US police use DNA to solve murder after 41 years

Los Angeles

IT was a case that captivated the public four decades ago because of its shocking circumstances and a celebrity connection: Who killed Karen Klaas?

On the morning of Jan 30, 1976, shortly after dropping her young son off at school, Ms Klaas returned to her home in Hermosa Beach, California. There, the 32-year-old mother of two was sexually assaulted and strangled with her own pantyhose. By the time the police discovered her, Ms Klaas was unconscious. She was taken to a hospital, where she remained comatose for five days, then died on Feb 4.

For nearly 41 years, the case would remain Hermosa Beach's lon…