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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Salt Lake City Police Department has made a break in the 11-year-old cold case death of Anna Palmer. They've matched the killer's DNA to a prisoner in Idaho.
Anna Palmer was just 10 years old when she was killed; her mother found her dead on their porch. Now the news of a DNA match to her killer gives a chance for some sort of closure.
At the time of Palmer's murder, in September 1998, the Salt Lake City Police Department took trimmings of the little girl's fingernails and kept them for analysis. Recently, the Sorenson Forensics Lab was able to separate Palmer's DNA from her killer's.
With that accurate DNA profile, an FBI database called CODIS was able to match the killer's profile with 31-year-old Matthew John Breck.
"Technology has come so far in the last 11 years, as far as DNA especially. It was a big break in this case. It was a big help as well, and led us to the suspect, and we were able to investigate further," said Salt Lake City police Sgt. Robin Snyder.
Neighbors and family members said they feel a sense of relief with the findings.
"She can rest in peace now," said former neighbor Becky Sterling. "And the families that have lived here since have always known there was something different about the house, and I think that can leave too."
"It's a great family, and they've been very supportive of the police department and always very willing, of course, to help us with this investigation," Snyder said. "We're just very happy that we're able to bring it to an end for them, and hopefully they can have closure now."
In the past couple months, detectives have re-interviewed family members, neighbors and other witnesses who were there that day. They said Monday they have additional evidence, besides the DNA, that points to Breck.
On Sept. 10, 1998, Palmer was sexually abused and stabbed fatally in the neck on her front porch near 1600 South and 300 East. Since then, the police department has worked 1,200 leads -- none of which led to Breck.
"We have been working this case for a long time, and it's great to finally have it closed," Snyder said.
"Thank goodness for investigating and looking," Sterling said. "I always had it in my heart that something would happen."
Breck is currently serving time in the Idaho State Prison in Clearwater County for sodomy and lewdness on a minor -- crimes he committed in 2000. He's been in prison since 2001 and is supposed to serve a couple more years.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office will now try to extradite Breck, which could take anywhere from a month to a year.
In Utah, Breck will face three felony charges: aggravated murder, sexual abuse and child abuse.
E-mail: ngonzales@ksl.com
