DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A suspect in the murder of a woman in Delray Beach in 1983 has been arrested in Jacksonville.
On Nov. 13, 1983, Carla Lowe, of Broward County, was found dead in the 1700 block of Depot Avenue.
Investigators determined she was waiting for an Amtrak train when she was beaten to death. She was 21 years old at the time. Her 1963 Mercury Comet was located in an open field east of 1135 W. Atlantic Ave.
Cold case Detective Todd Clancy was recently assigned the case and reopened the investigation.
Thanks to an advancement in technology, police analyzed a fingerprint from the 1983 crime scene and positively identified Ralph Williams as a suspect.
Police said Williams, now 59, formerly resided in South Florida, but has been living in Jacksonville.
Clancy said there was no connection between Lowe and Williams and a motive is unknown at this time.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrested Williams on Monday. He will be charged with first-degree murder with a weapon.
Clancy said this is the first cold case taken on by the new Delray Beach Police Department cold case division to result in an arrest.
Clancy consulted with retired Delray Beach police detectives who originally worked the case.
"I would also like to thank the detectives who worked this case in 1983, because they deserve most if not all the recognition — Detective Mark Woods and Sgt. Robert Brand," Clancy said. "If it wasn't for their documentation and hard work back in 1983, we would not have all the information that we have today."
Once this case is concluded, Clancy said, they will investigate other cold cases.
VIDEO: Footage of the location where Lowe's body was found in 1983
