Season of Justice GRANT Supports Breakthrough in 1966 San Rafael Homicide Through Advanced DNA Testing
ZIONSVILLE, Indiana – Nearly six decades after the tragic death of Marjorie Rudolph, new forensic advancements have helped bring long-awaited clarity to her case, an outcome made possible through the combined efforts of law enforcement, forensic experts, and dedicated funding from Season of Justice.
Season of Justice is honored to have supported the San Rafael Police Department (SRPD) in revisiting the 1966 homicide of Marjorie R/;’udolph, who was killed in her home on February 1. At the time, investigators identified Laurel James Switzer as a potential suspect. At the time, forensic science had not yet advanced to include DNA testing, preventing investigators from definitively linking him to the crime scene. Just eight days after the homicide, Switzer died by suicide, leaving key questions unresolved for nearly six decades.
Evidence collected at the scene, including cigarettes believed to belong to the suspect, could not be forensically analyzed in a meaningful way at the time. For years, that evidence remained a silent piece of the investigation, holding answers that science had not yet unlocked.
In 2025, SRPD worked closely with retired investigators Harry Barbier and Kevin MacDougald and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office to pursue advanced DNA testing with funding from Season of Justice. Evidence was submitted to Othram, where scientists developed a DNA profile and used forensic genetic genealogy to generate leads. These leads directed investigators to Switzer’s family, where, with consent, reference samples confirmed the match to the crime scene evidence.
The result was a confirmed match, establishing that familial DNA from Switzer was present on the cigarette evidence recovered in 1966 and placing him at the scene of Marjorie Rudolph’s murder. While this breakthrough brings long-awaited answers, it also carries the weight of what may never be known. Switzer was known to the victim and her husband, and a prior dispute is believed to have played a role, but with his death just days after the crime, the full truth may remain out of reach. Though some details may never be known, confirming the truth still honors the victim and brings long-overdue answers to her loved ones and community.
Kendall Mills, Program Director of Season of Justice states, “It’s an honor to have supported Inv. Barbier and the San Rafael PD in their pursuit of justice for Ms. Rudolph and her family. We extend our deepest gratitude to Investigators Barbier and MacDougald for their relentless work, to the original detectives who had the foresight to preserve crucial evidence, to the analysts who meticulously processed it, and to our SOJ community, whose continued generosity makes resolutions like this possible.”
Season of Justice extends deep respect to Marjorie Rudolph and her loved ones, whose lives were forever changed by this act of violence. We are equally grateful to the San Rafael Police Department, investigators Barbier and MacDougald, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and the team at Othram for their collaboration and persistence.
This case is a powerful reminder that with the right resources and partnerships, justice can continue to move forward, even decades later.
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