Kevin Rader/Eyewitness News
Marion County - Prosecutor Carl Brizzi filed charges Tuesday in a 17-year-old unsolved murder case. Investigators say DNA technology connected David Ashworth with the 1989 strangulation death of Lisa Summers, who was abducted and killed as she rode her bicycle home from her job at a fast food restaurant at 38th and Lafayette Road.
Police arrested Ashworth yesterday in Florida. DNA results show that blood on the victim's clothing and saliva on a cigarette butt found near the victim's body belong to Ashworth.
Lisa Summers' body was found in an open field south of 38th Street just west of Interstate 465 on June 19, 1989. She was last seen leaving the Wendy's where she worked on a bicycle four days earlier.
"You wonder what the world is coming to," said crime scene investigator Mike Smilko, describing the scene 17 years ago. Today, he said: "I remember the whole case. You don't forget cases."
Smilko was there Tuesday when Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson announced the arrest of David Ashworth, who is currently awaiting extradition in Florida, charged with one count of murder.
"Detective Rogers said when he first introduced himself and said he was from Marion County, Indianapolis, Indiana, Mr Ashworth said, 'Is that about that girl in Indianapolis?'" said Scott Robinette, deputy chief of investigations.
Detective William Rogers reopened the cold case in December of 2004, submitting evidence for DNA testing. It came back a match. "We do have DNA that shows his blood on the left inside cup of the bra Miss Summers was wearing - that bra hanging on a branch over her nude body in the field," said Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi.
"If it were not for the work of the crime scene specialist Mike Smilko we would not be standing here today," said Mike Medler, crime lab director.
Eyewitness News asked Smilko if he ever questioned whether this case would be solved. "You never doubt that. Not with the science coming now that we didn't have then," he said.
On June 19th, 1989 Mike Smilko wondered what the world was coming to. Seventeen years later he now knows. Justice was coming.
