Florida man who confessed to murdering girlfriend and dumping her body in river 48 years ago arrested on July 25
MIAMI, FLORIDA: In a dramatic revelation, a retired Florida man confessed to the murder of his girlfriend after nearly 50 years, stating that he felt compelled to "come clean." As per court documents, Rodney Mervyn Nichols, 81, admitted to authorities that he killed his girlfriend Jewell Langford in 1975 after a quarrel.
Nichols also told the officials that he later dumped Langford's body in a nearby river. The breakthrough in the case came as a result of the advancements in DNA technology and the police's persistent investigative efforts.
Who is Rodney Mervyn Nichols?
Rodney Mervyn Nichols, formerly a resident of Montreal, "had an altercation with Langford that started in his home in Montreal, and he subsequently dumped her body in the Nation River," as per federal court records from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Canadian authorities managed to link Nichols to Langford's murder through a combination of DNA evidence and his own confession. This led to his arrest on July 25.
The mysterious disappearance of Jewell Langford
Jewell Langford disappeared in 1975 after relocating to Montreal to live with Nichols. Her friend reported her missing to the Montreal Police Service in June. Adding to the mystery was the fact that all her possessions, including her vehicle, were found undisturbed at her residence.
On May 3, 1975, authorities discovered Langford's body floating in the Nation River in eastern Ontario. The victim was partially unclothed, with her hands and feet bound using neckties. A piece of black plastic-coated coaxial cable wire was loosely wrapped around her neck, which was covered by a combination of cloth and towels, tightly knotted. An autopsy conducted in 1975 confirmed that Langford had been strangled to death, her wrists and ankles bound with neckties prior to her demise.
Advancements in forensic genealogy
The exhumation of Langford's remains in 2018 allowed the Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS) to establish a DNA profile. With the assistance of organizations like the DNA Doe Project and the FBI, this profile was compared to DNA samples from Langford's family tree, eventually leading to her identification.
The focus of the investigation soon shifted to Nichols, who had previously been interviewed in 1975. His statements at the time were inconsistent and provided little clarity regarding Langford's disappearance. However, Nichols' narrative underwent several revisions over the years. Eventually, Nichols confessed to murdering Langford within his Montreal residence before discarding her body in the river.
DNA evidence and arrest
The significance of Nichols' confession was bolstered by additional DNA evidence. Authorities successfully matched a blood sample collected from Langford's clothing in 2011 to Nichols' DNA, establishing an undeniable connection between him and the crime. This evidence served as the basis for Nichols' official arrest in July. Subsequently, an extradition hearing for Nichols is scheduled for September, marking the potential culmination of a case that spanned decades, the New York Post reported.