Forty years after a man was discovered stabbed to death in Spokane, Washington with a cord wrapped around his neck, police say a suspect has been arrested in Los Angeles. According to a press release, detectives from the Spokane Police Department found “probable cause” to arrest 62-year-old Tracy Sabron Pruitt for the 1982 murder of Spokane businessman Archie Rutherford.
According to the press release, Rutherford was discovered with fatal stab wounds, a fractured skull, and an electrical cord around his neck on May 5, 1982. The department investigated the murder at the time, but no arrests were made.
Spokane detectives coordinated with officers from the Los Angeles Police Department on October 27 to arrest Pruitt in California, where he was wanted for first-degree murder.
The police did not explain how Pruitt was brought to their attention or how probable cause was established. In 1982, he was arrested in Ohio on “unrelated” charges of rape and robbery and sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Spokane police spokeswoman Julie Humphreys The Spokesman-Review that DNA was one of the factors that led to the arrest of Pruitt, but could not comment further because the investigation is ongoing.
Pruitt remains in custody in California pending his extradition to Washington. According to the press release, “the extradition process could take several months” as officials determine whether or not Pruitt will be transferred to the custody of Washington state.