Murderer Faces Justice 40 Years Later

0:00In Tampa Bay today, March 6th, a man accused of a brutal murder in Tampa, more than four decades ago, finally faced a judge this week. Robert Paul Bayer appeared in court on Thursday, indicted for first-degree murder with a weapon during a burglary and armed burglary in the 19. 80 killing of Charles Barnes. The judge ordered him held without bond. Back in October 1980, Barnes didn't show up for work, so police did a welfare check at his East Okalusa Avenue home. They found him stabbed to death inside, with blood soap bedding, beer cans, and signs of someone searching drawers. Two months later, his car turned up abandoned at a motel parking lot on Southdale, Maybury highway. The case went cold for years, despite that evidence, leaving detectives frustrated as leads dried up. Cold cases like this one highlight how time can stall justice, but advances in science often bring breakthroughs. Families wait decades for answers and situations just like Barnes's. Nearly 30 years after the murder, in 2009, investigators retested fingerprints from those beer cans at the scene. They matched Bayer.

1:07Later tests found his DNA under Barnes' fingernails, and on a towel from the home, which detectives link to the killer. Bayer denied knowing Barnes or entering the house when questioned. Bayer's court appearance was brief, but he'll return next week as the case advances. This long-awaited development shows how persistence and new technology can crack even the oldest mysteries. Quick thanks to today's sponsor. See the description for more. Headphones in a pillow. Simple idea. Surprisingly addictive. S-O-L-I-SOLYPILLO.COM