40 years later, DNA evidence leads to arrest in 1986 cold case homicide in Baltimore

An arrest has been made in a 1986 homicide involving the shooting of a woman whose body was found in Baltimore's Druid Hill Park.

David Alexander Williams, 67, was charged in the cold case murder of 23-year-old Teresa Ann Houck, the State's Attorney for Baltimore City announced Monday. Williams was charged with first-degree murder and related charges.

Charging documents against Williams showed that Houck's body was found in a grassy area of Druid Hill Park in October 1986. When found, Houck was nude from the waist down and she had multiple gunshot wounds to her head, neck and chest. 

Baltimore Police Department (BPD) investigators learned that Houck was a dancer at an establishment called the Pussycat Club. Co-workers and acquaintances reported that Houck left the club on October 22, 1986, at around 2 a.m. and was never seen alive again.

The cold case was cracked with the help of DNA evidence taken from the crime scene and victim's body, said a statement issued by State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates'  office. In May 2005, scientists identified sperm collected from Houck's body during an autopsy and a portion of the material was taken for DNA analysis. A male DNA profile was created and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). 40 years later, that investigative work paid off.

"On September 18, 2025, a CODIS 'Hit Letter' issued by the Maryland State Police indicated that a routine search of the Maryland DNA Database resulted in a high-stringency match between David Alexander Williams ... and the full DNA male profile that was identified on the vaginal swabs recovered from Ms. Houck," the statement said.

A warrant was issued for an oral DNA sample from Williams. Baltimore police's crime lab compared the two DNA samples and concluded that Williams was the sole contributor of the sperm collected from Houck. Williams was arrested in July.

"Nearly 40 years may have passed, but our commitment to seeking justice for Ms. Houck and her loved ones has never wavered," Bates said in a statement. "What began as an unspeakable act of violence, with evidence of an apparent sexual assault, ultimately provided the critical lead that allowed investigators to identify a suspect and bring this case before the courts."

"This arrest is a testament to the relentless determination of our law enforcement partners and the advancements in forensic technology that continue to give new hope to families who have waited decades for answers," Bates added.