More than 50 years after two teen sisters were brutally murdered while hitchhiking in the Florida Keys, authorities said they’ve identified a suspect in the killings.
In April 1973, Marguerite “Maggie” Jenkins, 18, and her 16-year-old sister, Mary Jenkins, had traveled to Key West from New Jersey for a vacation.
They were last seen hitchhiking on Stock Island on May 2, 1973, and the next day, their bodies were discovered by a resident in a wooded area about 100 yards away from U.S. 1 Mile Marker 99.5 in Key Largo.
Both had been severely beaten and suffered apparent gunshot wounds.
Mary and Marguerite “Maggie” Jenkins
The case went cold as the investigation at the time failed to generate suspects.
In 2018, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was able to obtain a partial male DNA profile from a blood stain found on the clothing of one of the victims.
No matches were found until 2023 when the FDLE’s Genetic Genealogy Investigations team performed genealogy research and family tree-building which led to a suspect, David Allen Snyder.
Snyder, formerly of Key West, had died in Idaho in October 2008.
But earlier this year, a DNA sample was collected from a relative of Snyder, and testing confirmed the suspect was Snyder, authorities said Wednesday.
An investigation by FDLE and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office linked Snyder to residing in several locations in Key West between 1972 and 1974.
“I want to thank the Detectives of our Major Crimes Division for their hard work alongside the FDLE in bringing closure to the family of these two victims,” Monroe Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement. “This case highlights the importance of our law enforcement partnership with the FDLE and our commitment to solving crimes no matter how long it may take.”
“Whether a violent crime was committed two days ago or two decades ago, FDLE will use every resource and technology available to search for answers for the victims and their families,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass. “Florida’s visitors should never worry about their safety when they travel to our great state. I commend our FDLE agents and the Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy team for their dedication to bringing answers to the Jenkins family.”