Vallejo police solve 1973 cold murder case with DNA, tenacity
VALLEJO — A former Vallejo resident with a laundry list of felonies – including assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder – has been identified as the likely rapist and killer in a previously unsolved murder case that dates back to early 1970s.
Naomi Sanders was found dead in her apartment Feb. 27, 1973, at 1077 Oakwood Ave., where she managed the apartment complex. She had been raped and strangled to death. She was 57 years old.
The cold case began to gain traction with advances in DNA testing, and familial DNA testing, which allowed Vallejo police detectives to compare semen samples found on Sanders’ clothing.
The state Department of Justice competed the first forensic testing in 2014, which revealed the semen.
“Although a DNA profile was developed and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), there were no matches,” a statement released Thursday – the 47th anniversary of the killing – by the Vallejo Police Department stated.
Technology advances in 2016 allowed for familial comparisons to other profiles in the state and other U.S. data banks, but again the search proved negative.
Detectives in 2018 began to research investigative genetic genealogy and partnered with Parabon NanoLabs for this new investigative tool, police said in the statement. A DNA genealogy analysis was completed in April 2019 and eventually narrowed the search to two investigative leads.
One suspect was eliminated through DNA testing, and the second person had died and his remains had been cremated.
Detectives learned that the second man had a biological son who lived out of state. Detectives were able to contact the son and collect his DNA, police said in the statement.
Now the question of who had killed Naomi Sanders has been answered after nearly 50 years.
Robert Dale Edwards, who was a 22-year-old Vallejo resident at the time of the crime, was the suspect. Edwards died in December 1993 of a drug overdose in Napa County.
Detectives learned during the course of the investigation that Edwards’ father had previously been a co-worker of Sanders, the police stated.
Edwards’ criminal history included assault, theft, DUI, domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder.
Naomi Sanders was one of 11 children, but had no children of her own.
“The Kadinger Family is immensely grateful to the Vallejo Police Department and to everyone who worked this case for the past 46 years. As you can imagine, over that 46 years, many family members directly affected by the loss of Naomi have also passed, and, unfortunately, they cannot be afforded the truth as to what happened,” a family statement said.
Detectives were able to talk to two nieces.
“Those of us who do remember the stories of Naomi’s life and untimely death can now feel closure thanks to the determination and teamwork of the Vallejo Police Department and partnering law enforcement agencies. May Naomi now rest in peace,” the family statement said.
Other agencies involved in the case that the Police Department specifically wanted to credit for their help are the California Department of Justice, Solano County District Attorney’s Office, Serological Research Institute, Parabon NanoLabs, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and all of the detectives who worked this case for 46-plus years to find justice for Sanders.
