DNA Genealogy Identifies Suspect in 1981 Juanita Boyd Murder

Juanita Boyd was reported missing from La Porte on February 22, 1981. Six days later, her green Pontiac was found stuck in mud on a rural lane in Cool Spring Township, with the 31-year-old’s body in the trunk. Officials classified her death as a homicide resulting from asphyxiation.

On November 10, 2026, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said DNA evidence and genetic genealogy had led investigators to identify Carl David Phillips, who was 35 when Boyd was killed. Investigators used preserved biological evidence from Boyd’s undergarments to develop a family tree, working with Parabon and the Indiana State Police Lowell lab. A DNA sample collected from a potential suspect in July 2026 matched the evidence.

Authorities said physical and circumstantial evidence supported the identification. They said Phillips knew the area where Boyd was found and had relatives nearby, and that evidence placed him nearby when the killing occurred. Investigators said there was no known connection between Phillips and Boyd, though they believe the two had some interaction.

Boyd’s boyfriend, Jack Pearson, was initially investigated but was later ruled out, with authorities saying DNA evidence excluded him. Phillips died in La Porte County on September 24, 2017. Investigators presented the case to prosecutors, who said they would have filed murder charges if Phillips were alive. Boyd’s family has asked for privacy.