Cold Case Murderer Of 9 Year Old Girl Revealed: PA State Police

UPDATE: James Paul Forte, was identified as the killer based on DNA evidence on Thursday at a press conference held by Pennsylvania state police. Forte died of natural causes in May 1980, the police said at the conference.

Marise Ann Chiverella
Photo Credit: *Pennsylvania state police*

Jillian Pikora

02/09/2022 10:39 a.m.

ORIGINAL:

A 57-year-old cold case homicide in Luzerne County has been solved, according to Pennsylvania state police.

Marise Ann Chiverella, 9, was found dead in a strip-mining pit near the Hazleton Airport on Mar. 18, 1964, authorities say.

Chiverella had been sexually assaulted, physically abused, before she was murdered and left at the scene, according to police.

This announcement comes after years of DNA studies and comparisons of the killer's DNA to new DNA database entries, the release says.

Police plan to release more information at a press conference on Thursday.

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