They find the murderer of a woman who was “brutally” beaten at her home in 2001 thanks to DNA collected from a conch that was used to kill her

Posted: Dec 4, 2021 14:57 GMT

The detainee has also been charged in connection with the attempted murder and robbery of another woman in 2013.

DNA obtained from a conch (sea snail), which was used as a weapon in the 2001 murder of a woman in Massachusetts, helped track down the perpetrator, who turned out to be the victim’s half-brother.

David Reed, 53, was charged last week with killing Rose Marie Moniz in her home and with armed robbery, Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said Thursday. The alleged criminal is currently in custody, pending the arraignment, the date of which is yet to be determined.

“I am pleased to announce the allegations related to the unsolved murder of Rose Marie Moniz,” Quinn announced. “It was a mother who was brutally murdered within the holiness of their own house. Thanks to the efforts of my solved unit, along with detectives from our State Police unit and the New Bedford Police, we were able to bring a sense of relief to the victim’s family, who during the last 20 years they suffered for not knowing what happened to Ms. Moniz, “added the prosecutor.

The crime

On the morning of March 23, 2001, Rose Marie Moniz, 41, was found dead by her father in a pool of blood in the bathroom. Detectives determined that the woman had been beaten to death with a fireplace poker, a conch shell and a cast iron kettle. Her empty purse was lying on the ground and the assailant had taken the cash. Nevertheless, there were no signs of forced entry into the house.

After police excluded two possible suspects early in the investigation, the case stalled until reopening in 2019. Investigators deduced that the injuries to the victim’s face had been caused by the spiny exterior of the sea snail. “This suggested that the aggressor would have to put his fingers inside the opening of the conch to hold it as firmly as necessary to hit the victim with extreme force,” the statement reads.

Samples obtained from inside revealed a complete DNA profile, which was scanned by a national database and ultimately led to Reed. Prosecutors said the detainee has also been charged in connection with the attempted murder and robbery of another New Bedford woman in 2003.