Justice After 45 Years: Man Arrested for 1979 Cold Case Murder of Mother and Son
OMAHA, Neb. (TCN) — A decades-old murder mystery has finally seen a breakthrough as authorities arrested a 67-year-old man for the brutal 1979 killings of a young mother and her son—a case that has haunted Omaha for over four decades.
According to the Omaha Police Department, on April 24, 1979, officers responded to a chilling scene on Binney Street after a call about a possible abduction and burglary. Inside the home, they discovered 26-year-old Deroshia Matthews and her 7-year-old son, Kamal Matthews, dead. The crime sent shockwaves through the community, but for years, justice remained elusive.
Authorities previously arrested Abdulmalik Husain—formerly known as Louis Walker—in 2004 in connection with the murders, but the case was dismissed nearly a year later due to insufficient evidence, KETV-TV reports. Now, thanks to advancements in DNA technology, the case has been revived. On Feb. 12, Omaha police announced they had once again taken Husain into custody, booking him into the Douglas County Corrections on two counts of murder.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer emphasized the department’s unwavering dedication to solving the case: “Murders are never forgotten, and justice has no expiration date. The depraved nature of this double homicide—one victim being a child—was bound to receive our utmost attention. Our commitment to these victims and their family never wavered.”
For the Matthews family, the long wait for answers may finally be coming to an end. While no amount of time can erase the pain of such a horrific crime, this long-awaited arrest brings hope that justice, even when delayed, will ultimately prevail.
