Killer undone by decades-old threads - glove, towel and shirt stitch together cold case justice

A Santa Barbara County judge sentenced Aloysius Winthrop James, 59, to life without the possibility of parole, the maximum sentence allowed by law. 

A jury had already convicted him in February of first-degree murder in the killing of 30-year-old Ofelia Sandoval, with the special circumstance that the murder was committed during a rape.

For decades, it stayed that way.

That's when the FBI partnered with Santa Maria police to obtain a covert DNA sample from James. As the case was revisited, investigators later obtained DNA linked to James, including from a glove he discarded, which ultimately matched the profile developed from the original evidence, authorities said, Cal Coast News reported.

"A jury in California convicted Aloysius Winthrop James of first-degree murder in this long-running cold case - a breakthrough made possible in part by the work of the FBI in Atlanta collecting a covert DNA sample," the FBI said.

His attorney argued the DNA evidence did not prove he committed the murder.

Now, investigators believe there could be more victims.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch called the sentencing "the culmination of almost 38 years of work," and said it marks the beginning of "some sense of closure" for Sandoval's family.

That closure has been a long time coming.

According to prosecutors, four generations of Sandoval's family supported the case over the years. In court, her children spoke about the lasting impact of her death.

"The bravery, dedication, and resilience of Ofelia's three children, Marcelino, Maricela and Alex, is truly remarkable," the DA's office said.

Fox News Digital reached out to James' lawyer for comment.