DNA evidence leads to man charged in cold case homicide in Baltimore in 1986
A man has been charged in a cold case 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 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, a statement from the office of State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates said.
Charging documents against Williams showed that Houck's body was found in a grassy area of Druid Hill Park in October 1986. When found, the body was nude from the waist down and was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
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 solved with the help of DNA evidence taken from the crime scene and victim, said a statement issued by Bates' office. In May 2005, scientists identified sperm collected from Houck's body during an autopsy and a portion of the material was cut for DNA analysis. A male DNA profile was created and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
"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 (DNA collected on July 1, 2025) and the full DNA male profile that was identified on the vaginal swabs recovered from Ms. Houck," the statement said.
Based on the investigation results, a search and seizure warrant was issued to authorize an oral DNA sample to be collected from Williams. After the collection was made, the BPD'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."
Bates added, "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."