Two girls sexually assaulted at sleepover 36 years ago, WA cops say. Case now solved
The sexual assault of two 11-year-old girls during a sleepover was solved more than 36 years later with help from forensic genetic genealogy, Washington police said.
The assault in June 1988 by a then-unknown man “profoundly affected” the community, the Port Angeles Police Department wrote in a Dec. 27 post on Facebook.
Kim John Cederleaf, of Quilcene, was identified as the suspect through forensic genetic genealogy, with testing of genetic material from his autopsy “conclusively solving the case,” police said.
Cederleaf died in 2013, police said. Police didn’t share information about his background.
The two girls were having “a sleepover in a playhouse attic” when a man forced his way in, threatened them and physically and sexually assaulted them, police said.
Officers and detectives “responded promptly, conducting extensive searches, interviews, and evidence collection. This included physical evidence such as photographs, latent prints, bedding, and an article of clothing believed to belong to the suspect, as well as biological samples from sexual assault examinations,” police said.
Officials canvassed, took tips from the public, created a suspect sketch, turned to FBI profiling specialists and submitted evidence for fingerprint analysis, police said.
They also eventually uploaded a DNA profile to a national database and shared it with Interpol, police said, yet results still didn’t come.
Then in 2023, a Port Angeles police official reached out to a forensic genealogist who “provided guidance on the potential of using forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) analysis for cold cases,” police said. FGG couples DNA analysis and genealogy research, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The analysis identified Cederleaf as the suspect, and genetic material from his eye that was saved from his autopsy confirmed that his DNA matched, according to police.
“The resolution represents the culmination of bravery from the victims, meticulous police work, and advancements in forensic technology,” police said. “The victims’ courage to participate with investigators over the years, despite the trauma they endured, was pivotal in keeping the case active and eventually solving it. Their resilience and determination to seek justice have been a source of inspiration to all involved.”
Port Angeles is about a 140-mile drive northwest from Seattle.
This story was originally published December 27, 2024 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Two girls sexually assaulted at sleepover 36 years ago, WA cops say. Case now solved."
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