Authorities in Albany, New York, say modern DNA testing has solved a homicide that haunted one family for more than sixty years. Investigators have identified the man who raped and killed 50-year-old Catherine Blackburn inside her Colonie Street home in September 1964. The suspect, Joseph Stanley Nowakowski, died in 1998, but his DNA was recently matched to evidence preserved from the scene. Police exhumed his remains in September to confirm the result. Family members called the news a long-awaited miracle and praised detectives who refused to give up on “Aunt Kate’s” case.

DNA Breakthrough After Six Decades

At a press conference, Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox confirmed that forensic genealogy and laboratory testing identified Joseph Nowakowski as Blackburn’s killer. The breakthrough followed collaboration between the department, the Criminal Investigation Resource Center at Russell Sage College, and federal partners. Detectives said evidence from the scene—carefully preserved since 1964—enabled scientists to build a DNA profile that matched Nowakowski after his exhumation. Police credited the cooperation of his relatives and advances in forensic technology. “There’s no such thing as a cold case,” Chief Cox told reporters. For the Blackburn family, the announcement ended six decades of questions and confirmed that persistence and science can still deliver justice long after a crime is committed.

The 1964 Crime and Its Aftermath

On September 13, 1964, Catherine Blackburn was attacked while showing an upstairs apartment to a prospective tenant. Police said she was struck, stabbed, and sexually assaulted in her home. The crime scene showed no sign of burglary, leading investigators to believe the motive was personal violence rather than theft. When Blackburn did not arrive for work the next morning, a coworker called her niece Sandy Carmichael, who entered the home and discovered a gruesome scene. Detectives collected blood, fibers, and other evidence that remained secure for decades. Though the original investigation pursued several names, including a potential tenant listed on a receipt, no one was ever charged. For generations, the case stood as one of Albany’s most haunting unsolved murders.

From Cold Case to Closure

Detective Melissa Morey reopened the file in 2018 after learning the evidence was still intact. Partnering with Dr. Christina Lane at Russell Sage College, she used genetic genealogy to narrow potential matches. The analysis pointed to Joseph Stanley Nowakowski, a career criminal with prior assault convictions. Working with the district attorney’s office, police secured a court order to exhume his remains from Albany Rural Cemetery. Samples taken from the exhumation matched DNA found on a handkerchief beneath Blackburn’s body, confirming the link. Authorities said there is no evidence the two knew each other. Nowakowski was 37 at the time of the crime and had served time for a later attack on an elderly woman in Schenectady. He died two decades before being named as Blackburn’s killer.

How Did Blackburn Meet Nowakowski?

Joseph Stanley Nowakowski was 37 when Catherine Blackburn was killed and was never considered a suspect during the original investigation. Police records show he had a long criminal history, including several burglary convictions and a 1973 assault on an elderly woman in Schenectady. He served time in state prison and was released in 1980, living quietly until his death in 1998. Investigators say there is no evidence that he knew Blackburn; they believe she was showing him an apartment for rent when he attacked her. Police Chief Brendan Cox said detectives sought a court order to exhume Nowakowski’s remains to confirm the match, emphasizing that every step was taken “to be one hundred percent certain” before publicly naming him as the killer.

“A Miracle” for Blackburn’s Family

At the announcement, Blackburn’s family expressed both grief and relief. “Sixty-one years ago, evil entered my aunt’s house and changed our lives forever,” said Sandy Carmichael, now 81. “We prayed for this day.” Another niece, Mary Ann Simard, called the news a miracle and thanked investigators for their persistence. Chief Cox noted that while no verdict can undo the pain, police remain committed to seeking justice for every victim. Relatives remember Catherine as a kind and devoted woman whose life was cut short by violence but whose story now stands as a reminder that even decades later, truth can be found through faith, family, and science.

Sources: CBS News, New York Post, CBS6 Albany