Trial begins in 1991 cold case murder of Federal Way teen Sarah Yarborough

KIRO 7 News Staff
Updated ·1 min read
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More than 30 years ago, 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough was found raped and murdered on the campus of Federal Way High School.

In 2019, police matched DNA from the crime scene to a man named Patrick Leon Nicholas.

Nicholas was charged with first-degree murder with sexual motivation. His trial will begin Monday at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Police tracked him down using familial DNA.

“Had we had the opportunity and the ability years ago to run familial testing, we would have identified, conceivably, that brother, and it would have helped us to narrow down and figure out who ultimately was responsible for this particular crime,” said retired King County homicide detective Kathy Decker.

Yarborough was last seen leaving her home on Dec. 14, 1991, to go to a high school dance competition. Her car was found in the school parking lot.

The day of the murder, witnesses worked with investigators to help create a sketch of a potential suspect seen shortly before Yarborough’s body was found, partially hidden, near the school’s tennis courts.