St. Cloud Police have cracked a decades-old case with the murder arrest of 72-year-old Gene Stuller.

Police Chief Douglas Goerke announced that Gene Stuller was arrested Monday and charged with second-degree murder in the 1991 death of Julia Sue Wilbanks. He was arrested near his Apopka home with the help of the Orange County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit. He was brought to St. Cloud and taken to the Osceola County Jail.

Wilbanks’ body was found Sept. 23, 1991 in thick grass off of Neptune Road near Partin Triangle Park, about half a mile west of what is now Old Canoe Creek Road, with as many as 17 stab wounds. While that 1991 investigation included collecting physical evidence and conducting analysis of DNA found on Wilbanks' clothing, no suspects were then identified.

The break came after SCPD submitted the victim’s clothing – a pair of shorts – and DNA from them were uploaded to a new database by DNA Labs Internation out of South Florida. The new testing – involving using genealogy to track to Stuller, who lived less than two miles from Wilbanks last known address – identified Stuller as the suspect in March.

Genealogical analysis helped narrow the pool of possible suspects, leading to narrowing down to naming Stuller, who will turn 73 Wednesday, as the primary suspect. Detectives were able to obtain Stuller’s recent DNA from a discarded straw, confirming a match to the DNA from the crime scene. It all led to an arrest warrant being used Friday, and his arrest on Monday.

“Today marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice,” Goerke said. “The case eventually ran cold, but it was never forgotten.”

“It is 1.9 trillion times more likely the DNA came from Gene Stuller than an unrelated individual,” Goerke said – repeating it – of the new evidence, leading to an arrest warrant, and Stuller’s detainment. “This case represents not just the power of persistence in science, but our unwavering commitment to honor victims and serve their families, even when justice takes time.

“Let this serve as a message to the community – the St. Cloud Police Department will never stop seeking justice – cold cases are never forgotten. (Stuller) had been living this life under the radar in Apopka.”

Wilbanks, 27, who had a number of criminal charges on her record, including possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cocaine, prostitution, aggravated battery and driving with a suspended license. At the time of her death, her last known address was a room at an Orange Blossom Trail hotel, according to a 1991 News-Gazette report.

Goerke said SCPD has two other cold cases that it is using technology – along with “young and eager detectives” – to continuously apply methods to in order to solve