The neighbor of Kirsten Hatfield (shown below) and the prime suspect in her kidnapping cold case has finally been arrested for the 8-year-old girl’s disappearance and murder in 1997.
Anthony Palma, now 56, has long been suspected of abducting the child from her bedroom 18 years ago then raping and killing her, but for too long critical forensic proof was lacking that greatly hindered his prosecution…
DNA tests.
That was solved this summer when Palma was compelled to submit saliva for comparison with the samples taken from the victim’s underclothing and on the windowsill of her room.
Most suspected perpetrators -- especially child predators -- usually flee jurisdiction. However, Tony Palma continued to maintain close proximity to the Kirsten Hatfield crime scene, casting suspicion that he’s hiding something there:
“It is likely that Palma has been motivated to stay in the same home to conceal evidence of the crime and/or the location of Kirsten's body,” the criminal complaint filed against him on Monday read.
Palma’s house is now the subject of search warrants, a law enforcement official confirmed yesterday.
@EponymousRox
kidnapping, rape, murder, cold case
