Revolutionary Forensic Breakthrough Leads Utah Police to Arrest Suspect in Long-Standing Cold Case

VERNAL, Utah (KUTV) — Recently, police made a breakthrough in a 52-year-old cold case. They arrested Darrell Eugene Choate, the only living suspect in the 1972 murder of Gregory Dahl Nickell. This development was made possible by advances in forensic technology.

The tragic events unfolded in November 1972. Gregory, just 21 years old, was shot and found in his burning car. His date, an 18-year-old girl, was kidnapped and assaulted but later released.

Gregory’s sister, Lynnette Ray, spent over 50 years hoping for news of her brother’s killer. “Every day, I would look at my phone. I just wanted that text,” she shared. Finally, in October 2024, that long-awaited message arrived when police arrested Choate.

“When I got the news, it felt like a heavy weight lifted off me. It was such a relief,” Lynnette recalled.

Amy Newman, who directs the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services, highlighted how much forensic science has improved since 1972. “We used to need a lot more blood for testing. Now, even a tiny sample can tell us so much,” she explained. For instance, advancements like Y-STR analysis help trace male lineage through DNA, making it easier to find connections in cases. “It’s passed down through the male line,” Newman added.

In 2023, Utah embraced a new technique called probabilistic genotyping. This approach helps analyze complex DNA samples that were once considered too complicated to interpret. “Before, we might have had to disregard certain evidence,” Newman noted, “but now we can analyze it.”

An important tool in this process is CODIS, the national DNA database. The more DNA profiles it contains, the better chance there is of solving cold cases. The breakthrough in Gregory’s case happened when Steve O’Camb, an agent with the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, was teaching about forensic methods. A lead detective approached him, leading to a renewed investigation into Nickell’s murder.

“It was an emotional moment. I really felt for the case,” O’Camb recalled. The state of Utah recognizes the need for thorough forensic testing. In 2020, a $1.5 million grant was provided for this purpose, with another $300,000 allocated in 2023 specifically for genetic genealogy training and testing.

Due to budget limitations, Uintah County depended on these state grants to pay for vital DNA testing, which showed who the suspect was. “Many times in cold cases, the suspects have passed away,” O’Camb pointed out. “Finding someone to charge is a big win.”

After confirming Choate’s identity through standard DNA testing, investigators could officially press charges. “Putting everything together felt amazing,” O’Camb said. “There were moments we thought it would never happen.”