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1981 Cold Case Murder Suspect Arrested

Coconino County Sheriff BadgeSedona AZ (February 15, 2014) – On Thursday, February 13, 2014, Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested 73-year-old Robert Rodriquez Resendez for a murder he allegedly committed in 1981 in Coconino County. This arrest is the direct result of the dedication and tenacity of retired law enforcement officers who volunteer their time and energy to investigate cold case homicides, and ultimately provide closure for surviving relatives and prosecution whenever possible.

On August 18, 1981, 51-year-old Jerry Arnold Heath left Fort Worth, Texas, with the intent of driving his 1978 red and white Toyota Land Cruiser to his home in Lompoc, California. He called his wife to tell her he was on his way home. On August 24, 1981, Mrs. Heath reported her husband as a missing person to the authorities in Lompoc. On August 26th, Heath’s vehicle was found along the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 in Yuma County, Arizona. Investigators found human blood on the inside of the vehicle.

On September 7, 1981, a man driving his family cross country stopped on Arizona Interstate 40,  about fifteen miles east of Flagstaff, to spend the night in their travel trailer. After dinner, his 16-year-old daughter left the trailer and walked into the brush to go to the bathroom. She found a badly decomposed body which was later identified as Jerry Arnold Heath. During a subsequent autopsy the Coconino County Medical Examiner determined that the victim died as the result of a single gunshot wound to the head.

After the discovery of the crime many possible leads were developed and investigated, however, no suspects were identified or apprehended. Nearly 32 years elapsed with no significant developments in the case.

Joe Sumner retired from the National Park Service in 2007 as a criminal investigator and joined the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit in 2008. He reviewed many unsolved homicide cases that occurred in rural unincorporated areas within Coconino County to search for leads and evidence. As items of evidence were inspected, many were submitted for reexamination using modern forensic technology.

In the 1981 case of murdered Jerry Arnold Heath, Sumner resubmitted numerous latent fingerprints that were collected from the victim’s vehicle to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Quantico Virginia for reexamination. After submission to a national fingerprint database, the FBI examiners received an identical match with known prints of Robert Rodriquez Resendez.

Cold Case Detective Sumner developed leads causing him to believe the suspect was alive and possibly somewhere in the area of Medford, Oregon. Officers of the Medford Police Department located Resendez and assisted with the investigation, pending the arrival of Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and Cold Case Investigators.

On Thursday, February 13, 2014, Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives interviewed Resendez. After giving statements that implicated himself, Detectives are investigating the strong possibility that Mr. Heath offered a ride to hitchhiker Resendez who then seized the opportunity to rob and murder the driver. The Coconino Attorney’s Office issued a complaint and arrest warrant charging Robert Rodriquez Resendez with the Second Degree Murder of Jerry Arnold Heath.

This investigation is ongoing and extradition procedures are forthcoming.

The Medford, Oregon, community is safer today with the arrest of murder suspect Resendez. Congratulations to Arizona Cold Case Detective Sumner and the dedication and tenacity of all retired law enforcement officers who volunteer time and energy to investigate cold case homicides.

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For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

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  4. Angie Voigt says:

    May the family find peace~

  5. Finnie Flats says:

    Do you know something about this? Lots of Cali people here & help police close this case!! Murderer out there or murderers!! If you know something about any crime call the police.

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bones-found-37-years-ago-linked-to-missing-sonoma-county-girls/ar-BBp6dDK?ocid=spartandhp#image=3

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