CODIS Match Solves 40-Year Cold Case Murder in Dallas

DALLAS, Texas (TXAN 24) — A decades-old homicide investigation has been reopened and advanced toward prosecution after modern DNA testing linked a convicted offender to a 1986 cold case, according to the Dallas Police Department.

On May 27, 1986, Ruby Battee was murdered and sexually assaulted after an unidentified suspect forcibly entered her residence. At the time, investigators collected limited forensic evidence, including biological material on clothing items, but testing capabilities in the 1980s prevented a full DNA profile from being developed.

In January 2025, Dallas homicide detectives submitted previously untested evidence to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification for advanced analysis. A partial male DNA profile was later developed and entered into the national Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

On May 5, 2026, investigators received a CODIS hit identifying a match to Marvin Lee Holloway, a convicted offender currently incarcerated with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a separate 1988 homicide conviction.

Detectives obtained a court-ordered DNA sample from Holloway on May 13, 2026, during an in-person collection at a Texas correctional facility. Following confirmation of the match, investigators secured a capital murder warrant in connection with Battee’s death.

Dallas Police leadership credited the work of cold case investigators and forensic specialists, calling the development a significant step toward long-awaited justice for the victim’s family. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors prepare the case for court proceedings.