James Kingery, a man from Poway, has been sentenced to 31 years to life for the rape and murder of 26-year-old Julia Hernandez-Santiago in 1987. A DNA match led to Kingery’s arrest in 2020.
Hernandez-Santiago’s body was found on a hillside in La Costa, Carlsbad. She had been brutally raped and murdered, but the case went cold until 2020 when a DNA match led to the arrest of Kingery.
Kingery’s sentencing finally brings closure to a case that had remained unsolved for over three decades. As personal injury bloggers, we often highlight the importance of advancements in technology, such as DNA testing, in solving cold cases. This case underscores the crucial role of these advancements in ensuring justice is served, no matter how much time has passed.