TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

DNA Leads To Arrest 4 Years After Tampa Woman's Death

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 13, 2007

Updated: 12/13/2007 04:31 pm

TAMPA — Police have arrested a Minnesota man on a murder charge stemming from a Tampa woman's death four years ago.

  Dorothy Mink

Tampa Police Department Detective Eric Houston identified Michael Lord Owens as a suspect in Dorothy Mink's death after it was deemed his fingerprints were the ones found on a bottle of Sutter Home wine in her South Tampa apartment, Houston said.

In November, the department's Cold Case Squad put more emphasis on solving the case. The fingerprints were resubmitted to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, Houston said.

Owens' name turned up. After police got a search warrant for Owens' DNA, his mouth was swabbed to obtain a sample.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed DNA at the crime scene matched Owens' DNA, Houston said.

Owens, 44, is in a Minnesota state hospital serving time for a sexually related crime, Houston said. Owens has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of armed sexual battery.

Mink's family found her body Sept. 11, 2003. It was reported at the time that she was strangled and had been sexually assaulted. She also was beaten with an unknown object and had blunt trauma to her face and head, Houston said.

Mink was 71.

Her family had called her home several times to confirm a dinner engagement. When she didn't answer, they grew concerned and went to her apartment. Mink didn't answer the door, so they went behind the apartment' and found a sliding glass door partially open.

Inside, they saw Mink's body on the floor.

After a news conference today, Houston described Mink's murder as a "brutal crime and a truly innocent victim."

He said Mink was a nice, outgoing grandmother whose adult children visited her daily.

"Obviously it's great that we solved this, but it's even better for the family," said Houston, who works with the Cold Case Squad.

Houston spoke to Mink's daughter today to tell her the case had been solved, and she was overjoyed, he said.

"It's good," Mink's daughter, Penny Hammock, said about the arrest. "It's still shocking to know."

Owens, a drifter without ties to Tampa, didn't know Mink, Houston said. But three days before Mink's death, Hillsborough deputies interviewed him about an unrelated offense in north Tampa. He was not charged in that case.

In 2003, the Chicago native had no permanent residence. Tampa police traced him that year to at least a dozen cities.

Owens now calls Minnesota his home, Houston said.

Two days ago, Houston went to Minnesota and spoke with Owens for about an hour.

"He denied knowing the victim, denied being in Tampa, denied being in the apartment," Houston said.

Owens offered no explanation for fingerprint and DNA evidence, Houston said.

Owens likely will be extradited to Tampa to stand trial for Mink's death, he said.

At the press conference, Tampa police Maj. George McNamara said the arrest was made due to tenacious work and some luck.

Since the Cold Case Squad started in 2006, it has cleared 10 cases and made five arrests. Houston described today's arrest as one of the most important.

"For every victim out here, there's a family left behind, McNamara said. "We're going to do our darndest to find out who committed these crimes."

If you recall the case or would like to talk about it, contact reporter Josh Poltilove at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com. Poltilove also can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT