barnett’s home at the time. Young, who was 18 at the time of the murder, fatally shot Barnett, stole his car and then crashed it a short while later, investigators say. Pontiac police investigated the crash and traced the car back to Barnett’s home, where his body was found.
Barnett’s case was dormant until 2020, when Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Sgt. Todd Hunt and retired Lt. Steve Troy reopened the case and identified Young, linking him to the murder.
“We never give up on our pursuit of justice for the victims, the families and the community,” said Bouchard. “I’m proud of the constant review of cold cases that our team does. In this case, we have an opportunity to hold the accused perpetrator accountable after all these years.”
Young was arrested on Nov. 17 without incident by the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald is charging Young with one count of felony murder.
“Charles Barnett was taken from his loved ones 27 years ago, but he was never forgotten,” said McDonald in a statement. “Thanks to an investigation that was never closed, we can now seek justice for Mr. Barnett.”
Young waived extradition from Indiana and is expected to be arraigned in Oakland County next week.
More from CBS News