5 Minute News

Decades-Old Murder Solved Through Fingerprint Technology

May 12, 2025

Jeannette Ralston, a 24-year-old woman, was murdered in 1977 in San Jose. Nearly 50 years later, authorities have charged Willie Eugene Sims with her murder following the discovery of his fingerprint on a cigarette pack found at the crime scene. The case had remained cold until advancements in technology reignited the investigation. Sims had prior convictions and was in California at the time of the murder.