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Police Arrest Suspect In 1988 Rape, Murder Of Teen

BUENA PARK (AP) — A man suspected in the rape and murder of a teenager in Southern California 24 years ago has been arrested at his home in New Mexico.

Buena Park police said Thursday that 44-year-old Daniel Edward McDermott was arrested Oct. 28. He has since been charged with murdering 18-year-old Gehmine Chandler.

Orange County prosecutors say Chandler had been visiting her father when she was found strangled in one of his bedrooms in January 1988.

Detectives were never able to connect anyone to the case until recently when they matched McDermott's DNA to evidence recovered from a sexual assault exam conducted during Chandler's autopsy.

McDermott was among several acquaintances of the teen who submitted their DNA sample to investigators who reopened the case.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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