88-year-old Edna Schubert, often known as the “Neighborhood Grandma”, would spend her free time helping kids with their homework or watching them ride their bikes up and down the street. However, all of this changed on the night of Dec. 3, 2003, when a neighbor saw the kitchen window broken with papers flying out. She had been beaten to death, with the culprit unknown. The brutal killing shocked the community and went unsolved for more than two decades. However, a new wave of interest around the case and a new investigation led to the arrest of 51-year-old Raul Ayala, a former neighbor of Schubert’s. She has since been charged with the murder of the “Neighborhood Grandma”, the district attorney said” CNN stated. 

During the initial investigation, detectives saved and documented fingerprint and blood evidence throughout the home. Unfortunately, forensic technology wasn’t advanced enough to identify the killer, so in turn, the case went cold. However, detectives had a blurry photo of a dormant print on the window seal where the killer had entered her home. With photographic advancements, police were able to take a picture of that picture which revealed Ayala’s fingerprints.

After identifying Ayala’s fingerprints, detectives combined forensic evidence (including his clothes) with unknown DNA from Schubert’s clothes. Fortunately, they were able to obtain an abandoned sample of DNA which was then compared to the DNA sample left at the scene, said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney according to CNN.

On Jan. 26, 2025, Ayala was arrested and charged with one count of first degree murder and two counts of second degree murder. He is currently being held without bail and faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.