FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF)- Fort Worth Police have made an arrest in the 46-year old cold case murder of a 17-year old Western Hills student who was brutally attacked and killed in 1974. 77-year old Glen McCurley is charged with capital murder in the death of Carla Walker.
Police say McCurley was responsible for the attack on Carla and her boyfriend as they sat in his car outside Ridglea Bowling Alley. Police say Carla had been beaten, tortured, raped and strangled before her body was dumped in a culvert near Lake Benbrook.
The boyfriend, Rodney McCoy was hospitalized on the night of the incident because he was hit unconscious before Carla was taken. He was a senior and she a junior at Western Hills High School at the time.
Fort Worth Cold Case Detective Leah Wagner says McCurley was a person of interest during the time of her murder. However, there was not enough evidence to prove it.
With advances in technology, and a second DNA test from McCurley, police were able to get a DNA match for McCurley and a bra Carla wore the night she was attacked.
Carla Walker’s brother, Jim, spoke during a press conference held by Fort Worth PD.
“I want to thank God. I am so thankful for the Fort Worth Police Department. Happy. The feeling I had when I was notified. The word that came to my mind was finally…After 46 years, seven months and five days, we have a name and a face and moving toward a resolution,” said Jim Walker.
Walker also asked for the community to pray for the suspect and his family. “We are praying for you, we don’t hate you. We want to see justice served and with prayers and forgiveness that doesn’t mean a get out of jail free card…we are fully committed to making sure justice is served for Carla but we ask for the community to keep this gentleman
and his family in their prayers,” he said.