After a woman named Dorothy Marie Silzel was found dead in her home on February 26, 1980 in the US state of Washington, her death was recorded as a homicide by the local police of the time. The cigarette butt found in front of Dorothy's house, which was stated to have died due to drowning in the autopsy report, could not be examined due to technological inadequacies. The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office of the state of Michigan stated in 2023 that the cigarette butt was examined and a DNA was found.
“Dorothy Dottie Marie Silzel was last seen on the evening of February 23, 1980, after completing her shift at a local pizza restaurant in Washington between 22:00 and 10:15 pm. Following concerns raised by friends and family members, Dottie was medically checked and police officers who arrived at the scene found her dead in her home on the morning of February 26, 1980. An autopsy was carried out the following day and the cause of death was ruled a homicide.
In September 2023, Detectives began investigating possible suspects currently living in Van Buren County Arkansas. They then contacted the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office to assist with the investigation. On August 20, 2024, the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office took Kenneth Kundert of Clinton into custody in connection with Dottie's murder. His bail was set at $3 million.”
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said, “Thanks to our office's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, an arrest was made in a 44-year-old cold case. DNA testing from the cigarette narrowed the list of suspects and ultimately led police to Kenneth Kundert, who was arrested in Arkansas on August 20.”
