Nov 1, 2026 · 24 min · 11 segments
A 16-year-old was found strangled to death behind her high school in December 1991. Despite DNA evidence, Sarah Yarborough’s killer remains a mystery for almost three decades until forensic genealogy…
The boys tell police they were skateboarding around the high school at approximately 9.30 this morning when something caught their eyes.
There was a strange man standing in the bushes above the parking lot.
For a moment, they locked eyes with him.
Then he took off on foot.
Out of curiosity, the boys made their way up into the bushes to see what he was doing there.
And they came upon Sarah's body.
Terrified, they rushed home and told their parents.
And their parents immediately called the police.
Based on the boy's descriptions, police create two sketches of the suspect, a white male with long hair in his mid to late 20s, and circulate them quickly, hoping someone will recognize him.
They also speak with the last person to see Sarah alive, her friend, Shannon.
Shannon was staying over at Sarah's house for the weekend while Sarah's parents were away at her younger brother's soccer tournament.
According to Shannon, the last time she saw Sarah, she was dashing out the door to drill team practice.
Based on Shannon's statement, police determined Sarah arrived at Federal Way High School this morning approximately 45 minutes before practice was scheduled to start.
since there was no sign of a struggle inside her car.
Investigators theorize that as Sarah sat in her car waiting for the other drill team members to arrive, her killer lured her out of her car.
Then he attacked her, dragged her into the bushes, and killed her.
During her autopsy, the medical examiner concludes Sarah was not raped.
But forensic analysis of her clothing turns up major evidence.
DNA is also discovered underneath Sarah's fingernails.
Based on this evidence, detectives suspect Sarah's murder was sexually motivated.
Her killer tried to rape her.
When she fought back, he strangled her to death.
But in the early 1990s, DNA technology is underdeveloped and CODIS, the FBI's national DNA database, is in its infancy.
So despite DNA evidence, the police sketches and thousands of tips, detectives are unable to identify Sarah's killer, and the case goes cold.
The boys tell police they were skateboarding around the high school at approximately 9.30 this morning when something caught their eyes.
There was a strange man standing in the bushes above the parking lot.
For a moment, they locked eyes with him.
Then he took off on foot.
Out of curiosity, the boys made their way up into the bushes to see what he was doing there.
And they came upon Sarah's body.
Terrified, they rushed home and told their parents.
And their parents immediately called the police.
Based on the boy's descriptions, police create two sketches of the suspect, a white male with long hair in his mid to late 20s, and circulate them quickly, hoping someone will recognize him.
They also speak with the last person to see Sarah alive, her friend, Shannon.
Shannon was staying over at Sarah's house for the weekend while Sarah's parents were away at her younger brother's soccer tournament.
According to Shannon, the last time she saw Sarah, she was dashing out the door to drill team practice.
Based on Shannon's statement, police determined Sarah arrived at Federal Way High School this morning approximately 45 minutes before practice was scheduled to start.
since there was no sign of a struggle inside her car.
Investigators theorize that as Sarah sat in her car waiting for the other drill team members to arrive, her killer lured her out of her car.
Then he attacked her, dragged her into the bushes, and killed her.
During her autopsy, the medical examiner concludes Sarah was not raped.
But forensic analysis of her clothing turns up major evidence.
DNA is also discovered underneath Sarah's fingernails.
Based on this evidence, detectives suspect Sarah's murder was sexually motivated.
Her killer tried to rape her.
When she fought back, he strangled her to death.
But in the early 1990s, DNA technology is underdeveloped and CODIS, the FBI's national DNA database, is in its infancy.
So despite DNA evidence, the police sketches and thousands of tips, detectives are unable to identify Sarah's killer, and the case goes cold.
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