# DNA Ties Former Chicago Detective To Decades-Old Murder

> Chicago police linked a former homicide detective to a 1960 murder using DNA from preserved evidence.
- Title: DNA Ties Former Chicago Detective To Decades-Old Murder
- Summary: Chicago police linked a former homicide detective to a 1960 murder using DNA from preserved evidence. Chicago police used DNA from Gloria Kowalewicz's…
- Keywords: gloria kowalewicz, thomas f mcinerney jr, chicago police, homicide detective, decades-old murder, dna evidence, 1960 murder, news, politics, DNA, Ties, Former
- Source: HuffPost — https://huffpost.com/entry/dna-ties-former-chicago-detective-to-decades-old-unsolved-killing_n_6aceb2fbe4b0e26c18d099b8
- Published: 2026-10-13T22:51:36+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gloria kowalewicz, thomas f mcinerney jr, chicago police, homicide detective, decades-old murder, dna evidence, 1960 murder, news, politics
## DNA Match Confirmed
Chicago police say DNA evidence ties Thomas F. McInerney Jr. to Gloria Kowalewicz's 1960 murder.

> McInerney should never have worn the CPD star, and it is devastating to accept that he was never identified and held accountable while he was alive.
## Gloria Kowalewicz Found Dead
Gloria Kowalewicz was shot dead in a ditch near southwest Chicago in 1960 after walking to church.
## Investigation Details
Police collected bullet, coat, shoes, and a white communion purse from Gloria's crime scene.
## DNA Technology Used
Modern forensic technology linked DNA from Gloria's items to McInerney using FBI and Illinois State Police assistance.
## Key takeaway

Chicago police used DNA from Gloria Kowalewicz's belongings to identify Thomas F. McInerney Jr., a former homicide detective who killed her 65 years ago.