A man has finally admitted murdering two women in chilling cold cases dating back more than 40 years after new DNA evidence exposed him as the killer.
Mitchell Gaff pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder during a court hearing on 16 April, bringing a dramatic breakthrough in cases that had remained unsolved since the 1980s.
Gaff was first arrested in May 2024 over the killing of Judy Weaver, who was found dead in her home in June 1984 after firefighters were called to a blaze at the property.
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Investigators later linked him to a second murder – that of Susan Vesey.
She was discovered dead in her home in July 1980 by her husband, just hours after celebrating her 21st birthday.
Gaff was formally charged over Vesey’s death earlier this year after fresh DNA evidence tied him to both crime scenes, as reported by Need To Know.
During the court hearing, he admitted responsibility for both killings, giving statements that matched long-standing police findings.
The breakthrough marks a major development in two decades-old investigations, with advances in forensic science finally helping detectives identify the suspect.
Authorities said the guilty pleas at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington, US, bring long-awaited answers to the victims’ families after years of uncertainty.
Sentencing is expected at a later date.
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