Twenty-four years ago as a mother of young children, I remember well the horror of reading in the Kennebec Journal about the murder of a Fayette mother, Judith Flagg. An unsolved murder is difficult for the family, the police, and the community because we want the peace of knowing that the person who committed such a crime is behind bars. Therefore, I was pleased to read (Jan. 19) that with the help of DNA someone has been indicted for this crime.

The DNA came from Flagg's fingernail clippings and we were told by a forensic DNA analyst from the Maine State Police Crime Lab that "DNA samples degrade, yes, but they don't change."

This is in sharp contrast to the statement made by Attorney General William Stokes when the DNA found beneath Sarah Cherry's thumbnail was found not to be that of Dennis Dechaine. Stokes said there was no logical connection between the DNA under her thumbnail and the perpetrator of the crime.

I would like to suggest that the state put more effort into locating a match for the DNA found beneath Cherry's thumbnail so that one day I may read in the Kennebec Journal that her murderer has also been indicted.

Libby Harmon

Whitefield