Nearly 10 Years Later, Yonkers Police Believe They've Solved The Cold Case Killing Of Pamela Graddick

YONKERS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Bronx woman has been charged with murder in a cold case dating to 2012.

CBS2's Tony Aiello on Tuesday spoke with police who spent 10 years pursuing answers, and justice.

It was in a remote corner of Yonkers that the body of Pamela Graddick was found, about a month after she went missing from her Bronx apartment.

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Almost a decade later, 40-year-old Wanda Veguilla was arrested. Veguilla was the victim's girlfriend at the time she vanished.

"Wanda was a suspect for quite some time in this case," Yonkers Police Deputy Chief Joseph Monaco said.

Monaco worked the crime scene a decade ago, and now supervises the cold case squad that never stopped searching for answers.

"It's not just about solving the case. It's about giving closure to the loved ones, the families and friends that have lost this person," Police Commissioner John Mueller said.

Cold case teams often use new technology to re-examine old evidence. A fresh look at Graddick's cellphone, recovered near the scene, led to a break in the case.

Police said data recovered from the phone helped dispute Veguilla's alibi, which she shared with CBS2's Lou Young in 2017.

"I wasn't here that weekend. I went away," Veguilla said at the time.

Monaco said Veguilla on Monday agreed to answer a fresh round of questions.

"She sat in our detective division and after a lengthy interview eventually confessed to the crime," Monaco said.

In 2017, CBS2 was with the victim's sister as she put up reward posters. Tawanna McClellan told Aiello via phone the arrest of her sister's partner represents a betrayal.

"That's the hurtful part, She lied about everything to our face. She came to the funeral. She was in our face, knowing this is what she did," McClellan said.

McClellan said she'll never understand what motivated the murder of her kind, loving sister, adding she's grateful to the cops who spent a decade pursuing answers.

Police also arrested Veguilla's alleged accomplice, 30-year-old John Torres, on charges of criminal facilitation, hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence.

Editor's note: This story first appeared on Jan. 25.

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