Rowe murders why

A Pennsylvania DJ has admitted to murdering a year-old woman in , prosecutors said, after DNA linked him to the cold case killing following the use of a novel investigative technique, genetic genealogy.

Rowe was arrested in June for the Dec. She had been getting ready for work on the day she was killed and her body was found after she didn't report to school that day.

A weapon used in the attack -- a wooden cutting board -- was left near her body, prosecutors said. Brett Hambright, a spokesman for the district attorney's office, added on Twitter that while a detailed connection between the two "wasn't offered, this pass was found in Mirack's wallet.

Rowe worked there as 'DJ Freez' at the time of her murder. Rowe, now 50, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, rape and related counts in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole, with a consecutive sentence of 60 to years, prosecutors said.

The vehicle he owned at the time, a white Toyota, matched one that witnesses had seen at the apartment complex that morning. While Mirack used to go to clubs where her killer worked as a DJ, it was unclear if the two knew each other, the court heard.

The website used by officers to finally identify Rowe, GEDmatch , has gained notoriety in recent months for its use as a crime-fighting tool in the US. Members of the public voluntarily send their DNA to the database, which users can then search to compare the amount of DNA shared between two people.

GEDmatch was used by California detectives investigating the cold case of the Golden State Killer , who committed at least 13 murders and more than 50 rapes across the state between and The evidence now means the year-old is facing 13 counts of murder and kidnapping. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The Lancaster County woman was 25 at the time of her death. Rowe was ultimately identified by law enforcement after his half-sister, who lived nearby where Mirack, was killed.

She'd uploaded her DNA to an online genealogy database. Rowe, who met Mirack at a Lancaster bar, now claims he had a consensual sexual relationship with the school teacher. He admitted to having sex with Mirack hours before she was murdered but denied taking any part in her killing.