A tragic cold case from Washington state that has haunted decades has recently reached a resolution with the identification of Jody Loomis’s killer, following advances in DNA technology. Loomis was only 19 when she was murdered while cycling to a horse stables in 1972. Her death marked a significant turning point in the local community and has since become the subject of an upcoming episode on People Magazine Investigates.
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On 23 August 1972, Loomis set out from her home in Bothell, intending to spend a sunny afternoon riding her horse, Saudi. Before departing, she borrowed a pair of distinctive waffle-stomper boots from her younger sister, Jana. However, the joyful day took a tragic turn, as Loomis never reached the barn. She was later found gravely injured in some woods, having been shot and sexually assaulted. Despite bystanders’ attempts to rush her to a hospital, she succumbed to her injuries en route.
At the time of the incident, investigators pieced together the harrowing details of Loomis’s last moments. It is believed she was forcibly taken into the woods, where she faced horrific violence, including being shot with a .22-caliber firearm. Initial investigations yielded little information, with suspicion cast on several local men, but no tangible evidence could link any suspect to the crime. The case soon went cold, remaining unsolved for many years.
In 2005, a breakthrough occurred when cold case detective Jim Scharf reopened the investigation. Among the few pieces of evidence remaining was Loomis’s borrowed pair of boots. Upon examination, a small trace of DNA was discovered on one of the boots. Unfortunately, at that time, there were no matches in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), causing another delay in finding closure for the victim’s family.
The case turned a significant corner in 2018 with the advent of genetic genealogy. Investigators utilised this new technique to trace Loomis’s DNA profile through family connections, which led them to the Miller family, who had lived in the vicinity at the time of the murder. One of the brothers, Terrence “Terry” Miller, had a documented history of sexual violence, raising further concerns among the detectives.
Subsequently, Miller was placed under surveillance, and investigators obtained a usable DNA sample from a discarded coffee cup. This sample was found to match the DNA recovered from Loomis’s boot, solidifying their case against him. In April 2019, nearly half a century after Loomis’s murder, Miller was charged with first-degree murder. The trial commenced in October 2020, with the community eagerly awaiting justice for Loomis.
However, the case took another tragic twist on 6 November 2020, shortly after jurors began their deliberations. Miller, then aged 78, died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Tragically, the jury was unaware of the outcome that had taken place mere hours before their verdict. Later that day, they returned a guilty verdict against him, affirming that he had been found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
For Jana Loomis, the sister who lent her boots to Jody prior to that fateful day, this verdict provided a semblance of closure. The long-awaited justice could not erase the pain of losing her sister, but it connected threads of a case that had remained unresolved for far too long.
The upcoming episode of People Magazine Investigates, titled “My Sister’s Boots”, is set to delve into the chilling story of Jody Loomis, with the episode scheduled to air on Monday, 2 March at 9 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery. This case exemplifies the intersections of grief, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of justice, serving as a reminder of the enduring impact of unresolved tragedies and the advancements in forensic science that bring closure to families.