Summary
The murder of a 16-year-old girl named Sheri Jo Elliott in Flint, Michigan, over 40 years ago has been solved. The suspect, Roni Collins, has been identified using modern forensic science, but he will not face prosecution because he died in 2026.
Key Facts
- Sheri Jo Elliott went missing in November 1983 in Flint, Michigan.
- Her body was found four days later in a ditch by a muskrat trapper; she had been shot and sexually assaulted.
- Elliott was likely held against her will for several days before her death.
- The case went cold due to limited forensic technology at the time.
- In 2023, detectives reopened the case and used modern forensic techniques to identify a suspect.
- Roni Collins, identified as the suspect, died by suicide before a DNA sample could be taken.
- DNA from Collins' autopsy confirmed his involvement in the crime.
- Michigan State Police highlighted the contribution of university students in solving the case.
