Louisiana pair arrested in woman's 38-year-old cold case murder

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Louisiana authorities announced an imprisoned kidnapper and another man are behind a decades-old murder.

Leo Laird, 64, and Gary Harmon, 54, are facing murder, rape and kidnapping charges in the death of 18-year-old Donna Brazzell more than 38 years ago.

Her skeletal remains were found in November 1980 but weren’t identified until last month, Rapides Parish Sheriff William Hilton said, according to KALB-TV.

Donna Brazell, left, and a facial reconstruction showing a likeness of the victim whose skeletal remains were found in Gardner, La., in 1980. (Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office )

The break came when a woman in Pineville contacted deputies to say that the remains may belong to her granddaughter, Hilton told the station.

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She had seen on social media a photograph showing a likeness of the victim’s face.

DNA confirmed the link, Hilton said, according to the station.

Laird and Haymon have been suspects in the case since detectives got a tip in 2014.

Prison photo for Gary Haymon and mug shot for Leo Laird (Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office )

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Laird was arrested last week and jailed.

Haymon was already behind bars, serving a 49-year sentence in a Louisiana prison for kidnapping, robbery and public bribery. His release date is 2047.

Hilton worked the case as a detective after the discovery of the remains.

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"These cases never, ever leave a policeman's mind," he told KALB. "They prey on you all the time. Especially cases like this that you never solve."