New technology in forensics links a suspect to a decades-old cold case homicide but not before the suspect commits suicide in the foothills of Sierra County. Eric Drummond had his DNA sampled against DNA evidence from clothing found in the 1983 murder of Joette Smith, a 33-year-old restaurant owner from Ben Lamond, CA. In 1988 Drummond came up as a potential suspect after detectives learned he had asked Joette out on a date at her restaurant, yet she declined. She was last seen on March 27th of 1983, and Drummond, immediately after her death, was known to have left the state. Detectives later found her in the nearby river, yet none of the evidence found at her location could link Drummond to her murder. Fast forward to today, with new technology, the Sierra sheriff’s office was able to match Drummond’s DNA sample taken last month to the DNA evidence from 4 decades ago. While the Sheriff’s office was obtaining a warrant for his arrest, Drummond went into Sierra County’s hills and took his own life. The Sheriff’s office said While Drummond will never face criminal charges or a jury, they are confident that the evidence would support his conviction for the murder of Joette Smith.
Photo: Sierra County Sheriff’s Office Facebook
