Washington Court House, OH – The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office says its investigation into the death of Mackenzie Branham remains active and is now classified as a homicide, aggravated arson, and sexual assault case.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, investigators have spent years compiling more than 20,000 documents, interviewing dozens of witnesses, and collecting DNA samples from multiple individuals for analysis. Detectives also conducted several polygraph and voice stress tests while dedicating thousands of hours to the case.
Authorities confirmed that while they have not yet identified the person or persons responsible for setting the fire that killed Branham, DNA testing has ruled out all known persons of interest in the sexual assault. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office provided the samples used for comparison, and all laboratory results failed to identify a match.
The Sheriff’s Office has partnered with numerous state and federal agencies, including the Ohio Attorney General’s Major Crimes Unit, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Miami Valley Crime Lab, and the FBI. An independent cold case investigator has also been granted full access to the case materials.
A $20,000 reward remains available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Sheriff’s Office says it “remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice for Mackenzie.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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