70-year-old found raped and strangled in 1989, Ohio cops say. Now, man indicted
A man has been indicted in an Ohio county’s only outstanding cold case, officials said.
Delbert Saunders Jr. is accused of raping and strangling 70-year-old Helen Stuart in April 1989, then leaving her naked body in her car on the side of a Licking County road, detectives and prosecutors said in a June 9 news conference shared by WSYX.
“We believe it was a crime of opportunity for sure. At the time, Delbert was staying right next door to Mrs. Stuart,” Newark Police Detective Steve Vanoy said during the news conference.
A grand jury indicted Saunders on charges of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated burglary, rape and two counts of kidnapping, according to a June 6 news release by the Licking County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Though investigators said Saunders has been a person of interest since the beginning of the 36-year investigation, it took new advancements in DNA technology to confidently link him to Stuart’s death, Newark Police Chief Erik McKee said during the news conference.
A DNA profile connection between Stuart and Saunders was found in 2021, according to investigators. Additional evidence linking him to the killing was discovered in 2024, detectives said.
“With the advances of DNA technology, how sensitive it is, we’ve got a direct relation between Mrs. Stuart and Delbert Saunders,” Vanoy said.
Stuart’s family was “ecstatic” when they were informed of the indictment, Vanoy said.
“I’m just happy that Helen is remembered,” he added.
Saunders, who is 67 years old, has been in prison since 2003 after he was convicted of kidnapping, rape and weapon under disability in a separate case, according to state records. He is eligible for parole in October 2026, records show.
Newark is about a 40-mile drive northeast from Columbus.
This story was originally published June 10, 2025 at 11:17 AM with the headline "70-year-old found raped and strangled in 1989, Ohio cops say. Now, man indicted."
