DNA evidence led to an arrest in Utah in a fatal 2005 stabbing that went unsolved for almost 20 years, the Salt Lake County sheriff announced.
Mark Munoz, 53, was arrested Thursday on a murder charge in the killing of Jason Royter, who was found dead from stab wounds in his home in Magna on Aug. 6, 2005, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
The break in the case came when Munoz, described as someone homeless who moves around a lot, was accused of committing a crime in another state and had a DNA sample entered into an index system, Sheriff’s Detective Ben Pendern said.
“These kinds of cases take a toll on families, and this family has not given up,” Sheriff Rosie Rivera said at a news conference. “We don’t give up, either.”
Royter was a 33-year-old father of two when his girlfriend discovered him dead, officials said. The case went cold after about 10 years, and the tips stopped coming in.
Royter’s son, Andrew Royter, was 12 when his father was killed. At a news conference last week, he said learning in a phone call Thursday that an arrest had been made felt like a giant weight lifting off his chest.
“I used to be an angry person,” he said. “After last night, I feel like I had 10 years of therapy hit me all at once. I just feel so much better.”
Andrew Royter remembered his father and the music they shared, in particular the band Alien Ant Farm. He was introduced to the music by his father, and it still occupies a place in his heart.
“He was a great person, a great father, a great brother, uncle, son — you name it,” Andrew Royter said.
The hit on the DNA sample from Munoz that allegedly connects him to the killing came in last year. Authorities did not disclose what steps were then taken because of the ongoing investigation, but they said that Munoz did not have a stable address and that he was difficult to find.
A criminal case in the slaying did not appear to be in online court records Monday night, and it was not clear whether Munoz had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
The case remains an active investigation, Rivera said, and more evidence is being sought. She asked that anyone who remembers Munoz or the day the killing happened to contact authorities.
“As of right now, we don’t have a real motive. Mr. Munoz was not willing to speak to us,” Rivera said. “So he knows what happened; we don’t.”
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