DNA Evidence Solves 20-Year-Old Murder Case

Jon Jordan, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- DNA evidence has solved the murder of an Oklahoma woman twenty years after her death. After years of no answers, modern day technology eventually led authorities to her killer.

Dennis Ray Wright, 50, has never admitted to killing 22-year-old Georgette Pless, but thanks to a DNA match nearly two decades after the crime, the Lincoln County District Attorney said Wright didn't have to.

It was down a rural Lincoln County Road at the bottom of a creek bed where sheriff's deputies discovered the body of 22-year-old Georgette Pless.

"Her back was fractured almost as if someone had driver their knee in her back and pulled her head back and that's what killed her," Lincoln County District Attorney Richard Smothermon.

Smothermon said it was only by luck authorities found Pless' body over 18 years ago. He said authorities at the time were looking for two other homicide victims when they came upon the creek and found her body face down in the water.

"Her body was fairly well preserved and we were able to find DNA evidence at that time from an unknown perpetrator," Smothermon said.

That perpetrator was 50-year-old Dennis Ray Wright. Wright was serving time in a Missouri prison on fraud charges last year when investigators discovered his DNA matched samples that were taken from Pless' body.

It was enough evidence to force Wright to enter a no contest plea. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

"Even though it's 18 years later, justice is still served," said the Lincoln County District Attorney.

Unfortunately Smothermon said he hasn't been able to locate family to tell them.

"Somewhere out there she's got now a 20-year-old son, a 20-year-old son that I would like to tell him what happened and that someone was held accountable. But we'll never be able to do that, but we'll keep trying," the Lincoln County D.A. said.

Smothermon said Pless was panhandling at a Walmart when she first met her killer. He said Wright hired the 22-year-old to clean his house and Pless was never seen alive again.