A Grand Jury indictment was handed down Wednesday in a cold case involving the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in San Mateo County.
John William Kelley was a married 23-year-old living in Ben Lomond at the time of the abduction and murder, in December 1986, according to court documents.
He turned 50 years old just four days ago.
He allegedly raped and sodomized her, then strangled or smothered her, dumping the teen's body in a ravine on Skyline Boulevard, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's office.
Annette Thru's remains were discovered a few hours after her body was dumped, the D.A. stated.
At the time of the crime, investigators could not solve the case, prosecution papers state; In 2012, however, the San Mateo County sheriff's office reopened the case and got a DNA match between the victim's fluids and the defendant.
Kelley was arrested in Placerville.
Though the District Attorney's office filed charges, they will be set for dismissal March 18 in order to allow the Grand Jury indictment to go through, according to the D.A.'s office.
The indictment charges Kelley with first-degree murder and special circumstance allegations that he committed murder during commission or attempted commission of rape and sodomy.
The special circumstance allegations make the defendant eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to California sentencing statutes.
