Man convicted of killing 14-year-old Vacaville girl in 1982
VACAVILLE – A jury found a man guilty of murder in the death of 14-year-old De Anna Lynn Johnson in Vacaville in 1982, prosecutors said.
Johnson was found dead on railroad tracks near her home on Nov. 15, 1982. This came after she failed to return home after attending a house party.
Prosecutors said it appeared that she had been strangled and beaten.
But after 34 years of investigating, the Vacaville Police Department identified Marvin Markle as a suspect in 2017. At the time of his arrest, Markle was serving a life sentence for the murder of Shirley Ann Pratt in the Oroville Wildlife Area of Butte County.
After a three-week trial, prosecutors said Thursday evening that Markle, now 59, was found guilty of murder in Johnson's case.
Two retired Vacaville police officers who investigated Johnson's murder in 1982 testified at the trial.
"Although justice for De Anna Lynn Johnson and her family has been significantly delayed, and there have been evidentiary obstacles and legal challenges in court, we remained committed to solving De Anna Lynn's case and are extremely grateful the jury was able to bring justice today," said Solano County District Attorney Abrams.
