DNA Links Death Row Inmate To 1995 Murder Of Akron Teen

POSTED: 4:54 pm EST January 17, 2006

AKRON, Ohio -- Akron police believe they've solved a murder case that had been cold more than 10 years.

Police say DNA evidence linked Donald Craig, a man already on death row for another murder, to the murder of 13-year-old Malissa Thomas, NewsChannel5 reported.

Malissa's body was found in 1995 in an abandoned house. She had been tied up, raped, and then killed.

DNA was collected at the scene, but it wasn't until recently that it was possible to match the DNA through a nationwide database to Craig.

Craig was convicted in the 1996 murder of Rosie Davenport -- after DNA linked him to the crime -- and was sentenced to death.

Malissa's mother, Sonya Merchant, said the break in the case brought back a flood of memories.

"When they came out and they told me that they found him, I was up here on cloud 22. And then I started winding down and I could put a face to the murderer, and it seemed like he had just killed her yesterday," said Merchant.

Even though Craig is already on death row, Malissa's family wants a trial and another conviction for her murder.

Investigators say they'll also be looking into other cases to see if they too can be linked to Craig.