SPOKANE, Wash. — Major Crimes detectives have used genetic genealogy and DNA to solve a 45-year-old cold murder and sexual assault case in Spokane County.
On Oct. 4, 1978, a power company employee found the body of 16-year-old Krisann Baxter near powerlines south of Whitworth Drive and Division Street.
Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies and detectives responded to the location and began investigating.
All the evidence that law enforcement gathered included possible DNA samples from the scene and the autopsy. When the victim was identified, deputies found that she was reported a runaway by her mother on Sept. 30, 1978.
All evidence was sent to Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory for testing. Even though DNA testing abilities were limited in 1978, the samples were believed to contain DNA. But, an analysis couldn’t be completed and was stored for future testing.
In Aug. 2006, as DNA testing became more advanced, Major Crimes detectives sent the samples back to the lab. This time, the results showed DNA from an “unknown male.” The profile was entered into the Combined DNA Indexing System, but did not show a match.
Even in 2014 when the profile was entered into the National DNA Indexing System, which compares the profile to every DNA entry in the nation, came back with no match.
Detectives in 2020 spoke with a scientists from Othram Inc. in Texas, extracted the DNA from suspect’s profile. It was then used for genealogical samples to be submitted for ancestry searching.
Othram Genealogists were able to identify a direct descendant of the suspect, but that person had died. Detectives reached out and interviewed family members of that person, who provided DNA samples to the scientists.
The DNA samples that were provided were evaluated. Scientists found that the samples were inconsistent with the unknown suspect’s DNA profile, but were consistent with a sibling or stepsibling of the suspect.
As investigators continued, Keith D. Lindblom was revealed as a possible person of interest. He was arrested and charged in Spokane County for the 1975 violent assault and rape of a 16-year-old female victim near the area Krisann Baxter’s body was found.
He admitted to having intercourse with the juvenile victim and pled guilty to assault in exchange for the rape charges being dropped.
Lindblom was then released from prison on Aug. 7, 1978 and was not in custody at the time of Baxter’s murder and sexual assault.
The suspect, Keith D. Lindblom, died in a fire on April 11, 1981, with his death certificate listing the manner of death as “accident”. His DNA was never found in any database due to his death.
A Major Crimes detective found his son in Louisiana through a DNA comparison obtained by the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The DNA collected in 1978 “showed 320 times more likelihood of a match to Lindblom and his known child than if it was compared to an unrelated individual selected at random from the U.S. population.”
Detectives talked to the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office about the case and new evidence that they have gathered. They both agreed on charges and Lindblom’s arrest if he was living.
This almost 45-year-old cold case will be closed with “exceptional circumstances” due to Lindblom’s death.
Even though he will not face criminal charges, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office hopes this brings answers to Krisann’s family and friends and a small amount of comfort knowing that the suspect has been identified.
