Single fingerprint on a cigarette from 1977 was the key to cracking cold case murder in Santa, Clara, California

Willie Eugene Sims, 69, of Ohio, was arrested this week for the murder of Jeanette Ralston 48 years ago

Jeanette Ralston, 24, was last seen alive leaving the Lion’s Den bar in San Jose, California with a mystery man just before midnight on Jan 31, 1977

Ralston, a mother-of-one was found dead in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle the next day, as killer’s attempt to burn the car failed

She’d been sexually assaulted and strangled with a long sleeve shirt, tied around her neck

Retest of fingerprints found on a pack of cigarettes that were left in the vehicle last August, got a match with Eugene Sims, of Ashtabula County, Ohio

Sims a US Army veteran was stationed at nearby Fort Ord at the time of Ralston’s death

Aside of the finger print match, Sims’ DNA was consistent with the DNA found under Ralston’s fingernails and on the shirt that was used to strangle her

Sims faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted

Army veteran Willie Eugene Sims, [photo], 69, of Ohio, was arrested this week and charged with the murder of 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston, in California’s Santa Clara county, 48 years ago. He is facing 25 years to life in prison, if convicted.

A single fingerprint on a cigarette pack has led to an arrest in the nearly 50-year-old cold case of a young mom found strangled in the backseat of her car. She had been sexually assaulted.
A press release issued by the Santa Clara County prosecutor’s office on Tuesday announced that US Army veteran Willie Eugene Sims was taken into custody this week.
69-year-old Sims of Ashtabula County, Ohio, is accused of strangling Jeanette Ralston to death with a long-sleeve shirt on February 1, 1977.
24-year-old Ralston was last seen by her friends leaving the Lion’s Den bar in San Jose, California with a previously unidentified male just before midnight on January 31, 1977.
A day later, the mother-of-one, a resident of San Mateo, was found dead in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle in the carport area of an apartment complex near the bar.
She had been strangled with a long sleeve shirt that was tied around her neck according to the medical examiner’s report.

Eugene Sims is accused of strangling and sexually assaulting 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston, [photo], in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle on January 31, 1977

An autopsy also showed evidence of sexual assault, and police said at the time it appeared the killer tried to light Ralston’s car on fire.
The attempt at arson failed leaving intact evidence that has now led to the cracking of the case – but it failed to burn.
No suspects were fond at the time. While the trail appeared to have gone cold after nearly five decades, a breakthrough finally came in August 2024, when authorities decided to retest the fingerprints found on a pack of Eve cigarettes found in the victim’s car in 1977.
‘Just about a year ago, I was like “Hey, let’s run those prints again to see if we get lucky,”‘ Santa Clara Deputy District Attorney Rob Baker told KGO.

Eugene Sims mugshot, circa 1977, [left], and [right], SJPD sketch of the suspect in the Ralston murder [right]. Aside of the finger print match, Sims’ DNA was consistent with the DNA found under Ralston’s fingernails and on the shirt that was used to strangle her

The finger print rerun got a match in Eugene Sims, of Ashtabula County, Ohio. The former US Army private, had been stationed at nearby Fort Ord at the time of Ralston’s death. 
In an unrelated case Sims was convicted in 1978 for an assault to commit murder in Monterey County. However, he moved out of state before his DNA could be entered into CODIS, the state’s DNA database.
Following the fingerprint match, investigators with the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office traveled to Ohio to collect Sims’ DNA.
They found it was consistent with the DNA found under Ralston’s fingernails and on the shirt that was used to strangle her.

Jeanette Ralston, left a San Jose bar with a man and was found dead in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle on Feb 1, 1977. The case went cold sparked to life in August 2024 when authorities decided to retest the fingerprints found on a pack of cigarettes inside her car

Additionally, Baker noted ‘all of the key witnesses in this case are still alive.’ 
‘Every day, forensic science grows better and every day criminals are closer to being caught,’ District Attorney Jeff Rosen said.
‘Cases may grow old and be forgotten by the public. We don’t forget and we don’t give up.’ 
Following Sims’ arrest, Baker said he called Ralston’s son – Allen Ralston, who was just six years old when his mother was killed.
‘We can’t bring her back, but hopefully we can answer a lot of questions that the family may have had and try to get them some closure and hopefully justice in that way,’ the deputy DA said. 

Ralston’s son, Allen, who was just six years old when his mother was killed is grateful to the police for their persistence

The case was solved due to collaboration between the SJPD Homicide Unit and the DA’s Cold Case Unit.
Allen Ralston has expressed his gratitude for the officers’ dedication to his mother’s case.
‘Without the Santa Clara detectives, the whole team that’s worked on this for 49 years – how do you thank somebody like that and not feel guilty you didn’t thank them enough?’
‘You have undoubtedly made a six year old kid happy after all these years,’ he wrote. ‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart on a job well done,’ Allen wrote in a social media post.
The suspect who now been arraigned on the murder charge is due to be extradited to California. He is facing 25 years to life in prison, if convicted.