Franklin Romine was a West Virginia man who died in 1982 at the age of 36. His death was a mystery, as no death certificate was found and the cause was believed to be violent. But his name resurfaced in 2023, when DNA evidence linked him to the rape and murder of a Canadian teenager in 1975. This is the story of how a cold case was finally solved after nearly half a century.
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The Murder of Sharron Prior
Sharron Prior was a 16-year-old girl who lived in Montreal, Quebec. On March 29, 1975, she left her home to meet her friends at a nearby pizza parlour. She never arrived. Three days later, her body was found in Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal. She had been raped, beaten, and suffocated on her own blood. A man’s T-shirt was used to restrain her, and tire tracks were found at the crime scene. The case remained unsolved for decades, despite the efforts of the police and the family.
The DNA Breakthrough
In 2019, the Longueuil Police sent DNA samples from the crime scene, including the T-shirt, to a laboratory in West Virginia, where a new technique called genetic genealogy was used to identify potential suspects based on their family trees. In June 2022, the DNA samples were matched to the family name Romine. The police then found out that Franklin Romine, an American from West Virginia, had lived in Montreal and Longueuil in the 1970s, and had a vehicle that matched the tire tracks. He also had a criminal record in both countries, and had been involved in an attempted kidnapping of another woman on the same street where Sharron was last seen.
The police contacted Romine’s two living brothers, who agreed to give their DNA samples to the West Virginia police. Both brothers said they believed their brother had committed the murder. The DNA results confirmed that Franklin Romine was the primary suspect in the case.
The Exhumation of Franklin Romine
However, the police wanted to have conclusive proof that Romine was the killer. They decided to exhume his body from a rural cemetery in Putnam County, West Virginia, where he had been buried in 1982. They obtained a court order to do so, and on May 2, 2023, they retrieved DNA from his remains. The DNA testing confirmed that Franklin Romine was the rapist and murderer of Sharron Prior.
The police announced the news on May 23, 2023, in a press conference where they were joined by the Prior family. Sharron’s mother, Yvonne Prior, who was 85 years old, said it was the best day she had in the last half century. She had never given up hope of finding justice for her daughter. Sharron’s sisters, Doreen and Michelle, also expressed their relief and gratitude to the police and the scientists who solved the case.
The Legacy of Sharron Prior
The murder of Sharron Prior was one of Canada’s most notorious cold cases, and had haunted the community for 48 years. The case also inspired a movement to raise awareness and prevent violence against women, especially young girls. Sharron’s family and friends organized vigils, marches, and campaigns to keep her memory alive and to demand action from the authorities. They also created a website and a Facebook page to share information and updates about the case.
The solving of Sharron’s case was a remarkable achievement of science and justice, and a testament to the perseverance and courage of her family. It also gave hope to other families of missing and murdered persons, who still seek closure and answers. Sharron Prior’s legacy will live on, as a symbol of resilience and hope.
