A 73-year-old man was behind bars Monday for allegedly killing a Logan Heights resident nearly five decades ago.
Mitchell Hernandez of Chula Vista was jailed Thursday on suspicion of killing 68-year-old Leo Marquina, whose body was found at the victim's home in the 1900 block of Harrison Avenue on the evening of Nov. 10, 1976, according to the San Diego Police Department.
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WATCH HEREAn autopsy determined that Marquina died of stab wounds to his upper body.
"Despite an exhaustive initial investigation, the case eventually went cold," SDPD Lt. Jonathan Dungan said Monday.
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SIGN UP Three years ago, homicide detectives launched a new effort to identify the person or people responsible for the slaying in the neighborhood just east of Interstate 5 and south of Commercial Street.
"Their investigation included an exhaustive process of following leads, processing and examining physical evidence collected from the original crime scene and interviewing potential witnesses," Dungan said.
Police did not specify what led them to name Hernandez as Marquina's suspected killer. They also declined to disclose details on the two men's relationship to each other, if any, or reveal what might have prompted the killing.
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"Because this is [now a court] case, I am going to refrain from providing any specific details regarding exactly how the suspect was identified or [information] related to the suspect's motive," the lieutenant said.
Hernandez was being held at San Diego Central Jail without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Monday afternoon.
