THE lead investigator of a mysterious cold case murder is confident the net is closing in on a killer who has evaded authorities for 17 long years.

This week marked the somber anniversary of the horrific murder of former Navy paralegal Linda Malcom, who was discovered in Port Orchard, Washington, on April 30, 2008, with 24 stab wounds in a rental house that had been set on fire.

SENSELESS KILLING

No one has ever been charged with the slaying of the innocent 47-year-old.

However, there has been significant and hopeful advancement in the case since investigator Jennifer Bucholtz and investigative journalist George Jared started their work.

Bucholtz told The U.S. Sun last year that the person believed to be the murderer was “still at large” and might pose a future threat. She identified a list of five potential suspects, suggesting that the perpetrator was probably male.

Fast forward 12 months, and Bucholtz — a former U.S. Army Counterintelligence Agent and decorated veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars — is feeling more optimistic.

Her day job is working as a cold case investigator for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

However, with the help of criminology students working with her non-profit Break The Case organization, hopes of solving the case are rising.

Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) — a DNA-sleuthing tool that uses public ancestry websites to identify unknown suspects — has provided a family tree to guide the investigation.

In addition, an unnamed associate of Malcom has offered crucial insight into the years leading up to her senseless killing.

Port Orchard police also have several leads involving individuals Malcom was in contact with in the days before her death.

New phone records are being analyzed, and a very active Facebook group continues to surface fresh avenues of investigation.

On the very day Linda’s family mourned another year without justice, a former Navy colleague — unaware of her death until recently —connected with Bucholtz and shared potentially critical information.

“This is totally solvable,” Bucholtz told The U.S. Sun. “This is someone she knew. It’s someone who had been to the house before.”

Bucholtz, a cold case investigator for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, has plenty on her plate with her full-time role.

Yet her tireless efforts to bring Linda’s family the closure they deserve have not gone unnoticed.

“Jen and her team have been wonderful and have done more in two years than the Port Orchard Police Department has done in 17,” said Linda’s sister, Christine.

“We feel so honored and blessed they are helping us.”

None of us are giving up. We’re just going to keep the pressure on the killer. Eventually, something’s going to break.

Lead Investigator Jennifer Bucholtz on the hunt for Linda Malcom’s killer

The U.S. Sun contacted Port Orchard PD and is yet to hear back.

But in response to a local TV station who produced a news segment on the murder Chief of Police Matt Brown claimed his officers were “committed to pursuing justice.”

“Investigators maintain regular quarterly meetings with the Malcom family to provide updates on the progress of the investigation,” Brown said.

“Keeping the family informed is essential, and we are

dedicated to answering their questions and addressing their concerns throughout the

process.”

However, in separate emails to The U.S. Sun, Linda’s sister Rochell and Dianna poured scorn on Brown’s claims.

Dianna said she was forced to “hound” the Port Orchard PD for 10 years after the murder and insists it wasn’t until Bucholtz’s team started working the case, was any progress made.

She says the family were lied to about the autopsy report over the horrific nature of Linda’s death and wishes moving forward that the police would establish a better working relationship with Bucholtz.

“Jen and her team are a Godsend,” Dianna said. ” She has become part of our family.”

Rochelle, meanwhile, said communications between her family and the police had broken down irrecoverably over the past two years.

She also wants more collaboration between all the investigators in the hope of helping everyone “heal from this nightmare.”

“We have been robbed of Linda’s good nature and infectious laugh,” Rochelle said. “We want a conviction.”

FRESH HOPE

The brutality of Linda’s death first drew Bucholtz into the case after her nephew, Mike Booker — then a Master’s student at the American Military University — asked for her help.

When Linda’s body was discovered in a smoldering house set ablaze after the killing, she had stab wounds to her chest and back, along with defensive wounds on her forearms.

Recent analysis has allowed investigators to focus on a person “attached to the unknown DNA,” though Bucholtz declined to elaborate for fear of compromising the investigation.

“It wasn’t a total shock to us,” she said of the new lead. “There’s still a lot of work to confirm that DNA belongs to that person. And you can’t just arrest somebody because their DNA is at a crime scene.”

Two individuals in the Port Orchard area are reportedly refusing to cooperate with investigators, which continues to frustrate the team.

One of them was observed on a security camera during a previous visit, but has not responded to messages.

According to Bucholtz, this person had a troubled history with Linda, possibly explaining the reluctance to engage. Still, she is pleading with anyone who has information to come forward.

Another couple that investigators are eager to speak with are also refusing to talk.

“I’m just trying to learn as much about her as possible,” Bucholtz said. “The person whose door I knocked on knows someone on our list. There’s no retribution. No one is going to be charged for coming forward with information.

“Just because you didn’t like her doesn’t mean you can’t give a family some answers.”

All signs, according to Bucholtz, point to the killer having a personal connection to Linda, who was well-known in the community and had a complex romantic history.

Investigators believe the killer — possibly acting alone or with an accomplice — returned to the scene after initially leaving.

Another layer of mystery surrounds the excessive nature of the wounds. After delivering fatal blows, the assailant continued to strike far beyond what was necessary.

Bucholtz believes this shows a “deliberate intensity” and suggests that the arson points to something “deeply personal.”

Her work solving cold cases is emotionally taxing.

She told The U.S. Sun about a new case involving grieving parents who asked her to examine their child’s autopsy after a disputed suicide ruling.

But her determination to honor Linda’s memory remains.

“None of us are giving up,” she said. “We’re just going to keep the pressure on the killer. Eventually, something’s going to break.”

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