Woman’s passion for genetic genealogy aids in naming suspect in 1997 murder of Spokane mother

SPOKANE, Wash. — Next month marks 29 years since a mother of two was found murdered in a downtown alley. Detectives believe she had been raped. Her skull was crushed in. For years, the search for her killer went nowhere. That all changed in late 2025.

Maragret Anselmo had a family who adored her. Kids who needed her. Margaret’s daughter Lisa, looked so much like her mom. When KHQ first interviewed Lisa in 2019, she shared how jarring it can be to look back through precious family photos.

“When I saw this picture I was like, ‘that me?’ No that’s me,” she said…

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