DNA links inmate to 1998 Ponca City death

PONCA CITY, Okla. (AP) -- Authorities say DNA evidence has linked an Oklahoma prison inmate to the 1998 beating death of an 85-year-old Ponca City woman.<br/><br/>Investigators tested hair the victim pulled

Sunday, August 8th 2004, 5:57 pm

By: News On 6

PONCA CITY, Okla. (AP) -- Authorities say DNA evidence has linked an Oklahoma prison inmate to the 1998 beating death of an 85-year-old Ponca City woman.

Investigators tested hair the victim pulled from the attacker's head and found it matched a female inmate at the Mable Bassett Correctional Center in McLoud.

Before the DNA testing, investigators had no motive for the slaying of Margaret Mock.

Ponca City Police Chief Clayton Johnson says an affidavit will be sent to the Kay County district attorney this week and the accused inmate's name will be released then.

It's the third time in the past month that DNA testing has given police a suspect in a killing that happened more than five years ago.

The other two matches were found in Oklahoma City cases.