An Ohio man has been charged in connection with a murder that occurred more than four decades ago, local authorities announced. Randy McAllister was indicted last week by a grand jury for the killing of John Warren, a traveling salesman found dead in a hotel room in Middletown, Ohio, on October 16, 1985.

John Warren, 44, worked for an auto parts company and was in the area attending sales meetings at the time of his death. His body was discovered inside a room at a Holiday Inn in Middletown, according to Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell.

Investigators noted that some of Warren’s personal belongings surfaced several days after the murder behind a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Dalton, Georgia, approximately 400 miles from Middletown. Additionally, Warren’s 1985 Oldsmobile was located in Redington Beach, Florida. Initially, three men were identified as suspects in the case; however, charges against them were subsequently dismissed.

The cold case was reopened in 2019 as part of an ongoing effort to review unsolved crimes. Evidence recovered from the case was sent to forensic laboratories for modern analysis. These examinations connected McAllister and a second individual, identified posthumously, to the crime.

As of Tuesday, McAllister remained in custody at the county jail, where he awaits further legal proceedings. Prosecutors have not disclosed additional details regarding the motivations or circumstances surrounding Warren’s death.

The investigation highlights the continued efforts by law enforcement agencies to utilize advancements in forensic science to resolve longstanding unsolved cases.