ERIE, Pa. – State law enforcement credit new witness statements that led to an arrest in a 24-year-old cold-case homicide in Erie County.

David S. Heck, 50, of Brazil, Indiana, who formerly lived in Erie, is charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of Sabrina Kahler, who was 20 years old when she went missing June 24, 2002.

kAmw64< 😀 😕 A@=:46 4FDE@5J[ 244@C5:?8 E@ DE2E6 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= s2G6 $F?52J[ 3FE E96 H96C623@FED @7 z29=6C’D C6>2:?D 2C6 DE:== F?@H?]k^Am

kAmw64< H2D ae J62CD @=5 2E E96 E:>6 @7 E96 4C:>6 2?5 H2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2EE@C?6J86?6C2=]8@G^E2<:?8\24E:@?^2EE@C?6J\86?6C2=\DF?52JD\4@=5\42D6\D64E:@?\6C:6\:?G6DE:82E@CD\2??@F?46\492C86D\:?\a__a\C2A6\>FC56C\@7\a_\J62C\@=5\D23C:?2\<29=6C^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?[ $F?52J D2:5]k^Am

kAm!@=:46 2==686 w64< DEC2?8=65 2?5 C2A65 z29=6C 2E 2 8C2G6= A:E[ 23@FE ad >:=6D 7C@> 96C 9@>6]k^Am

kAmp DEC:?8 @7 H:E?6DD DE2E6>6?ED A=2465 w64< 2E 2 A2C< ?62C E96 2==6865 4C:>6 D46?6 2?5 :?D:56 9:D ECF4< H:E9 z29=6C 2E 2? :46 4C62> DE2?5[ 2=@?8 H:E9 2 7:D96C>2? H9@ 962C5 2 Q3=@@5\4FC5=:?8 D4C62>Q 2?5 D@@? 27E6C 6?4@F?E6C65 2 DEC2?86C :56?E:7:65 2D w64<[ 3FE E96 42D6 =@?8 C6>2:?65 @A6?]k^Am

kAm“%9:D 42D6 H2D ?6G6C ECF=J 2 H9@5F?:E] s2G:5 w64< H2D @? E96 A@=:46 C252C 7C@> E96 G6CJ DE2CE[” $F?52J D2:5 5FC:?8 2 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46 %F6D52J 😕 tC:6] “}@H[ ac J62CD =2E6C[ H6 92G6 E96 6G:56?46 E@ AC@G6 s2G:5 w64<’D 8F:=E]”k^Am

kAm%96 3C626?ED 7C@> EH@ >6? H9@ 6H w64<]k^Am

kAm~?6[ 2 7@C>6C 46==>2E6[ 2==6865 E92E w64< 4@?76DD65 E@ E96 4C:>6 :?D:56 2 AC:D@? 😕 a_`_ D9@CE=J 27E6C 36:?8 :?E6CG:6H65 3J :?G6DE:82E@CD 23@FE z29=6CVD 5:D2AA62C2?46] %96 @E96C H2D 2 7C:6?5 @7 w64<’D H9@ $F?52J D2:5 4@?76DD65 E@ 96=A:?8 9:> 5:DA@D6 @7 z29=6C’D 3@5J[ H9:49 DE:== 92D?’E 366? C64@G6C65]k^Am

kAm%96J E6DE:7:65 367@C6 E96 dcE9 $E2E6H:56 x?G6DE:82E:?8 vC2?5 yFCJ[ C6DF=E:?8 😕 492C86D 282:?DE w64< @7 7:CDE\[ D64@?5\ 2?5 E9:C5\568C66 >FC56C[ <:5?2AA:?8 2?5 C2A6]k^Am

kAm“%96:C E6DE:>@?J 4@>A=6E65 E96 AFKK=6 @7 H92E 92AA6?65 E@ $23C:?2[” $F?52J D2:5[ C676CC:?8 E@ 255:E:@?2= 6G:56?46 4@==64E65 😕 E96 42D6]k^Am

kAm$F?52J D2:5 w64< H2D E2<6? :?E@ 4FDE@5J |@?52J ?:89E 😕 x?5:2?2 2?5[ 2E E96 E:>6 @7 2 %F6D52J >@C?:?8 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46[ H2D 6? C@FE6 E@ tC:6]k^Am

kAm$F?52J D2:5 677@CED 4@?E:?F6 E@ 7:?5 z29=6C’D C6>2:?D] %96 2C62 H96C6 D96 H2D 2==6865=J 3FC:65 😀 AC@?6 E@ 7=@@5:?8[ 2?5 E96 =2?5D42A6 92D 492?865[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“p 4@=5 42D6 😀 ?6G6C ECF=J 4@=5 E@ E96 72>:=J H9@ 😀 H2:E:?8 7@C 2?DH6CD[” D2:5 tC:6 r@F?EJ s:DEC:4E pEE@C?6J t=:K236E9 w:CK]k^Am

kAmw:CK D2:5 z29=6C 5:D2AA62C65 7@FC 52JD 27E6C 96C a_E9 3:CE952J] #64@F?E:?8 56D4C:AE:@?D 7C@> 96C 72>:=J 2?5 7C:6?5D[ w:CK 56D4C:365 z29=6C 2D <:?5 2?5 86?E=6[ 7F?\=@G:?8[ D@>6@?6 H9@ =:<65 E@ C625 3@@2<6 E:>6 7@C 72>:=J 2?5 7C:6?5D]k^Am

kAm“%9:D >@>6?E 2==@HD FD E@ C62=:K6 D@>6E9:?8 6BF2==J :>A@CE2?Ei $23C:?2 z29=6C 92D ?6G6C 366? 7@C8@EE6?[” w:CK D2:5]k^Am

Eric Scicchitano is the CNHI Pennsylvania statehouse reporter. Follow him on Twitter @ericshick11.