City Heights

Pennsylvania Man Held for 1969 San Diego Rape, Murder

Recently, cold-case investigators identified the suspect as Scott's alleged killer via forensic genealogy

A vial containing a sample of DNA
Scott Gries/Getty Images

A vial containing a sample of DNA

A 75-year-old Pennsylvanian was arrested for the 1969 rape and murder of a young mother in Southern California, authorities said Tuesday.

John Sipos was taken into custody Saturday at his home in Schnecksville, near Allentown, the San Diego Police Department said.

DNA evidence and forensic genealogy led to the arrest in connection with the death of Mary Scott, who was found strangled in her apartment in the City Heights area of San Diego on Nov. 20, 1969, police said.

Authorities said the killer kicked in the door and fought with Scott. Furniture was overturned and neighbors heard screams, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Sipos is awaiting extradition to San Diego. His attorney, John Waldron, told the newspaper that his client will remain under quarantine because of Lehigh County jail COVID-19 precautions. Waldron said Sipos has diabetes and has had three prior heart attacks.

Scott's sister, Rosalie Sanz, 67, told the Union-Tribune that she was “beyond thrilled" by news of the arrest.

Sanz said she was told that Sipos had recently gotten out of the Navy and was living in San Diego when Scott was killed.

“This guy got to live 51 years free and easy,” Sanz said, “And she got those 51 years taken from her.”

“Everyone loved her,” Sanz said. “She was very sweet and big-hearted and kind of naive for the world she was living in.”

Scott, who was separated, left two young girls, who were living with her husband's family at the time of her death.

San Diego's Unsolved Cold Cases

1 of 52
Courtesy of Griffiths Family

On Jan. 31, 2020, high school student Devin Griffiths, 15, was stabbed outside a birthday party on Maria Way in Chula Vista. According to police, a couple of teens at the party had started arguing and their encounter escalated into a physical fight that moved into the street. Police Griffiths was not initially involved in the argument or fight. But he saw his friend being attacked by several young men, and he stepped into help. In doing so, the teenager was stabbed several times on his upper body, police said. Devin Griffiths stumbled away from the fight, falling to the ground. The suspects – which police believe were part of a group of between eight to 15 people – fled the party in at least two unknown cars. Devin Griffiths was bleeding and unconscious when CVPD officers arrived; the teen was rushed to UC San Diego Medical Center with critical injuries. Griffiths was hospitalized for two weeks before he died on Feb. 16, 2020. To date, his killing remains unsolved. Investigators said the group the suspects were part of consisted mostly of young men between the ages of 17 and 20. Read more on Griffiths’ cold case here.

Copyright The Associated Press
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