DNA evidence has helped Clarksville Police make an arrest in a cold murder case.
The crime happened October 28th, 1996 in the Sunnydale Mobile Home Park on Peachers Mill Road and the victim was identified as 23-year old Crista Bramlitt. Investigation determined she was smothered to death and that she had also been sexually assaulted.
The DNA evidence was entered into a federal database and it was February 13th of this year when Clarksville Police learned of a possible match to a man in Arizona.
A Clarksville detective flew to Phoenix, Arizona and interviewed the suspect, identified as 48-year old Kenneth Hudspeth. A news release says the interview determined Hudspeth knew the victim, that he was in her home on the day of the murder and that he was the last person to see her alive.
He also didn’t refute other assertions of information made by the Clarksville detective.
Hudspeth was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide. He is awaiting extradition back to Tennessee.
Police say he has been arrested numerous times over the last two decades and the DNA match came following a recent arrest in Arizona for felony assault.
