# The Monster Next Door: How DNA Solved a 1983 Murder After 4 Decades

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/midnight-evidence-7887082/the-monster-next-door-how-dna-solved-a-1983-murder-after-4-decades.md
Podcast: [Midnight Evidence](https://stenobird.com/podcast/midnight-evidence-7887082)
Published: 2026-07-18T10:47:36+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/audio-2--73043147
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73043147/audio_2.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2047

## Resource

For forty three years, a family waited for the truth about the night Sherry Joyce Elliott never came home from the school bus stop, while the man responsible lived quietly among them as a bandmate, a coworker, a trusted neighbor. This is the story of how a single preserved drop of evidence, decades of relentless investigators, and a breakthrough in genetic genealogy finally unmasked a killer hiding in plain sight, and what his silence still leaves unanswered. Thank you for listening to Midnight Evidence. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with fellow true crime enthusiasts. You can find us on Spreaker and your favorite podcast platforms. Until next time, stay curious, stay informed, and remember, every case leaves a trail. This episode includes AI-generated content.

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## Transcript

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