79-Year-Old Charged with Murder in Illinois Mother’s 1966 Cold Case

An elderly man has been charged with murder in a cold case dating back nearly 60 years in Calumet City, Illinois. James Barbier, 79, was arrested by Calumet City police in Missouri and is accused of stabbing 18-year-old Karen Snider over 120 times in her home in 1966. The case was reexamined by police in 2022, leading to Barbier being identified as a suspect through witness interviews and evidence analysis. He is charged with first-degree murder but was not held in pretrial detention due to his age and medical issues. The victim’s daughter, Paula, who was a baby at the time of the murder, believes Barbier could have also targeted her if he had more time. DNA evidence now links Barbier to the crime, and his next court hearing is scheduled for May 21.