Florida deputies say they have identified the man who allegedly committed a murder in 1987.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday night that deputies have arrested 55-year-old Michael Lapniewski, Jr., for allegedly killing Opal Weil, who was 82 when she was killed.
Authorities say Weil was found dead on February 9, 1987, when her sister-in-law went to see her after failing to answer the phone, and they say the woman had “obvious and visible signs of trauma.”
The suspect fled the scene before officers reached the St. Petersburg, Florida, residence, authorities say.
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The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday night that deputies have arrested Michael Lapniewski, Jr., 55, (left), for allegedly killing Opal Weil (right), who was 82 when she was killed.
(Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office/Florida Department of Law Enforcement)
Lapniewski allegedly entered the home by removing “single glass” and entered a room in the residence, adding that the home’s phone line was down.
Investigators found several hairs included in evidence collected at the scene and were able to form a partial DNA profile, but did not make an arrest at the time.
When sheriff’s office cold case detectives were assigned to the case in December 2020, investigators asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct further testing of hairs located at the scene and hired Parabon Nanolabs. to “perform further genealogical testing.”
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Through “extensive testing” conducted by Parabon Nanolabs, family trees were constructed and relatives were identified, narrowing the list of suspects to three possible men, the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives were able to further narrow the list of suspects, leaving Lapniewski as the suspect, who authorities say lived half a mile from Weil at the time of the murder.
After learning the suspect lived in Waveland, Mississippi, Pinellas County detectives went to the area where Lapniewski resides and were able to obtain his DNA, the sheriff’s office said. Detectives then sent the DNA for testing, which they say matched the DNA profile developed at the scene.
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Lapniewski was arrested by Mississippi authorities on January 26 and extradited to Florida, where he faces a first-degree murder charge.
