SHERIFF’S DEPT. IDENTIFIES SUSPECT IN COLD-CASE MURDER OF SANTEE WOMAN IN 1980 USING GENETIC GENEOLOGY

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East County News Service 

August 4, 2021 (Santee) – Today, the San Diego Sheriff’s department announced it has identified a possible suspect, John Patrick “Pat” Hogan, in the 1980 murder of 20-year-old Michelle Louise Wyatt.  Hogan died in 2004, however the Sheriff’s department hopes to speak with anyone who may have information on this case or who knew Hogan in the late ‘70s or early ‘80s.

Wyatt’s roommate found her dead in the condominium they shared at 10586 Kerrigan Court in Santee on October 9, 1980.  An investigation by Sheriff’s homicide detectives found that early that morning, Wyatt’s boyfriend and left her condo and locked the front door. Shortly after he left, witnesses heard screaming coming from Wyatt’s residence, but nobody called 911.

The Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy which found that Wyatt was killed by strangling and had been sexually assaulted; semen fluid was recovered as evidence, says Lt. Thomas Seiver with the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit.  

“The telephone cord used to kill Wyatt was obtained from her condominium.  The contents of Michelle's purse were strewn about, but it did not appear to be a robbery or burglary of the residence,” Lt. Seiver says. “Numerous possible suspects were identified and interviewed.  After an exhaustive investigation, all leads were followed until the case went cold.”

In October 1996, her murder was reviewed for additional leads and use of new DNA technology.  Nearly 90 potential suspects were methodically contacted and interviewed, according to a press release issued by the Sheriff’s department.  Many of these potential suspects provided biological samples for examination against the previously collected evidence.  These samples were sent for examination utilizing forensic techniques and comparison current for the day.  Again, a suspect was not identified, and the case went cold.

The assault kit recovered from Wyatt revealed one of the DNA profiles was her boyfriend and the other profile came from an unidentified male subject.  Her boyfriend was eliminated as a suspect.  Detectives interviewed numerous subjects and were unable to identify Michelle's killer.  The case went cold again.

In 2001, the unknown suspect's DNA profile was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).  There was never a match to the unknown suspect's DNA in CODIS. 

In March 2020, the case was reviewed to determine if any new technologies existed that could advance the case.  The California Department of Justice (DOJ) was contacted and tested the unknown DNA using a familial DNA search.  After conducting familial testing, the California DOJ did not obtain any viable suspects in this case.

The Cold Case Team then formed family histories in the form of "trees," which led detectives to other potential relatives of the man.  When speaking with relatives, detectives identify themselves, tell the person what they are investigating, explain the process, and ask for their assistance.  This process eventually led investigators to closer relatives and ended with contacting John's direct relatives who provided DNA samples, which confirmed the identification.  

Wyatt’s murder would likely have gone unsolved if not for the use of investigative genetic genealogy.  The San Diego County Sheriff's Department thanks all those members of the public contacted during this investigation for their cooperation.

Then in June 2000, the items of evidence were re-examined utilizing more sensitive methods.  Through these tests, evidence was found that supported the belief there were two separate DNA profiles at the crime scene.  The sexual assault kit recovered from Michelle revealed one of the DNA profiles was Michelle's boyfriend and the other profile came from an unidentified male subject.  Michelle's boyfriend was eliminated as a suspect.  Again, detectives interviewed numerous subjects and were unable to identify Michelle's killer.  The case went cold again.

The big break in the case came in September 2020, the Homicide Unit's Cold Case Team in coordination with the Sheriff's Crime Laboratory, selected Wyatt’s murder to be worked using investigative genetic genealogy.  Over the next nine months, the team, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other law enforcement agencies throughout the country, identified John Patrick Hogan (AKA: Pat Hogan) as a potential suspect utilizing genetic genealogy. 

The Cold Case Team began an intensive investigation into John "Pat" Hogan's life (pictured leftin 1979).  Hogan was born in Arizona in 1961 and moved to Santee sometime in the 1970s.  Hogan went to Santana High School and at one time may have lived in the same condominium complex as Wyatt, says Lt. Seiver, who adds that  Hogan had friends in Wyatt’s complex, which he would frequently visit. 

At the time of Michelle Wyatt’s murder, Hogan lived in Santee just over a mile from her condominium.  Hogan also joined the U.S. Air Force in 1979 and was stationed in New Mexico for a brief stint.  Hogan would travel back and forth from Arizona, Idaho and California until his death in 2004, at the age of 42.

Through further DNA testing, Hogan (pictured  right in 2000) was determined to be the donor of the previously unknown DNA.  The investigation revealed substantial and convincing evidence that Hogan sexually assaulted and murdered Wyatt.

The Sheriff's Homicide Unit only utilizes investigative genetic genealogy when all other methods have been exhausted.  This technique combines the science of DNA with the art of genealogy.  In this case, the goal was to find relatives whose own DNA profile matched those of an unidentified suspect in the homicide.  The suspect's profile was developed and uploaded into commercial genealogy sites that allow law enforcement agencies to participate,” Lt. Seiver explains.

This isn’t the first use of genetic genealogy technology to solve local cold case murders.

In May 2021, the Cold Case Team successfully identified a 2003 homicide victim, Laurie Potter, utilizing investigative genetic genealogy.  The Team subsequently arrested her husband, Jack Potter, for her murder.

In 2020, the Cold Case Team successfully solved the 1978 murder of Orbin Holiway and the 1984 murder of Teresa Solecki utilizing investigative genetic genealogy developed from suspect DNA.  Both suspects were deceased.  

The investigation into the murder of Michelle Wyatt is on-going.  The Cold Case Team would like to speak with anybody who has information about the murder or who knew John "Pat" Hogan in the late 1970s and early 1980s.    

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (858) 285-6330/after hours at (858) 565-5200.  You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

 


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