Court Appearance For Man Charged With 1986 Sexual Assault And Murder Of 11-Year-Old Conn. Girl
NORWALK, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - Bond remains at $5 million for a man charged in a cold case homicide: The shocking 1986 strangulation of an 11-year-old girl.
Marc Karun, 53, was attentive and polite during a brief court appearance, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported.
He's charged with an unspeakable crime: The 1986 strangulation of 11-year-old Kathleen Flynn.
"Pretty sad. Pretty sad. Lots of volunteers, everyone trying to find out answers. We had no answers," said Joseph Daniel, a lifelong Norwalk resident.
Kathleen disappeared in September of 1986 while walking home from school. Searchers found her body in a wooded area.
CBS2 reported on the heartbreak at her funeral 33 years ago.
"I was born and brought up in this town and this is the worst thing to ever happen," one resident said at the time.
"I pray they get him!" said another.
Connected to multiple sex crimes, Marc Karun was an early suspect. But the 1980s DNA testing failed to put him at the scene.
Court documents show more sophisticated testing only now available links Karun to hair left on the victim.
He was arrested last week at his remote home in rural Maine. Neighbors knew he was a registered sex offender and didn't like him.
One woman spoke anonymously to CBS2's affiliate in Maine.
"Just seeing him in passing, I always got kind of a creepy vibe," she said. "I am sure it makes me and other parents extremely uncomfortable to know that someone capable of that has been living on this road."
When Karun was arrested, police found 88 illegal firearms in his home, Aiello reported. Prosecutors there dropped those charges so he could be sent to Connecticut to face justice.
Police say Kathleen Flynn was also sexually assaulted, but the statute of limitations prevents Karun from being charged with that.
