CA Desert Hot Springs, Murder of Mary Costa, 23, March 1972
40 Year old DNS Cold Case Murder Solved
January 13, 2012
By Sergeant Scott Brown #1347
Central Homicide Unit
Photo at link of Michael Hayes, 63
Photo at link of Mary Costa, Age 19-20 (taken circa 1969)
Desert Hot Springs, CA On January 10, 2012, at 9:30 AM (EST), the Riverside County Sheriffs Departments Cold Case Homicide Team arrested a suspect in an unsolved homicide case from 1972. Michael Hayes (63 years old) was arrested for the homicide at his home in Pompano Beach, Florida.
On March 12, 1972, Mary Costa (23 years old), was found deceased off of Cottonwood Road and Avenue 20 in the unincorporated area of Desert Hot Springs.Costa had been murdered between one and four weeks prior to finding her decomposed body. Costa was a local prostitute who lived and worked in Palm Springs. She was last seen at a bar in the area.
Hayes was 23 years old in 1972.
In 2010, the Cold Case Homicide Team re-opened this investigation. The Cold Case Team re-tested evidence and re-interviewed witnesses in this case. The evidence in the case had degraded after 40 years and no useful information was developed.
Witnesses provided statements that indicated Michael Hayes was the suspect in this case. After the investigation was finished, the case was presented to the Riverside County District Attorneys office, which filed the case and charged Hayes with murder.
The Cold Case Team secured an arrest warrant and served it with assistance from the Broward County Sheriffs Department in Florida.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Lead Investigator III Brett Seckinger or Lead Investigator III Ed Vargas of the Sheriffs Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777.
You can also provide an anonymous tip at
www.riversidesheriff.org/tipline.
LINK:
http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/31549
40 Year old DNS Cold Case Murder Solved
January 13, 2012
By Sergeant Scott Brown #1347
Central Homicide Unit
Photo at link of Michael Hayes, 63
Photo at link of Mary Costa, Age 19-20 (taken circa 1969)
Desert Hot Springs, CA On January 10, 2012, at 9:30 AM (EST), the Riverside County Sheriffs Departments Cold Case Homicide Team arrested a suspect in an unsolved homicide case from 1972. Michael Hayes (63 years old) was arrested for the homicide at his home in Pompano Beach, Florida.
On March 12, 1972, Mary Costa (23 years old), was found deceased off of Cottonwood Road and Avenue 20 in the unincorporated area of Desert Hot Springs.Costa had been murdered between one and four weeks prior to finding her decomposed body. Costa was a local prostitute who lived and worked in Palm Springs. She was last seen at a bar in the area.
Hayes was 23 years old in 1972.
In 2010, the Cold Case Homicide Team re-opened this investigation. The Cold Case Team re-tested evidence and re-interviewed witnesses in this case. The evidence in the case had degraded after 40 years and no useful information was developed.
Witnesses provided statements that indicated Michael Hayes was the suspect in this case. After the investigation was finished, the case was presented to the Riverside County District Attorneys office, which filed the case and charged Hayes with murder.
The Cold Case Team secured an arrest warrant and served it with assistance from the Broward County Sheriffs Department in Florida.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Lead Investigator III Brett Seckinger or Lead Investigator III Ed Vargas of the Sheriffs Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777.
You can also provide an anonymous tip at
www.riversidesheriff.org/tipline.
LINK:
http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/31549
