Port Angeles – A cold case that rocked the Port Angeles community in the 1980s has been solved thanks to the latest DNA technology and decades of work on the part of investigators.
On June 22, 1988, two 11-year-old girls were sexually assaulted during a sleepover in a playhouse attic on a property in the 300 block of E. 6th Street. Early that morning, an unknown male suspect forced entry into the attic, blocked their escape, physically assaulted them, and threatened harm if they resisted. The perpetrator then sexually assaulted both victims prior to fleeing the scene. The girls immediately sought help from a parent, and police were contacted.
Port Angeles Police Department officers and detectives conducted extensive searches, interviews, and evidence collection. Latent fingerprints, bedding, an article of clothing believed to have belonged to the suspect, and biological samples from sexual assault examinations all were gathered as evidence.
A Clallam County Sheriff’s Office bloodhound was brought in to search for the suspect. Investigators conducted neighborhood canvassing and spoke with street contacts. They asked for call-in tips and created a composite sketch of the suspect.
Despite pursuing dozens of leads, utilizing FBI profiling specialists, and submitting evidence for state and international fingerprint analyses, the case went cold for decades.
In 2001, a DNA profile from the suspect was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) with no matches. In 2012 the DNA profile was submitted to Interpol to search against profiles in Canada’s database with no results. In 2023, PAPD Detective Cpl. Erik Smith initiated discussions with Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, founder of Identifinders International, who provided guidance on the potential of using Forensic Genetic Genealogy analysis for cold cases.
In 2024, with funding support from the Washington State Attorney General’s office, PAPD sent a suspect DNA sample for advanced testing. That analysis identified the suspect as Kim John Cederleaf of Quilcene, who passed away in 2013.
Cederleaf had been cremated, but detectives discovered that a vial of vitreous humor from Cederleaf’s autopsy was preserved at the funeral home, and that was used to conclusively solve the case.
Port Angeles Police Sgt. Kori Malone told KONP that Cederleaf did not have a criminal history before or after the assaults. She said there is no indication that he knew the families of the victims, and it appears he lived in Quilcene at the time of the assaults.
Malone says they are still investigating this case, and they ask for anyone who may have information on Kim John Cederleaf to contact the Port Angeles Police Dept.