A man serving five life sentences in Delaware was identified as a suspect in a 1981 cold case murder, Baltimore County police announced Friday. 

Officers said a DNA analysis identified 75-year-old Alan Bass, a convicted rapist, as the suspect. 

1981 fatal shooting 

Nearly 44 years ago, on August 2, 1981, Samuel Allen, 59, was found dead in his home in the 6400 block of Liberty Road, officers said. 

Allen's wife and daughter were home at the time and witnessed the shooting, according to police. They were in the kitchen when an armed suspect entered, demanding money. 

According to police, the suspect was wearing surgical gloves and carrying a cloth-type bag. 

The suspect shot Allen in his upper body when he entered the kitchen, police said. The suspect then demanded Allen's wallet and took money before demanding more from Allen's wife and daughter. 

"When my dad walked through that kitchen door, he had gray eyes," Allen's daughter, Anne, said during the announcement Friday. "I have never seen a colder, harsher look on anybody's face in my life...That's a terrible thing to remember your dad with that last look of just total anger." 

Officers said the suspect realized he had misplaced the bag he was carrying, but he was unable to find it. 

Detectives recovered the bag and a shirt as evidence, and despite an investigation, the case remained open. 

DNA reveals cold case suspect 

In 2023, police spoke to Allen's daughter, Anne, and reviewed the case. They determined that the evidence collected decades earlier was eligible for a DNA analysis. 

The items were sent to DNA Laboratories International, where scientists obtained a DNA profile. 

In November 2024, the DNA revealed Bass as a potential suspect. Police obtained a warrant for Bass' DNA and conducted more testing. In January 2025, scientists confirmed Bass as the suspect after finding that his DNA matched the DNA recovered from the bag. 

Despite a warrant charging Bass with Allen's murder, he will not be extradited to Maryland due to health concerns, police said. If his status changes, the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office will move forward and prosecute the case. 

Allen's daughter reacts 

During Friday's announcement, Anne recalled the death of her father. 

"To call somebody up and say, 'My dad was murdered last night.' That's a terrible thing to have to say to somebody that you like and love. And there's nothing you can really do other than console the survivors. There's this big, horrible hole there now."

Despite the hardship, Anne expressed satisfaction with knowing Bass was in prison. 

"You aren't gonna be out where you can hurt anybody again, and that was my biggest concern was, I don't want him hurting people," she said.