Real Life

DNA breakthrough in cold case murder

When 10-year-old Louise Bell disappeared from her bed 32 years ago the wrong man went to jail. DNA breakthrough now points to someone she knew.

More than three decades ago Louise Bell disappeared from her bed and was never seen again.

Now, due to a DNA breakthrough a man is finally due to stand trial for her murder reports Daily Mail.

The 10-year-old girl was last seen in her Hackham West, Adelaide, bedroom in 1983 where she had been sleeping with her sister.

At the time of the disappearance a cleaner who lived nearby was charged with her murder but was later released after 16 months as the man was convicted on circumstantial evidence.

Dieter Pfennig, 67, was a suspect in the investigation for 20 years. The former teacher, who lived two blocks from the missing girl at the time of her disappearance, was never charged although his home had been searched twice in 1991, and 2012.

After decades of investigating by the South Australian police, advances in forensic science led to charges finally being laid.

A pajama top discovered on a neighbours lawn two weeks after Louise’s disappearance was sent to the Netherlands and returned with a positive DNA analysis for the teacher.

Pfennig will stand trial in the South Australian Supreme Court beginning on September 28.

Related stories