Alaska man is arrested over 2006 cold case murder of 38-year-old woman found nude in a shallow grave – 13 YEARS after judge dismissed case against him
- Angela Wilds was found dead in a shallow grave near Boulder County in 2006
- Angerer was previously charged with her murder but freed on lack of evidence
An Alaska man has been arrested, suspected of the murder of a woman buried nude in a shallow grave nearly 17 years ago.
John Angerer, 53, was arrested in Anchorage last Thursday on a charge of second-degree murder.
He is suspected of killing Angela Wilds, 38, in 2006 and was previously jailed for her murder for nearly five months before being released in 2010 due to lack of evidence.
After working tirelessly on the case, interviewing new witnesses and working with forensic teams to solve the mystery, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said in a statement: ‘I am glad that we were able move our investigation into the homicide of Angela Wilds forward.
‘I am proud that our detectives didn’t give up on this cold case, we know Angela’s family has been waiting a long time for this day to come.’
Suspect John Angerer has been arrested, associated with the death of 38-year-old Angela
Victim Angela Wilds was found in a ‘badly decomposing’ state in a forest near Boulder in 2006
Angela Wilds’ body was found ‘badly decomposing’ by two hikers in the South St. Vrain Canyon outside of Lyons on 4 June 2006.
She was found wearing only a ‘cross ring’ on her left hand.
The body appeared to have been dragged from a nearby shallow grave by an animals.
Authorities found clothes and a sleeping bag near the grave.
DNA testing finally confirmed her identity in November 2006.
An outside pathologist judged that Wilds died of homicide by asphyxiation after the Boulder County Coroner’s Office was unable to rule on the cause of death.
DNA linked to Angerer was found near where the body was found in 2009 and Angerer was arrested in 2010 and charged with second-degree murder.
Angerer was released from jail after five months when a judge ruled that there was not enough evidence against him.
Public defender Seth Temin said at that hearing: ‘They need to produce evidence first that Angerer is the person who caused the death of another.
‘They haven’t done that, Judge. They can’t even place him at the scene of the death, nor can they say how or where she died.’
But the continued investigation into the murder of Angela Wilds finally uncovered significant new evidence, which has not been detailed.
Prosecutors did say this included interviewing new witnesses and consulting with forensic teams.
Angerer was arrested for a second time on Thursday 9 March in Anchorage and his extradition to Boulder County, where Wilds was found, was pending.
He was indicted in February by a grand jury on one count of second-degree murder.
Angela Wilds’ body was found undressed in 2006 by hikers near a shallow grave and clothes
An area in the woods cordoned off as part of the investigation into the death of Angela Wilds
The cross ring on Angela’s body after she was found in a woodland area
