A decades-old cold case involving the murders of two Pennsylvania women has been solved, with DNA technology identifying a long-haul trucker as the perpetrator nearly 50 years later. James Richard Clark, who died in 2023 at the age of 66, has been linked to the 1976 murder of Susan Rush, 21, and the 1977 murder of Brenda Ritter, 18.
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) announced the breakthrough on November 4, stating that "advancements in DNA technology and continued investigative efforts" led investigators to Clark. The two women were sexually assaulted and strangled in Washington County.
Rush was last seen on November 25, 1976, leaving a shopping center and intending to attend a Thanksgiving dinner. She never arrived at her destination and was later found dead in the trunk of her car. The following year, on May 18, 1977, Ritter was leaving her boyfriend's home during a thunderstorm when she was attacked and killed. Her car was found empty the next day, and her body was discovered a mile away in South Strabane.
Investigators first submitted DNA evidence from Ritter's case to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in 2008. After years without a match, the Washington County District Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance provided funding for further DNA testing in 2021 and 2022. This testing ultimately connected Clark to both crime scenes.
It remains unclear if Clark had any prior connection to Rush or Ritter, or if the encounters were random. "We don’t know at this point, and unfortunately he died, so we don’t have the opportunity to arrest him and interview him," Corporal James Petrosky, the lead investigator on both cases, told The Observer Reporter. Police stated that Clark was not an initial suspect until the recent DNA findings.
PSP officials confirmed that no other victims have been identified, but the investigation is ongoing. "These cases never go away. They remain open. Our unit strives to try to progress these cases forward," Corporal Petrosky added. Authorities are encouraging anyone with information regarding either homicide to contact the PSP.