After nearly four decades of elusive justice, Phoenix police have made a breakthrough in a haunting 1986 sexual assault case involving a toddler. According to ABC15, David Mundt, 61, is in custody in connection with the crime that occurred on July 6, 1986, in Phoenix. The case, which saw the child kidnapped from their home and assaulted, had gone cold despite exhaustive investigative efforts.
The breakthrough came via Investigative Genetic Genealogy, a technique that has reinvigorated cold cases across the nation. Mundt was identified following a renewed push by Phoenix detectives in 2024, as azfamily.com reports, culminating in August when Texas authorities located and arrested him for a similar 1992 case. After his arrest, Phoenix police collaborated with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office to secure a warrant for the Arizona charges.
Furthermore, the case's DNA evidence linked Mundt to an eerily similar assault in Henderson, Texas. Detectives faced a harrowing challenge in the intervening years, as the assailant's identity remained shrouded in mystery even after DNA technology evolved. In a statement obtained by ABC15, the Phoenix Police Department outlined how DNA initially not matched to a known person within the CODIS database later played a pivotal role in pinpointing Mundt.
Sgt. Aaron Rodriguez of the Phoenix Police detailed the emotional weight of informing victims that a suspect had finally been identified. "When they do get to make that call, where an arrest was made or a suspect was identified, it really is satisfying for, for them and for me as well," he told azfamily.com. Having worked closely with Detective Javier Quezada, who consistently pushed the case forward, Rodriguez conveyed the department's commitment to seeking out resolution for the victims, who, he insisted, are not forgotten.
Retired Phoenix cold case Detective Troy Hillman reflected on the impact of forensic genealogy in these investigations. Capturing the suspect was likened to the thorough and painstaking process of "going through family trees with DNA matches," he explained to azfamily.com. This approach brought new hope to old cases that have long awaited closure.
Mundt currently awaits extradition and will face Arizona charges of kidnapping and sexual assault in addition to the charges in Texas. The arrest signifies a long-overdue closure for the victims and reinforces the capability of forensic science to solve even the coldest of cases.
