A cold case spanning almost three decades has reached a turning point as authorities announce an arrest in the killing of a young police officer.

According to ABC News, Amir Jalil Ali, 62, has been charged with first-degree murder in the 1995 death of Officer Denna Fredericka Campbell, a four-year veteran of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. The arrest comes nearly 30 years after Campbell was found shot to death in the White Oak apartment she shared with Ali.

Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada announced the arrest during a Wednesday press conference, describing it as the closure of "one of the longest-standing cold cases" for the department. Ali, who was previously known as Kenneth Burnell Wonsom, had initially been charged with murder shortly after Campbell's death, but those charges were dropped two months later.

Decades-Old Crime Returns To Spotlight

Campbell, who was only 24 years old at the time of her death, was discovered with five gunshot wounds in her apartment on September 16, 1995. Her department-issued handgun was missing from the scene and has never been recovered, according to police investigators working the case.

At the time of the incident, Ali told authorities he had returned from a store to find Campbell unresponsive. He called 911, reporting that his girlfriend had been shot during a burglary, initiating the initial investigation that would remain unsolved for decades.

Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy acknowledged during the press briefing that he doesn't know why his predecessor dropped the original charges against Ali. "The decision was made not to proceed in that matter," McCarthy stated, noting he wasn't privy to conversations regarding why charges were dropped.

New Evidence Emerges From Cold Case Investigation

Detective Paula Hamill revealed that investigators have been reexamining the cold case for approximately the past year. This renewed effort included conducting fresh interviews with witnesses who provided insight into Campbell's life and relationship with Ali.

Hamill explained that these witnesses were able to shed light on "the fear that she felt at that time and the concerns that she had" about her boyfriend. This testimony apparently played a crucial role in building the case that led to Ali's arrest on Tuesday in Laurel.

McCarthy indicated there is now "a lot more detail" developed by the cold case unit that "fleshes out this case" compared to when Ali was initially charged. However, he couldn't elaborate on specifics ahead of the suspect's bond hearing.

Defense Questions New Developments

Ali's attorney, Richard Finci, has challenged the legitimacy of the new charges. In a statement following the arrest, Finci contended that "little has changed" since the initial case against his client was dismissed.

"The prior Indictment was dismissed by the State due to lack of evidence after Mr. Wonsom was detained for a lengthy period of time and little has changed," Finci argued in his defense of Ali. The suspect is currently being held in the Montgomery County Detention Center.

The renewed prosecution will face scrutiny regarding what new evidence justifies charges after such a significant passage of time. Authorities have not publicly detailed the specific breakthrough that led to the new charges against Ali.

Remembering A Decorated Officer's Legacy

Detective Hamill shared that she spoke with Campbell's father about the arrest, and "the only words that he could get out were, 'Thank God.'" Campbell's mother had passed away several years after the deadly shooting, never seeing her daughter's case resolved.

D.C. Metropolitan Police Executive Assistant Chief Andre Wright described Campbell as having had a "promising career" and already being a "hero in the community" before her death. In 1993, she had rescued four victims from a burning van on Pennsylvania Avenue, earning commendations from MPD leaders.

Her colleagues remembered Campbell as being "energetic and full of life," according to Wright. The arrest, while not bringing Campbell back to her family or the department, may provide "some form of closure to all of those who have carried the burden of this tragedy for over three decades."