Murder victim's family welcome news of suspect's arrest
The family of a South Australian woman murdered over two decades ago, have revealed their shock and elation at the breakthrough arrest of her suspected killer.
Suzanne Poll was murdered in a frenzied stabbing attack in 1993 while working at a Salisbury newsagency, next to the Parabanks Shopping Centre.
Through a DNA testing breakthrough, investigators arrested a 46-year-old man from Ballarat in Victoria yesterday.
Suzie, Ms Poll's sister, told 9News she was shocked that someone has finally been arrested over the cold case murder. 9News
Suzanne Poll was violently stabbed to death while finishing work at a South Australia newsagent in 1993. 9News
"I just want to say thanks that they have never given up you know, I appreciate it on behalf on my sister Suzie, she's a wonderful girl," Ms Poll's sister Sandra told 9News.
The mother of two's family have long wondered if her killer would ever be caught, saying yesterday's arrest was a huge relief for them.
"You sort of do give in – 26 years is a long time," Ms Poll's daughter, Melissa previously told 9News.
South Australian police travelled to Ballarat on Saturday after a DNA breakthrough led to the long-awaited arrest concerning the 1993 murder.
Detectives in Victoria have interviewed the suspect and he will face Ballarat Magistrates Court on Monday for an extradition hearing.
Mrs Poll was stabbed to death while working at the Salisbury Sands & McDougall store during what police believe may have been a robbery-gone-wrong.
The lights were off and the shop was shut, but the front door remained ajar while the the 36-year-old counted the day's takings.
A man entered the store and attacked Ms Poll, who tried to escape via a back room but was stabbed to death in a "vicious and sustained" attack.
But the killer was cut during the attack, leaving a "considerable amount" of DNA all over the premises.
Despite the man's blood being spilled at the scene, he had no criminal history and his DNA could not be matched to the national database.
Investigators found blood at the crime scene and after 26 years, have been able to match the DNA to a suspect in Victoria. 9News
South Australian police repeatedly submitted the DNA for testing in a bid to find a family member related to the the killer, and even tried to match the sample with international databases.
They had no luck until they tried again this month.
"We've checked that DNA constantly over the years and on each occasion it's been a negative result," Detective Superintendent Des Bray told reporters yesterday afternoon.
"Recently we again submitted the DNA for familial testing and we got a result that indicated the offender was likely to be related to someone who was on the database. From that we constructed a family tree."
On Thursday, investigators got written confirmation they'd struck a match, spending most of Friday trying to find the accused killer.
"(This) is a good example of the fact that we actually don't give up and we keep trying, no matter how many setbacks there may be," Det Sup Bray said.
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