The suspected killer of a 23-year-old college student on a hiking trail in Arizona has been identified decades after the brutal murder thanks to developments in DNA technology, authorities said Friday.

On June 13, 1987, Cathy Sposito rode her mountain bike to the Thumb Butte Trail near Prescott and began hiking around 7 a.m., investigators with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said during a news conference.

Hikers in the area later reported hearing screams for help, according to Sheriff David Rhodes, but they did not reach Sposito in time. The 23-year-old was found with a .22 caliber gunshot to an eye, stabbed and bludgeoned with a wrench, Rhodes said.

Since DNA analysis was not being used at the time of Sposito’s murder, authorities were unable to identify the suspected killer. But 36 years later, investigators now have a name.

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"Cathy Sposito, I am saying today with high confidence today, was murdered by Bryan Scott Bennett," Rhodes said.

Bennett was just a 16-year-old high school student in Prescott at the time Sposito was killed, according to officials. 

In April 1990, Bennett had attacked and sexually assaulted a second victim on the same trail and at the same time of day as Sposito, the sheriff said.

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DNA evidence from the second attack ultimately led detectives to link Bennett to the murder of Sposito and at least two other sexual assaults. The victims of the three other attacks all survived.

Bennett, however, returned to his home state of Kentucky in 1994 and died by suicide, officials said. His body was exhumed and authorities obtained a complete DNA profile, which positively matched DNA recovered from both attacks.

"Through the work of dedicated volunteers, numerous detectives and the many partners who give their time and their hearts to solving these cold cases, 4 women in were given either closure, peace or validation today," said Rhodes.

"Sunday Morning Futures" discussed a recent breakthrough in the GOP's investigation into President Biden, Sunday, wherein investigators found 76 suspicious activity reports from Biden Family bank accounts, whistleblower testimony alleging bribery, and alleged evidence of 20 shell companies transacting money that was directed to family bank accounts. During an appearance with host Maria Bartiromo, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy revealed the latest news on Republicans' ongoing impeachment inquiry against the president.

OBVIOUS BIDEN SOCIAL MEDIA BLUNDER EARNS ‘COMMUNITY NOTES’ FACT CHECK AND MOCKERY FROM CRITICS

KEVIN MCCARTHY: Only because Republicans took the majority have we found out what President Biden told us when he was running for office is not true. He said he never had any dealings with his son's business and that he never even talked to them. We've now found out that not only did he call in to the meetings, he went to dinner. And after the dinner, Hunter Biden got a new Porsche that there was $3.5 million transferred. We now found out as he was a sitting vice president, the family created 20 shell companies. They received 16 of 17 payments from Romania while he was vice president. We now found that the money would flow to nine family members. He has to continue to change this. But since then, we found a movement of his administration of weaponization. We found that now, the special prosecutor David Weiss, actually let the statute of limitations run out on Hunter Biden's taxes. We found that the FBI actually informed Hunter Biden and the inaugural committee prior to our ability to go and interview him. 

We also have a DOJ that gave us tried to give a sweetheart deal to Hunter Biden, and the judge said no. So if you look at all the information we've been able to gather so far, it is a natural step forward that you would have to go to an impeachment inquiry. And just so your your viewers understand what that means, that provides Congress the apex of legal power to get all the information they need. Because remember what's laying out there right now. We have an attorney general that could have lied to the American public, which he is now named a special prosecutor. There they have said two different things. And you have Gary Shapley on a little later today. IRS whistleblowers that have come forward that show that there's two forms of justice when it comes to America. But now when you look at this, it looks like a culture of corruption that's been happening within the entire Biden family. You've got to get to be able to answer that to the American public. The American public deserves an answer. Who's lying? What information went on? Who paid and what foreign governments?

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