Man charged in murder of 13-year-old Phoenix girl 37 years ago
Oct 4, 2018, 3:46 PM | Updated: Oct 5, 2018, 7:20 am
(Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)
PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday it had made an arrest in the case of a 13-year-old girl killed 37 years ago.
Raymond Diaz was arrested last week and charged with first-degree murder in the 1981 death of Amy Yachimec, the MCSO said in a press release.
Diaz was already imprisoned for convictions on charges of kidnapping, sexual assault and other crimes.
Diaz was considered a person of interest after Yachimec went missing from her home near 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street on Nov. 6, 1981, but there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest him, the release said.
In March 2015, new DNA evidence linked Diaz to the case and, along with witness statements and other evidence, led to his arrest.
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Cold Case Unit worked with the MCSO on the case.