KENT, Wash. (KOMO) -- The 44-year-old murder cold case of Dorothy "Dottie" Silzel was recently solved by the Kent Police Department through DNA forensic work.
Kenneth Kundert, 65, from Clinton, Arkansas, was arrested for first-degree murder in the case.
On Feb. 23, 1980, 30-year-old Silzel was last seen leaving her shift at a local pizza restaurant. She worked at Gaetano's Pizza part-time after her full-time job at Boeing. Silzel had not reported to work for two days which was highly unusual. Her family and friends became worried and called police for a welfare check at her residence.
On Feb. 26, 1980, Kent Patrol Officer Bob Burwell and a co-worker entered her residence at 25466 106th Avenue Southeast. When they entered they found Silzel's body.
An autopsy performed by the King County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of her death was homicide.
"They reported that Ms. Silzel 's death was due to 'asphyxia death by cervical compression,'" Kent police said. "They also noted a 'blunt impact' to her head. During the death investigation, DNA evidence was collected."
Evidence that was collected was sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab (WSPCL). Authorities were able to locate DNA evidence belonging to an unknown man, or Individual A.
In February 1996, the WSPCL examined DNA evidence from a bathrobe collected from the crime scene, Kent police said. DNA and polymerase chain reaction analysis was not available at that time. The evidence was sent to the Forensic Science Associates in California for PCR analysis and typing.
Kent police said in 2002, the WSPCL entered the DNA into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which is a searchable computer program "that manages local, state, and national DNA databases." The individual's DNA profile was run through the index system but no matches occurred. In 2016 with the advancements in technology, WSPCL was able to obtain a partial DNA profile from the bathrobe that matched the profile of Individual A.
Kent police said that multiple Kent detectives were assigned over the years to follow up on tips and leads. Multiple DNA samples were obtained for comparison, but no matches were found.
In 2015, KentDetective Sgt. Tim Ford was contacted by Silzel's family to revisit her case. Ford personally assigned himself to the case and worked on it for nine years.
In March 2022 Senior Forensic Genealogist Misty Gillis began to perform additional genealogy comparisons of the DNA profile of Individual A," Kent police said. "At that time, she worked for Identifinders International, a company that uses forensic genealogy to identify potential perpetrators. Using their advanced technology, they identified 11 potential suspects.
Two of the potential suspects identified through the DNA samples were Kurt and Kenneth Kundert. Kent police said in September 2023 a Kent Detective Unit began looking into the Kunderts. The brothers were both in custody for unrelated assault.
Ford coordinated with the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office in Arkansas to request voluntary DNA from the brothers. Kurt voluntarily gave authorities a sample but Kenneth did not.
Kurt's sample was not a match and he was excluded as a possible suspect. Kent detectives investigated Kenneth's ties to Washington state. They found out he had worked in the Snohomish County area in 1987.
During their investigation, Kent police determined Kenneth and his brother lived in an apartment complex about 1,200 feet from where Silzel was murdered.
"In March 2024, Sergeant Ford and Detectives in the Kent Police Special Investigations Unit traveled to Clinton Arkansas to conduct surveillance of Kenneth Kundert," Kent police said. "They were assisted by the FBI, the Arkansas 20th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office. During that operation, they were able to obtain a discarded cigarette belonging to Kenneth Kundert. The DNA on that cigarette was determined by WSPCL to belong to Individual A."
On August 20, 2024, deputies and investigators VBCSO and the 20th Drug Task Force assisted Kent police with arresting Kenneth.
His bail has been fixed at $3 million cash or surety bond. His arraignment was set for Aug. 29 but it has been postponed. He is fighting his extradition from Arkansas.