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A man recently identified as a suspect in the 1991 murder of Dana Ireland has died by suicide, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Albert Lauro Jr., 57, was linked to Ireland’s murder through a DNA sample taken from him. This DNA matched evidence from the crime scene collected 33 years ago.
Dana Ireland, a 23-year-old woman, was kidnapped, raped, and left in the Kapoho area of Hawaii Island on December 24, 1991. She passed away the following day at a local hospital.
Police have confirmed that Lauro Jr. was a suspect due to DNA evidence, but his exact role in the crime is still under investigation.
His death has been ruled a suicide by forensic experts.
At the time of the murder, the DNA evidence collected from Ireland’s body, a sheet used to transport her, and a t-shirt found at the crime scene did not match any known profiles in DNA databases.
In 2008, the evidence was sent to the Forensic Analytical Crime Lab in California for further analysis. Additional DNA evidence from the t-shirt matched other samples from the scene.
Advancements in DNA technology now allow experts to build family trees from DNA samples. Earlier this year, an FBI agent contacted Hawaii police with potential matches to the DNA, including Lauro Jr.
Police surveillance revealed that Lauro Jr., who lived in the Kapoho area at the time, had discarded a utensil that was later found to contain DNA matching the crime scene evidence.
Despite establishing probable cause for rape, the statute of limitations for this crime had expired. However, investigators continued to probe the case as a murder.
They obtained a court order for a cheek swab from Lauro Jr. and asked him to the station for questioning, but he was not arrested at that time.
According to the source, the swab later matched the DNA evidence from the crime scene.
Hawaii Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz emphasized the ongoing investigation, stating, “The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects individuals from unwarranted search and seizure.
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Investigators would need probable cause for a search warrant and must specify the evidence sought.”
“We remain focused on Dana Ireland, a young woman who was brutally murdered. There is still much to learn, and our investigation continues,” Moszkowicz added.