Arrest made in 1994 strangling death of Vancouver woman

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) – A 57-year-old Portland-area man has been arrested on suspicion of murder with sexual motivation in the death of a Vancouver woman strangled in her bed nearly 25 years ago.

The Columbian reports Richard Eugene Knapp of Fairview was booked into Clark County Jail Tuesday.

Audrey Hoellein, who was also known as Audrey Frasier, was found strangled at the Family Tree Apartments July 17, 1994.

A probable cause affidavit filed in Clark County Superior Court says officers who responded to Frasier’s apartment that night collected DNA evidence, and that investigators developed a DNA profile for an unknown person.

According to the affidavit advances in forensic science led investigators to Knapp.

Authorities say after months of surveillance investigators obtained a cigarette butt belonging to Knapp and his DNA matched the original profile.

It wasn’t known if Knapp had a lawyer.