Man arrested in connection with 37-year-old cold case

"The implication of being able to solve these cases is immense.

December 13, 2019

SALT LAKE CITY —

Authorities in Salt Lake City made an arrest in a 37-year-old cold case, according to a press release issued Wednesday.

Detectives from the Salt Lake City Police Department Homicide Squad said they have arrested Bryan Reed, 55.

Reed is currently awaiting extradition to Salt Lake City from South Sioux City, Nebraska, the press release says.

On Aug. 18, 1982, Willhelmina Reid, 72, was found dead in her apartment, police say.

New forensic technology allowed detectives to process evidence from the crime scene and locate DNA from an unknown male. They also determined that Reed had been in the area at the time of the murder.

A search warrant was written, Reed's DNA was collected and detectives interviewed Reed. Officers eventually developed probable cause to make an arrest in the case in cooperation with South Sioux City police.

"These are cases that we want to get solved. Cold cases are just as important to our detectives as are current cases and we are constantly reviewing them. If we have leads, we exhaust them," said Chief Mike Brown, of the Salt Lake City Police Department. "The implication of being able to solve these cases is immense. Both for the victim's family and for the community to know that a killer has been caught. We are proud of the hard work put in by our investigators to solve this case."