\"I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this,\" Michelle Martinko's high school friend, Elizabeth Laymon, told The Des Moines Register. \"I am happy Michelle finally gets justice.\"

ABC News' Matt Foster and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/day-coming-dna-leads-arrest-39-years-teen/story?id=59928530","legacySlug":"/news/story/day-coming-dna-leads-arrest-39-years-teen-59928530","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"19:52","publishDate":"12-20-2018","updatedTime":"20:06","updatedDate":"12-20-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Michelle Martinko, pictured in a photo released by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, was stabbed to death in December 1979.","credit":"Cedar Rapids Police","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/michelle-martinko-cold-case-ht-jc-181220_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"12/20/2018 19:52:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":59928530,"headline":"DNA leads to arrest 39 years after teen's killing","mediaAssetTitle":"iowa cold case arrest","description":"Michelle Martinko, 18, was stabbed to death in a mall parking lot in Dec. 1979.","duration":"2:01","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/12/181220_kcrg_iowa_cold_casemurder_suspect_court_MIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["134403231","133741861","133707237"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"July 2, 2026","headline":"Track and timing of the life-threatening heat wave","section":"News","slug":"/video/134403231","id":"134403231","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Track and timing of the life-threatening heat wave","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Track and timing of the life-threatening heat wave","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260702_gma_champion_heat1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"June 10, 2026","headline":"NASA unveils Artemis III crew","section":"News","slug":"/video/133741861","id":"133741861","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: NASA unveils Artemis III crew","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: NASA unveils Artemis III crew","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260610_gma_benitez_artemis_715_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"June 9, 2026","headline":"Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","section":"News","slug":"/video/133707237","id":"133707237","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"DNA leads to arrest 39 years after teen's killing","description":"Michelle Martinko, 18, was stabbed to death in a mall parking lot in Dec. 1979.","duration":"2:01","uploadDate":"12-20-2018","publication":"12-20-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/12/181220_kcrg_iowa_cold_casemurder_suspect_court_MIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/12/181220_kcrg_iowa_cold_casemurder_suspect_court_MIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/day-coming-dna-leads-arrest-39-years-teen-59928530"}},"playlist":[{"id":"134416060","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134443994","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134406623","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134358132","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134353508","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134335187","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134334942","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134302445","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134246001","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134202757","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134211156","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134179882","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134130187","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134161969","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134164484","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134145709","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134134667","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134099631","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134041491","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134033809","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"DNA leads to arrest 39 years after teen's killing","pubTime":"14:52","pubDate":"12-20-2018","modTime":"15:06","modDate":"12-20-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":59928530,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"DNA leads to arrest 39 years after teen's killing","mediaAssetTitle":"iowa cold case arrest","videoId":59928530,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/day-coming-dna-leads-arrest-39-years-teen-59928530"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/59928530","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/59928530","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};