Marvin Ray Markle convicted for 1982 murder in California

A significant development has occurred in the cold case of De Anna Lynn Johnson, a teenage girl found dead on railroad tracks in 1982. Marvin Ray Markle, now 59, was convicted of first-degree murder for killing Johnson, who was just 14 years old. Johnson disappeared after attending a party in Vacaville, California, on November 15, 1982. Her mother reported her missing, and the next day, her body was discovered near railroad tracks. Markle was initially named a suspect in the case, but it went cold for years. In 2004, Markle resurfaced as a suspect in another murder case. He was later convicted in 2014 for killing Shirley Ann Pratt in 2001 and was sentenced to 80 years in prison. While he was in prison, police continued their investigation into Johnson's murder. By January 2017, detectives gathered enough evidence to formally accuse Markle of Johnson's murder. Despite pleading not guilty, the case went to trial more than four decades after the crime. The jury returned a guilty verdict this month after three weeks of testimony. Vacaville Police Chief John Carli praised the ongoing efforts of his department to seek justice for Johnson. They faced many challenges over the years, especially due to the lack of forensic technology at the time of Johnson's death. District Attorney Krishna Abrams expressed gratitude for the dedication shown by law enforcement in solving this case, emphasizing that justice, although delayed, was finally achieved for De Anna Lynn Johnson and her family.