DNA evidence links Arizona man to Navy veteran’s cold case murder

Suspect Takes His Own Life After DNA Evidence Identifies Him as Suspect in 1987 Murder of Navy Veteran

Just days after providing Glendale Police Department cold case investigators with a DNA sample in connection with the 1987 murder of Orison James "Jim" Chafin, Gary Wayne Billups took own life last month. Billups, 68, of Wittmann, took his own life on June 24, 2026, five days after he provided the DNA sample to investigators....

Suspect identified in 1987 killing of Navy veteran found dead in Glendale cemetery

The man identified as a suspect died by suicide in June 2026 after he provided a DNA sample to investigators.

Investigators say answers found in 1987 Arizona murder case

PHOENIX — Investigators with the Arizona Attorney General's Office say they believe they know who killed 54-year-old James Chafin in 1987 in a Glendale cemetery.

DNA evidence links Arizona man to Navy veteran’s cold case murder

Arizona authorities say they have made a major break in a cold case that dates back nearly 40 years.

DNA evidence links man to Navy veteran’s murder nearly 40 years later, authorities say

Arizona authorities say they have made a major break in a cold case that dates back nearly 40 years.

DNA identifies suspect in 1987 Glendale cold case

Gary Wayne Billups has been identified as a suspect in the 1987 murder of James "Jim" Chafin thanks to DNA evidence, Attorney General Kris Mayes announced.