In Memory

Laural J. Ellis

Laurel J. Ellis, 20, was killed May 22, 1975, in her Heritage Hills apartment at 627 Fountain St. NE. The break in her killing came when the Kent County Metropolitan Cold Case Team had the suspect's DNA compared to the blood drop using technology not available at the time of the killing.

The odds of someone else having the same DNA profile as Ellis is one in 21 trillion, the prosecution said.

Laurel Jean Ellis

For those close to the victims, the killing is never far away. Carl Novak, who dated Ellis and once roomed with her and others at then-Grand Valley State College, testified he could not get ahold of her for several days and found her body a week after the killing.

He knew something was "seriously wrong" when he saw her keys and a notebook on the stairway leading to her apartment.

"I found her lying on the floor. At that point, I screamed and ran down the stairs. I went outside, and I yelled, 'Help, help."

At times, he wiped tears.

During defense questioning, he said he and others close to Ellis were investigated as potential suspects.

This crime was solved in 2008.