DNA breakthrough identifies former Chicago homicide detective as 1960 child killer
Chicago police have solved the 1960 murder of eight-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz, identifying former homicide detective Thomas F. McInerney as the killer. The breakthrough, announced on October 12, 2026, relied on DNA evidence from a genetic ancestry website and preserved fingerprints. McInerney, who died in 2006, had served with the Chicago Police Department from 1959 to 1987. The case remained unsolved for 65 years despite extensive initial investigations, including over 1,300 interviews and polygraph tests.
