Digest

The episode delves into the cold case of Diana Disa, a 19-year-old who vanished in 1987. The initial investigation, hampered by a lack of evidence, focused on her boyfriend, Michael Pullman, but yielded no concrete results. The case remained dormant until 1997 when DNA testing became available, allowing investigators to reexamine evidence. This led to the exclusion of Michael Pullman as a suspect. In 2004, a new DNA test called STR was used, resulting in a match with a convicted offender named Ray Keller. Keller had a history of sexual assault and was serving a 25-year sentence for raping a girl in 1989. Detectives interviewed his victim, who described a similar attack to Diana's case. Confronted with the DNA evidence, Keller confessed to Diana's murder, claiming he was high on cocaine and had sexually assaulted her before strangling her. He was sentenced to 22 years to life for the rape and murder of Diana Disa, while Michael Pullman was cleared of any involvement. The episode concludes with Diana's mother, Mary Ann, expressing her grief and anger at Keller's actions.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Diana Disa Case: A Cold Case Solved

This episode explores the cold case of Diana Disa, a 19-year-old who went missing in 1987. The case was initially cold due to lack of evidence, but was reopened in 1997 with the advent of DNA testing. The investigation focused on her boyfriend, Michael Pullman, but lacked concrete evidence.

00:01:02

DNA Evidence and the Reopening of the Case

In 1997, DNA testing was used to reexamine evidence from Diana's case. The DNA profile from the crime scene did not match Michael Pullman, eliminating him as a suspect. In 2004, a new DNA test called STR was used to reexamine the evidence. This time, the DNA profile matched a convicted offender named Ray Keller.

00:16:40

Ray Keller's Confession and Sentencing

Ray Keller had a history of sexual assault and was serving a 25-year sentence for raping a girl in 1989. Detectives interviewed his victim, who described a similar attack to Diana's case. Detectives confronted Ray Keller with the DNA evidence and he confessed to the murder of Diana Disa. He claimed that he had been high on cocaine and had sexually assaulted Diana before strangling her. Ray Keller was sentenced to 22 years to life for the rape and murder of Diana Disa. Michael Pullman was cleared of any involvement in the case. Diana's mother, Mary Ann, expressed her grief and anger at Keller's actions.

Keywords

Q&A

• What led to the reopening of Diana Disa's cold case?

  The case was reopened in 1997 when DNA testing became available, allowing investigators to reexamine evidence that was previously inconclusive.

• How was Ray Keller identified as a suspect in Diana's murder?

  A new DNA test called STR was used in 2004, and the DNA profile from the crime scene matched a convicted offender named Ray Keller.

• What was Ray Keller's motive for killing Diana Disa?

  Keller confessed to the murder and said that he had been high on cocaine and had sexually assaulted Diana before strangling her. He claimed that he was angry and had snapped.

• What impact did the resolution of the case have on Michael Pullman?

  Michael Pullman was cleared of any involvement in Diana's murder. He was relieved to have the suspicion lifted and was able to move on with his life.

Show Notes