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DNA evidence connects 72-year-old to 2007 Colorado murder

FREDERICK, Colo. — A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a young mother in Colorado nearly 18 years ago, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday.

Darrell Burklund, 72, a former maintenance worker, was arrested on March 14 in York, Nebraska, in connection with the murder of 25-year-old mother Jessica Bejarano, CBI said. He has been booked on a single count of second-degree murder.

Darrell Burkland was arrested in Nebraska in connection with the 2007 murder of Jessica Bejanaro in Frederick, Colorado.

Bejarano was killed on April 6, 2007. According to CBI, Frederick police officers responded to a call at a home in the 7900 block of Larkspur Circle, where they found Bajarano’s body in the bathroom. She had suffered a single stab wound to her chest.

CBI said at the time she was killed, Bejarano’s 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son were present in the home. According to CBI, investigators initially looked at a number of suspects, including the victim’s husband, who was later cleared after investigators determined he was at work at the time of the crime.

Eventually, CBI said investigators obtained DNA evidence that led to a potential match to Burklund. Investigators interviewed Burklund on March 14. He was arrested and taken into custody afterward at the York County Sheriff’s Detention Center.

At the time of Bejarano’s murder, Burklund was 54 years old.

CBI said he will face an extradition hearing Wednesday before he can be transported back to Colorado to face charges. A felony complaint was filed in the state on Monday, according to court documents.

“This arrest is the culmination of years of tireless work by our investigators for the unwavering pursuit of justice for Jessica Bejarano and her family,” CBI Director Chris Schaefer said. Schaefer was one of the original CBI agents assigned to the case in 2007. “I want to remind the victims’ families to never give up hope. No matter how old or complicated these cases are, our cold case team is dedicated to resolving the most difficult cases no matter how long it takes.”

CBI thanked Frederick Police, the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and both Nebraska State Patrol and the York County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska for their assistance throughout the yearslong investigation.

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