DNA and Fingerprint Evidence Lead to Arrest in 2003 Murder of 88-Year-Old Woman, a resident listed in public arrest records, was taken into custody on April 2, 2025, in Featured County, Georgia. According to the official booking report, the arrest was made by local authorities and the subject was charged with the following offense(s): unspecified charges. This incident was officially recorded and made publicly available by law enforcement agencies in the state of Georgia. The details provided reflect the arrest information at the time of booking and do not indicate guilt or conviction. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
JACKSON COUNTY, Ga. – Authorities have arrested a suspect in the 2003 murder of 88-year-old Edna Schubert, solving a case that remained cold for more than two decades. Raul Ayala, 51, was taken into custody after DNA evidence from the crime scene matched samples collected from his home in Georgia.
Schubert, a widow who lived alone, was found beaten to death in her Long Island home on December 12, 2003. Investigators recovered blood evidence and a blurry fingerprint at the scene, but the technology available at the time was insufficient to identify a suspect, and the case went unsolved for years.
In 2023, a Suffolk County detective reopened the investigation, using advanced forensic technology to analyze the fingerprint, which was ultimately matched to Ayala. At the time of the murder, he had been living less than 200 yards from Schubert’s home.
Detectives later discovered that Ayala had relocated to Talmo, Georgia. In August 2024, police began surveillance on him, collecting discarded items such as lottery scratch-off tickets and plastic bottles from his property. DNA testing on a Gatorade bottle confirmed a match to evidence found on Schubert’s clothing.
Ayala was arrested on January 16, 2025, and charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty during his February 9, 2025, court appearance.
If convicted, Ayala faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. His next court hearing is set for March 5, 2025.
Disclaimer: All data provided here is taken from public arrest records. This publication does not imply guilt or final conviction.
More Arrests in Featured on April 2, 2025
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