The murder of a woman from Las Vegas has been resolved almost three decades after her body was discovered in August 1994, thanks to the efforts of a group of local volunteers.

On October 22, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced the breakthrough in the case.

The investigation began on August 27, 1994, when two hikers stumbled upon a woman’s body near Gypsum Wash in Clark County, roughly 20 miles east of Las Vegas, as noted in a police news release.

Upon being alerted, authorities identified the victim as Melonie White the following day, with the Clark County Coroner’s Office determining her death was a homicide due to strangulation and blunt force trauma.

The homicide division of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department took charge of the investigation.

Collaboration with Community Volunteers Aids Cold Case Resolution

Lt. Jason Johansson discussed further details of the case during a press conference on October 22, mentioning that investigators believe White was moved to the location where she was found.

He stated that while detectives had various leads, they didn’t result in any arrests, and the case subsequently went cold.

In 2010, cold case detectives revisited the investigation and submitted evidence from the scene for DNA analysis. This led to the creation of a DNA profile for a male suspect, which was entered into the national Combined DNA Index System, according to Johansson.

“Sadly, this did not point to any potential suspects, nor did it match any cases being processed by law enforcement at that time,” Johansson noted.

To further advance the investigation, detectives partnered with the Vegas Justice League, a local volunteer organization that funds efforts to solve cold cases in Las Vegas.

In 2021, detectives collaborated with the Vegas Justice League and sent the suspect’s DNA profile to Othram, a lab based in Texas. Johansson reported that Othram informed investigators on August 26 that they had successfully used forensic genetic genealogy to identify the suspect as Arthur Joseph Lavery.

Tragically, Lavery passed away in 2021 due to complications from COVID-19. At the time of the murder, he was a 38-year-old resident of Las Vegas.

Uncertainty Surrounds Victim-Suspect Connection

Johansson mentioned that it remains unclear whether Lavery and White knew one another. She had relocated to the Las Vegas area with her boyfriend in the spring of 1994.

Her family was unable to reach her in June or July of that year, prompting them to report her missing. White was last seen on August 26, 1994, and her body was discovered the following day, according to Johansson’s statements during the press conference.

“Several friends had seen her the night before she was murdered in the vicinity of 15th and Fremont,” he explained.

When questioned regarding Lavery’s criminal background, Johansson revealed that he had faced a battery charge in Las Vegas but lacked a significant criminal record, which could explain the absence of a DNA match in the database.

Family Expresses Relief After Years of Uncertainty

At the press conference, Melonie’s two younger brothers expressed gratitude to the authorities for identifying their sister’s killer.

“We’re extremely thankful for the efforts of the Vegas Justice League, whose financial support for DNA testing allowed the police to resolve the case,” said Jason White, one of her siblings.

He recounted discovering his sister’s death the Friday before beginning school. Almost 30 years later, while traveling for work, he received the news that her murderer had been named.

“It was a brief conversation that essentially provided closure after three decades of uncertainty,” he reflected.

He revealed that Melonie had a son who is now in his 30s.

Walter White, another brother, shared that Melonie’s life was at a “crossroads” when she passed away. She had been facing challenges at work and was contemplating her next career steps.

He noted her interest in fashion and described her death as a tragic event that deeply affected their mother.

When asked for their thoughts regarding Melonie’s killer, her brothers stated they weren’t overly concerned about learning more about him.

“I might look over a press release or something, but honestly, I don’t care,” Walter expressed.

Johansson from the police department reiterated that the collaboration with the Vegas Justice League was instrumental in solving the case.

“Their backing has played a crucial role in solving 9 cold cases that would otherwise remain unresolved,” he remarked.