The Chilling Truth: How DNA Cracked a 62-Year-Old Murder Mystery
On a chilly March evening in 1959, 9-year-old Candice Elaine “Candy” Rogers set out on what should have been a routine task—selling mints for the Camp Fire Girls in her Spokane, Washington neighborhood. Innocent and determined, she knocked on doors, unaware that she would never return home.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Candy’s family grew uneasy. Hours passed with no sign of the little girl. Panic set in, and soon, the entire Spokane community banded together in a desperate search. For 15 days, police officers, civilians, and even Air Force servicemen scoured the streets, forests, and the Spokane River, clinging to hope. But what they found instead would send shockwaves through the town.
Candy’s lifeless body was discovered in the woods seven miles from home. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled—an innocent child taken in the most brutal way imaginable. The town reeled in horror. Investigators worked tirelessly to track down her killer, but as days turned into weeks, then months, then years, the case grew cold.
For more than six decades, Candy’s murder haunted Spokane like a ghostly whisper in the wind. The case became the largest in the history of the Spokane Police Department, and countless suspects were investigated—but none fit the puzzle.
Then, in 2021, a breakthrough changed everything.
Using DNA evidence collected from the crime scene, forensic scientists applied the power of forensic genetic genealogy—a revolutionary technique that had helped identify the infamous Golden State Killer. The DNA led them to a name: John Reigh Hoff. A man long dead, having died by suicide in 1970, Hoff had once lived in Candy’s neighborhood and had a dark past, including an attempted rape charge. But how could authorities be sure?
Hoff’s daughter unknowingly held the key. When she provided a DNA sample, forensic analysts confirmed an undeniable match between Hoff and the semen found on Candy’s clothing. To solidify the case, police exhumed Hoff’s remains—and the DNA left no room for doubt. Candy’s killer had finally been unmasked.
This chilling case will soon be featured on A&E’s Cold Case Files, shedding light on the remarkable determination of Spokane’s law enforcement and forensic scientists who refused to let Candy’s story fade into the shadows.
Forensic scientist Brittany Wright, who played a pivotal role in solving the case, reflected on the relentless pursuit of justice. Growing up in Spokane, she had heard the terrifying tale of Candy Rogers—a warning passed down through generations. Solving the case, she said, was the greatest achievement of her career.
“This case was full of hurdles and heartbreak, but it proves that no matter how much time passes, justice can still be served,” Wright stated. “It took 62 years, but Candy Rogers’ story now has an ending.”
Law enforcement never gives up on cold cases because behind every file is a family, a victim, and a community that still needs closure. And in the case of Candy Rogers, science and perseverance finally brought a long-awaited answer to the mystery that had gripped Spokane for generations.
