An Illinois man was charged with murder in 1993 after a successful genealogy
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For more than three decades, the murder of Randy Gail Sperino haunted investigators in southern Illinois – a cold case centered on a young woman beaten to death and left in a rural field while her killer seemingly disappeared without a trace.
Investigators spent decades chasing leads and reviewing evidence, but the case was never solved.
Now, prosecutors say breakthroughs in forensic genealogy and DNA evidence over the decades have finally cracked the case.
Madison County District Attorney Tom Haine announced first-degree murder charges Tuesday against Albert L. “Buddy” Zigler, 70, of Caseyville, in connection with Sperino’s slaying in 1993, calling the arrest “an important step for justice in a case that has remained unsolved for more than three decades.”
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Booking photos of Albert “Buddy” Zigler, who was charged with the 1993 murder of Randy Gail Sperino after Illinois investigators used advanced DNA technology to solve the cold case. (Madison County District Attorney’s Office)
“While nothing can take away the pain felt by Miss Sperino’s loved ones, we hope this development will provide answers after so many years,” Haine said in a statement.
Authorities say Sperino, 34, was found dead on Nov. 9, 1993, in an unincorporated Granite City neighborhood after suffering what court records describe as “brutal unexplained head injuries.”
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Randy Gail Sperino was 34 years old when she was killed in rural Granite City, Illinois, in 1993. (Madison County District Attorney’s Office)
For years, investigators chased leads, re-interviewed witnesses and repeatedly tested DNA evidence found during the initial investigation, but the case remained unsolved.
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That changed when investigators turned to DNA forensic genealogy, an advanced investigative process that traces family connections through genetic evidence.
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Madison County District Attorney Tom Haine announced the murder charges in the 1993 murder of Randy Gail Sperino. (Madison County District Attorney’s Office)
“This case demonstrates the incredible value of modern investigative tools like forensic DNA genealogy,” Haine said. “Advances in technology and science are creating opportunities to solve cases that may not have been solved in years past.”
According to Haine, Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor recognized the power of genealogy years before the technology became commonplace in cold case investigations.
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Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor discusses the genealogical investigation that led to an arrest in the 1993 murder of Randy Gail Sperino. (Madison County District Attorney’s Office)
“Seven years ago, Sheriff Connor had the foresight to know that a new investigative tool, while still emerging, could bring success to this investigation,” Haine said. “The police officer and his investigators did not waver in seeking justice in this case.”
Haine thanked generations of investigators for refusing to let the case go away forever.
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Wes Sperino, son of victim Randy Gail Sperino, speaks after investigators announced his mother’s 1993 arrest. (Madison County District Attorney’s Office)
“These tools only work because of the dedication, persistence, and diligence of detectives who are willing to look at evidence again, follow leads, knock, conduct interviews and continue to pursue the truth, no matter how long it takes,” he said.
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Court documents allege Zigler later admitted to investigators that he picked up Sperino in Granite City, beat him with a metal bat or metal pipe at his residence and then dumped her body in a field.
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Zigler has been charged with two counts of first degree murder, saying he intentionally bludgeoned Sperino to death. Prosecutors want to keep Zigler in jail during the trial, saying the charges involve a violent and unprovoked crime.
An arrest warrant filed in Madison County District Court shows Zigler remains in custody.
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In his first court appearance Tuesday, Associate Judge James Hackett appointed a public defender to represent Zigler and scheduled a detention hearing for Wednesday afternoon.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
