HONOLULU (KHON2) — A DNA comparison has led to an arrest in a cold murder case.
Honolulu police investigated after Nancy Elaine Anderson was found slain in her Waikiki apartment in January 1972.
There were no witnesses. Anderson’s roommate, who was asleep in another bedroom, as well neighbors reported that they did not hear or see anything suspicious.
Anderson’s body was found after her roommate, believing Anderson had left for work already, heard water running in Anderson’s bathroom. She pushed the already ajar bedroom door open and discovered Anderson’s body on the floor.
According to police records, Anderson had stab wounds on her chest and there was blood in the bathroom, on the bed and on the floor on which she was found. There were also a number of bloodied towels in the apartment.
Police interviewed more than a dozen people but the investigation went cold after no viable leads were found.
HPD renewed their plead for information in 2020 after enlisting Parabon Nano Labs to assist with a DNA comparison.
According to court records, HPD received a tip in December 2021, that shifted their focus to Tudor Chirila of Reno, Nevada. After several months of investigating, on Sept. 12 HPD was able to confirm Chirila as the suspect via DNA that was found on a towel in Anderson’s bedroom.
On the afternoon of Sept. 12, a no-bail warrant was issued for Chirila and he was arrested on Monday in Reno.
Chirila has been charged with second-degree murder and is awaiting extradition.