Decades-Old Murder Solved with DNA from a Cigarette

An Indiana detective has successfully resolved a decades-old murder case, a pursuit initially started by his father over 40 years ago.

The violent death of a steelworker in northwest Indiana in 1981 perplexed authorities for decades, prompting the son of the original investigator to reopen the case in 2018, ultimately uncovering the truth.

Evidence gathered at the crime scene, combined with a cigarette discarded during a 2023 traffic stop in Illinois, was pivotal in arresting 64-year-old Gregory Thurson from Eugene, Oregon. He now faces charges for the murder of John Blaylock Sr., aged 51, who was found dead in his Griffith, Indiana apartment.

Thurson, taken into custody in Oregon, is scheduled to appear in a Lake County courtroom in Indiana. Efforts to contact his defense attorney have so far been unsuccessful.

The reasons behind Blaylock's murder and any connections he may have had with Thurson remain shrouded in mystery.

"I'm incredibly proud of his unrelenting effort and dedication," said retired Detective John Mowery Sr. about his son, Detective John Mowery Jr. "He continues to pursue a solution with tenacity."

On November 3, 1981, two concerned co-workers headed to Blaylock's residence after he failed to attend work on both Monday and Tuesday. Finding the Sunday newspaper still at his doorstep, the locked door urged them to stay until building staff unlocked the apartment.