CHARLOTTE — Marion Gales, a suspect in the unsolved 1990 murder of Kim Thomas in Charlotte, is set to be released from prison tomorrow.
Gales, who has been serving time for an unrelated manslaughter charge, was never charged in connection with Thomas’ murder. Despite this, DNA evidence released last year linked him to the crime scene.
“I’d say some hope; I’d say as time goes on, probably less,” said Lynn Thomas, Kim’s sister, who continues to seek justice for her sister’s murder.
Attorney David Rudolf, who represented Ed Friedland, Kim’s husband and another suspect, stated last year, “The evidence I have seen against Gales is some of the strongest I have ever seen.”
Kim Thomas was brutally murdered in her home in July 1990. Over the years, two men have been labeled as suspects: her husband, Dr. Ed Friedland, and Marion Gales, a handyman who worked around the home.
Friedland was arrested at one point, but the charges were quickly dropped. Gales, meanwhile, has been in prison for over 20 years on a separate manslaughter conviction.
DNA testing results released by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department last year showed that pubic hairs collected from Kim’s body and DNA on a rug were consistent with Gales’ DNA.
Additionally, a sample from a stain on a mattress cover was consistent with both Gales and Friedland.
Despite this evidence, Thomas expressed doubts about Gales’ involvement, citing DNA experts who told her the match was partial, not a full profile.
“I’m 99.9% sure he had nothing to do with my sister’s murder and no one can place him there,” she said.
The district attorney’s office confirmed that there has been no change in the status of the Kim Thomas case, which remains open.
VIDEO: DNA evidence points to possible suspect in Charlotte woman’s 1990 killing
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