A 79‑year‑old woman was arrested Thursday in the 7800 block of North Starr Grass Drive by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department for a murder that took place in October 1975. The case, which had gone cold for more than 50 years, was reopened in 2025 with the help of a forensic genealogy firm that enabled investigators to identify the victim and link the suspect to the crime.

Forensic Genealogy Turns Cold Case Into Arrest

According to a PCSD news release, the sheriff’s department partnered with a company that specializes in forensic genealogy to analyze DNA from the remains found at the Pima County Waste Transfer Station . The advanced testing led detectives to the victim’s granddaughter, who revealed that her grandfather, William Reginald Sipfle, had gone missing in 1975. No missing‑person report had been filed, but the genealogical data finally matched the remains to Sipfle, who was 73 at the time of disappearance.

Carol Ann Beall, Stepdaughter of Victim, Suspected of First‑Degree Murder

Investigators arrested Carol Ann Beall, the stepdaughter of William Reginald Sipfle , on suspicion of first‑degree murder. The arrest was announced in a press release issued by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Beall’s arrest follows the identification of the remains and the establishment of a direct familial link to the victim, according to the department’s statement.

Case Details:1975 Discovery and 2025 Reopening

The remans were first discovered in October 1975 at the Pima County Waste Transfer Station. Investigators collected evidence but could not identify the adult male remains, and the case went cold until 2025. The reopening of the case was prompted by the sheriff’s department’s collaboration with a forensic genealogy firm, which provided the brreakthrough needed to solve the decades‑old mystery.

Unanswered Questions: Motive and Evidence Chain

While the arrest of Beall marks a significant development, key questions remain. The investigation has not yet clarified the motive behind the murder, nor has it disclosed the full chain of evidence linking Beall to the crime scene. The department has stated that the investigation is ongoing, leaving the public to await further details.

According to the PCSD news release, the investigation is still underway,and additional information will be released as it becomes available.