Crime & Safety
La Porte County, IN Cold Case Solved After 45 Years Using DNA
La Porte, IN – A 45 year old Northwest Indiana murder investigation has reached a major breakthrough after DNA evidence identified a deceased man as the suspect in the 1981 killing of Juanita Boyd, ac
By Nora Whitfield · 2026-11-10T19:04:00.710Z
La Porte, IN – A 45 year old Northwest Indiana murder investigation has reached a major breakthrough after DNA evidence identified a deceased man as the suspect in the 1981 killing of Juanita Boyd, according to a newly released announcement from the La Porte County Sheriff 's Office.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Boyd was reported missing Feb. 22, 1981, after failing to return to her residence at 107 State St. in La Porte, approximately 30 miles west of South Bend.
Six days later, investigators discovered her green Pontiac abandoned along an agricultural lane near Forrester Road in rural Cool Spring Township. The vehicle was stuck in mud, with boards placed beneath its rear tires in an apparent attempt to free it.
Boyd's body was discovered inside the trunk. Authorities determined she died from asphyxiation and ruled her death a homicide.
For decades, investigators pursued leads without identifying a suspect.
A major breakthrough came through advances in forensic DNA testing and genetic genealogy. Investigators had developed a DNA profile from biological evidence recovered from Boyd's clothing, but earlier comparisons produced no match.
In July 2026, investigators collected DNA from an immediate relative of a potential suspect. An October comparison linked the evidence to Carl "David" Phillips.
Phillips, who was 37 at the time of Boyd's death, had lived in La Porte County and was familiar with the area where her vehicle was discovered.
Authorities said there was no known personal connection between Boyd and Phillips, and DNA evidence was the only identified link between them.
Phillips died Sept. 24, 2017. According to investigators, the La Porte County Prosecuting Attorney's Office indicated he would have faced murder charges had he still been alive.
Although prosecution is no longer possible, authorities say the discovery provides long awaited answers for Boyd's family and demonstrates the importance of revisiting decades old evidence.