WILDWOOD – Almost 32 years after she was sexually assaulted and killed during a Memorial Day weekend in Wildwood, prosecutors announced the arrest of a Millville man in the case of Susan Negersmith.
Jerry Rosado, 62, was arrested for sexual assault, after police matched his DNA to evidence found in 1990 on Negersmith’s body.
Police did not announce murder charges in connection with the arrest. Cheryl Spaulding, a spokesperson for the Cape May County Prosecutor, said no additional information would be provided at this time.
According to a release, May 27, 1990, the partially clothed body of Negersmith, 20, was discovered, in a rear outside storage area, adjacent to a restaurant in Wildwood.
Negersmith, from Carmel, New York, was in the Wildwood area with friends for Memorial Day Weekend. She never made it back and the case has remained unresolved for decades.
In 2018 the Major Crimes Unit of the Prosecutors Office, with the knowledge of new DNA technology, started a Genetic Genealogy Analysis of the unknown DNA profile. As the result of that genealogy analysis, it was determined that Rosado was a STR DNA match to the unknown profile.
Rosado’s second-degree charges carry 5-10 years in state prison if he is convicted. Should additional information become available additional charges could be made, according to the release.
“Countless law enforcement professionals and prosecutors have worked on resolving this case over the last thirty-two years and their collective dedicated effort, in conjunction with the improvements in DNA Technology and Genetic Genealogy Analysis, has led to this long overdue arrest. I want to particularly commend the Major Crimes Cold Case Unit of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office for their steadfast efforts in finally providing a measure of justice to the Negersmith family,” stated Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland.
Jerry Rosado, 62, was arrested for sexual assault, after police matched his DNA to evidence found in 1990 on Negersmith’s body.
Police did not announce murder charges in connection with the arrest. Cheryl Spaulding, a spokesperson for the Cape May County Prosecutor, said no additional information would be provided at this time.
According to a release, May 27, 1990, the partially clothed body of Negersmith, 20, was discovered, in a rear outside storage area, adjacent to a restaurant in Wildwood.
Negersmith, from Carmel, New York, was in the Wildwood area with friends for Memorial Day Weekend. She never made it back and the case has remained unresolved for decades.
In 2018 the Major Crimes Unit of the Prosecutors Office, with the knowledge of new DNA technology, started a Genetic Genealogy Analysis of the unknown DNA profile. As the result of that genealogy analysis, it was determined that Rosado was a STR DNA match to the unknown profile.
Rosado’s second-degree charges carry 5-10 years in state prison if he is convicted. Should additional information become available additional charges could be made, according to the release.
“Countless law enforcement professionals and prosecutors have worked on resolving this case over the last thirty-two years and their collective dedicated effort, in conjunction with the improvements in DNA Technology and Genetic Genealogy Analysis, has led to this long overdue arrest. I want to particularly commend the Major Crimes Cold Case Unit of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office for their steadfast efforts in finally providing a measure of justice to the Negersmith family,” stated Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland.
Anyone who has information concerning this case can report it anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net and click on anonymous tip, or through the Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-889-3597 or call the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135.
