William Morton was arraigned and charged with one count of murder on Tuesday, Oct. 6

NEED TO KNOW

• William Morton, 61, was charged with the 1985 murder of 22-year-old Hillary Hellewell, authorities announced on Oct. 6
• Investigators reopened the Newport, R.I. case in 2023 using advanced forensic DNA analysis
• Morton is being held without bail and is due back in court Oct. 20

New DNA evidence has linked a man to a 1985 murder case in Newport, R.I.

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy announced that 61-year-old William Morton was arraigned and charged with one count of murder on Tuesday, Oct. 6, according to a press release. The Smithfield Police Department assisted in the investigation, as Morton was living in the town at the time of his arrest.

Morton was charged in connection with the 1985 murder of 22-year-old Hillary Hellewell, according to the AG’s press release. He is being held without bail, and is scheduled for a status conference on Oct. 20.

“The purpose of the Cold Case Unit is to find long-overdue answers for victims and their families,” Neronha said in a statement. “Healing is a process without a defined end, but nevertheless, victims and their loved ones deserve answers and ultimately justice.”

The cold case was reopened in 2023 due to access to “new forensic DNA analysis and investigative techniques that identified the defendant as a potential suspect.”

“Cases like this remind us that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to seeking justice for victims and their families,” said Newport Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Ryan Duffy, per the press release. “This case demonstrates what can be accomplished when dedicated investigators, strong interagency collaboration, and modern forensic science come together with a shared commitment to never give up on a victim.”

The victim, Hellewell, was found strangled on a sidewalk outside 25 Anthony St. in Newport, local outlet The Newport Buzz reported, citing police.

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In 2004, DNA from the crime scene, particularly a semen sample found on the victim’s white pants, was uploaded into the FBI’s CODIS database, but no matches would surface for more than 20 years, Neronha said in a press conference on Tuesday. Police were able to obtain a water bottle used by Morton at a local theater, and upon DNA testing, confirmed a match to the sample from 1985.

A motive in the killing has not been publicly disclosed. Neronha said the investigation remains ongoing.

PEOPLE has reached out to Newport Police and Smithfield Police.

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