Man arrested in cold case murder of 23-year-old Forest Park woman

Authorities have arrested a man in the 33-year-old cold-case murder of a metro Atlanta woman.

A body later identified as 23-year-old Mary Louicile Willfong was found in the woods of Monroe County by deer hunters on Nov. 21, 1989.

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At the time, investigators got trips that Willfong had been in Forest Park, Georgia at the farmers market and that she got into a tractor-trailer with a man.

After several suspects were investigated, the case went cold.

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On March 11, 2019, investigators reopened the case with the hope that new technology could generate new leads.

Investigators were able to identify a suspect in Indiana through DNA testing. Working with the FBI, authorities found out where the suspect worked and retrieved DNA from the suspect.

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The DNA match 59-year-old Larry Padgett, of Loogootee, Indiana.

Padgett was arrested Wednesday in Indiana. Investigators found more evidence linking Padgett to Willfong’s murder during the arrest.

Padgett is being held in Indiana until he can be extradited.