Michigan man sentenced to prison more than 20 years after woman's body found in Flint River

A Saginaw, Michigan, man was sentenced to 23 to 45 years in prison in connection with the 2003 murder of a woman, whose body was found in the Flint River.

According to the Michigan Attorney General's office, 48-year-old Jason Robert Cabello pleaded no contest in April 2026 to one count of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

"For more than two decades, Jeanette's loved ones carried the weight of an unsolved tragedy," said Attorney General Dana Nessel when Cabello pleaded. "I am grateful for the excellent work of the Michigan State Police, Western Michigan University, and prosecutors in my office who all worked diligently to secure this conviction. Their dedication did not just solve a cold case. It finally brought justice to Jeanette, her family and friends while proving that no passage of time can stand in the way of accountability."  

State prosecutors say that on Feb. 22, 2003, the body of 57-year-old Jeanette Wilton, of Saginaw, was found in the river near her home. An autopsy determined Wilton was strangled, stabbed multiple times and suffered from blunt-force trauma to the head and face.

The case reopened in 2021, with further DNA testing linking Cabello to the case. Cabello was charged in 2024.

Officials say Cabello was previously in a relationship with a relative of Wilton.

"The breakthrough brought long-awaited answers in a case that had remained unsolved for more than 20 years," said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP, in a statement. "We hope this provides a measure of closure for Wilton's family and the community. The case stands as a powerful example of how advancements in forensic science, particularly utilizing DNA and forensic genetic genealogy, continue to transform cold case investigations, delivering answers even decades after crimes occur."