Arrest made in 23-year-old Texas case

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 16 (UPI) -- Police in Fort Worth, Texas, said they arrested the man responsible for a homicide 23 years ago.

Homicide Sgt. J.D. Thornton said 63-year-old Jay Thayer Williams was arrested in connection with the 1986 shooting death of Sandra Leah Martin at her family's Fort Worth home, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram said Thursday.

Martin's husband, David, said his wife was killed while showing the home to a potential buyer. The couple's two children, then ages 2 and 5, were in a nearby room when Martin was bound and shot in the head.

"We were ready to move up," David Martin said. "We just didn't get out of there quick enough."

Thornton said Williams was arrested on a capital murder warrant after a national fingerprint database matched his prints to those found on duct tape used in the killing.

David Martin told the Star-Telegram the cold-case breakthrough came around the same time he was praying for the mystery to finally end.

"There are answers to prayers," he said.