Michael Allan Carbo Jr. Arrested In 1986 Cold Case Murder Of Nancy Daugherty

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Chisholm man was arrested Wednesday in connection to the 1986 cold case murder of Nancy Daugherty.

Michael Allan Carbo Jr., 52, was taken into custody and booked into the St. Louis County Jail in Virginia on probable cause of second-degree murder.

The arrest comes after BCA agents and Chisholm police investigators received confirmation from the BCA laboratory that Carbo's DNA matched DNA from the crime scene.

Nancy Daughtery was last seen alive just after midnight on July 16, 1986. Chisholm police found Daughtery dead inside of her home that afternoon after officers conducted a welfare check. Officials say she had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. Witnesses later reported hearing a woman screaming in the early morning hours.

BCA scientists obtained a full DNA suspect profile from bodily fluids found on the victim and at the scene. However, at the time the DNA did not match any persons in the criminal DNA database.

Over the years, investigators interviewed and collected DNA from more than 100 people.

In early 2020, the Chisholm Police Department approached the BCA wanting to provide a sample of the DNA evidence to Parabon, a company that analyzes public genealogy databases that have law enforcement programs to generate leads in cases. In July, Parabon identified Carbo as a potential suspect in the case.

On Wednesday, investigators obtained a DNA sample directly from Carbo with his consent. The BCA laboratory confirmed that the DNA sample was a match to the bodily fluids found on the victim and at the scene.

"We are gratified to be able to provide some answers to this family and this community after all of these years," Chisholm Police Chief Vern Manner said. "We are grateful as well to the BCA and so many assisting law enforcement agencies that continued to work this case over more than three decades."

Police say Carbo was never on their radar. He hadn't committed any high-level crimes that warranted his DNA being put in the state database.

Carbo had lived in Chisholm ever since the murder happened.

Daugherty's daughter Gina provided a statement for police to read at the presser. It said in part:

"There are no words the describe the terrible holes that were left in so many lives, including my own. So many tears and struggles. She has missed so much and I miss her love and guidance."

She also told people in similar situations to never give up hope.

Carbo is expected to be charged Thursday morning by the St. Louis County Attorney's Office. The investigation remains ongoing.