Police Charge Suspect For 1989 Homicide Cold Case

FORESTVILLE, Md. – The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Cold Case Unit charged a suspect in connection with an unsolved 1989 murder in Forestville. He is 64-year-old James Clinton Cole. He’s charged with the murder and sexual assault of 27-year-old Cynthia Rodgers of Forestville. Cole is currently in custody in Cumberland, MD. He is serving a life sentence from an unrelated first degree rape conviction.

On January 27, 1989, Rodgers was located deceased in a wooded area in the 6000 block of Surrey Square Lane Service Road in Forestville. She was suffering from trauma and she had been sexually assaulted. The medical examiner determined the cause of death as strangulation with blunt force trauma to her head and neck and the manner was ruled a homicide.

On January 24, 2022, Cold Case Unit detectives had evidence in the case retested, which thanks to advancements in DNA technology, produced a complete unidentified male profile. A search of the State of Maryland DNA database resulted in a positive match to Cole. Detectives have uncovered no evidence that Cole and Rodgers were known to each other.

Cole is charged with first degree murder, rape first degree and several other charges. 

If anyone has information relevant to this investigation, they are asked to please call detectives at 301-516-2512. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.)