Kathryn Donohue

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Cold Case Unit charged 82-year-old Rodger Zodas Brown with the 1979 murder of Kathryn Donohue in Glenarden, MD, following advancements in forensic genetic genealogy. Brown, who lived in Hyattsville at the time of the crime, was arrested in North Carolina and faces extradition to Prince George’s County on charges of first-degree murder, rape, and related offenses.

Per the news release distributed on Tuesday, March 18: “The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Cold Case Unit identified and charged a man for an unsolved murder that occurred more than 45 years ago in Glenarden. The suspect, 82-year-old Rodger Zodas Brown of Pinehurst, North Carolina, is now in custody for the 1979 murder of 31-year-old Kathryn Donohue of Arlington, VA.

 On March 3, 1979, a citizen walking through a parking lot in the 8400 block of Hamlin Street located the victim’s body and called police. The PGPD’s Homicide Unit responded and opened an investigation into the victim’s rape and murder, which despite an extensive, years-long investigation, remained unsolved.

PGPD Cold Case Unit detectives sought and obtained court authorization to initiate a forensic genetic genealogy DNA analysis in connection to this case. Thanks to advancements in both DNA and genetic genealogy, in late 2024, the FBI Baltimore Field Office was able to identify a relative of the unknown male suspect. Additional investigation ultimately led to the identification of the suspect, Rodger Brown. With the assistance of the Moore County Sheriff’s Office (NC) and FBI Charlotte Field Office, he was arrested at his home in North Carolina last week. Brown lived in Hyattsville at the time of the murder in 1979. While this remains an active investigation, at this time, there is no known connection between the victim and suspect.

Brown is charged with first degree murder, rape and related charges. He remains in North Carolina pending extradition to Prince George’s County.”