Nearly 40 Years Later, DNA Link Leads To Murder Charge In 1986 Baltimore Park Killing

A Baltimore cold case has taken a dramatic turn nearly four decades after a young dancer's body was discovered in Druid Hill Park. Prosecutors have charged 67-year-old David Alexander Williams with first-degree murder in the 1986 killing of 23-year-old Teresa Ann Houck after investigators linked him to evidence recovered from the scene through DNA testing.

What Happened

Houck was last seen leaving the Pussycat Club in Baltimore City at about 2 a.m. on Oct. 22, 1986. Her body was found later that morning in a grassy area of Druid Hill Park. Authorities reported she was nude from the waist down and had sustained three gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest. A pair of jeans was found bunched roughly 10 feet away, and her automobile was located in a parking lot near the intersection of Baltimore Street and Holiday Street, a short distance from her workplace — suggesting she may have been moved from that area to the park by another party.

Forensic Breakthrough

Forensic material collected in Houck's sexual assault kit was submitted for laboratory analysis. A male DNA profile from the evidence was entered into CODIS, the national offender DNA database, in 2005. According to the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City, a routine search of the Maryland DNA Database in September 2025 produced a high-stringency match between that full male profile and David Alexander Williams.

Investigators later served a warrant to obtain Williams' DNA in May, and that sample matched the genetic material recovered from Houck's vaginal swabs. Based on that match, Williams has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Houck's death.

"Nearly 40 years may have passed, but our commitment to seeking justice for Ms. Houck and her loved ones has never wavered," Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said. "What began as an unspeakable act of violence, with evidence of an apparent sexual assault, ultimately provided the critical lead that allowed investigators to identify a suspect and bring this case before the courts."

Additional Context

Media reports indicate Williams was earlier convicted in 2025 of first-degree murder in the June 2025 fatal shooting of his wife, Lillian Williams, at the couple's home in Abingdon. He received a life sentence for that killing and remains incarcerated. The newly filed charge in Houck's case is separate and stems from the cold-case DNA match.

Authorities continue to investigate and have not released additional details about a motive or whether Williams has entered a plea. The charge marks a significant development in an investigation that has remained open for decades and highlights how advances in DNA technology and database searches can revive long-dormant cases.