More than three decades after Bernice “Vi” Wright was found murdered in California, investigators uncovered a DNA lead that helped identify a suspect in the long-unsolved case.

Wright, 31, was discovered dead in a vineyard in Fresno County in October 1993. Authorities said she had been shot and stabbed, and her body was found near Orange and Manning avenues. Her killing left a family grieving and investigators searching for answers.

The case remained unresolved for years. In 2021, detectives reviewed the evidence again, and a DNA match in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) pointed investigators toward Manuel Aguilar Mendoza.

In August 2023, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office publicly identified Mendoza as a suspect and asked for the public’s help locating him. Authorities said he was also believed to use several other names and might travel between the United States and Mexico.

Wright had a 12-year-old daughter when she died, according to reporting by The Fresno Bee. Her death left the family without answers for decades, as investigators continued working to establish what happened.

Although the DNA lead marked a major development in the investigation, authorities described Mendoza as a suspect wanted for questioning. The public announcement did not establish guilt, and the case’s later status should be confirmed before presenting the man as currently wanted.

The case highlights how advances in DNA analysis and renewed attention to old evidence can bring investigators closer to answers long after a crime occurred.

Source: Fox News