BOISE, Idaho — The Boise Police Department reports that a decades-old cold case has been solved.
The victim was 65-year-old Joyce Casper who was abducted from outside her business in the Vista Village area, sexually assaulted, and then murdered in 1987. Friday, July 7th, Boise Police announced the closure of the case be positively identifying a suspect, Frank A. Rodriguez, who passed away in 2007.
The murder case of Joyce Casper has been worked by members of the Criminal Investigation Division for years before developments in DNA technology were advanced enough to help track down the suspect.
On the morning of Tuesday, October 13, 1987, 65-year-old Joyce Casper was found deceased in her car near Day Dr. and Robert St. according to BPD. Joyce owned Casper's Vista Hallmark Shop near the Vista Village Shopping Center and was known to work late in her shop. Detectives responding to the crime found evidence that she had been abducted outside her business in the early morning hours, sexually assaulted, and then murdered, according to a release from BPD.
Joyce made a report to the Boise Police two to three weeks before she was murdered. Detectives found that Joyce had reported a male, 17-25 years in age with slicked-back black hair, had tried to assault her in her shop. She struggled with the man before he fled on foot. No suspect was identified in the assault.
In 2017, two detectives began working full-time on the investigation and using new technology were able to develop new information, says BPD. The DNA gathered from that renewed investigation would be instrumental when in 2019 a new detective took over the Joyce Casper case. The detective enlisted the help of a company called Identifinders and with assistance from detectives all over the country they were able to narrow down the suspects family tree.
This year detectives found evidence that pointed to a man named Frank A. Rodriguez, who died in 2007. Investigators met with the suspect's family and obtained DNA swabs which were analyzed and proved through genetics that Frank A. Rodriguez was the suspect.
"The Boise Police Department would like to recognize the efforts of all involved in this complex investigation,” said Captain Jones. “While nothing can bring back their lost loved one, we are proud that after 36 years and countless hours of investigation, we were able to bring some form of closure to the Casper family.”
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