The indictment this week of Edward David Donaldson – on one count each of murder and first-degree sodomy in connection to the Nov. 28, 1992, death of Susan Dumore – eliminates one of several cold cases that remain under investigation by the Bowling Green Police Department.

With the indictment of Donaldson, 41, 742 Lakeshore Drive, Mammoth Cave, by a Warren County grand jury, the BGPD now has 10 unsolved murder cases that remain under active investigation, including a handful of crimes that were committed decades ago.

Though the indictment states that Dumore’s death was caused by strangulation, a Nov. 29, 1992, Daily News story reported that her body had been found in her Bryant Way apartment by an 11-year-old boy and that she had been stabbed. At the time of her death, Dumore had three children ages 11, 3, and 1.

The 1992 story reported that police saw no sign of forced entry into the apartment, and that if a struggle had taken place, it was limited.

The boy who discovered Dumore’s body went to a neighbor’s residence and called police from there. Neighbors of Dumore had not reported any disturbance in the area around the time of her death, according to the story.

In 2000, a review of cold cases by then-BGPD Chief Gary Raymer led to Det. Barry Raley being assigned to investigate the Dumore case.

Raley said the current practice at the police department is that cold cases, or unsolved murders, come under annual review.

If an older murder case is brought back under an active investigation – whether subsequent to a review by the police chief or by way of someone contacting the police about a potential lead – that case is assigned to a detective.

“That case is worked in addition to our normal caseload,” Raley said.

BGPD Sgt. Rick Willey said the work of following leads and locating witnesses is similar to newer, so-called “fresh” cases.

Complementing that type of investigative work is the use of new technologies, often unavailable to police during the original investigations.

In the Dumore case, DNA testing was recently conducted; that, along with other investigative work, led to police arresting Donaldson on May 8.

Tests of blood samples, DNA testing and firearms analysis are conducted in Kentucky State Police crime labs, with much of the evidence going to KSP’s Central Lab in Frankfort.

“The decision is made by the detective as to what gets tested and what gets done,” Willey said. “We look at what would have the greatest odds of yielding something productive.”

Of those who took part in the initial 1992 investigation of Dumore’s death, Col. Joe Manning, now a deputy chief at the police department, is the only person still with the BGPD.

Raley said that in the process of working this case, and in cold cases generally, he would consult not only with Manning, but any other detectives still available who were on the original investigation.

“I want to learn what their perspective was,” Raley said. “I want to be in contact with as many people as I can who were involved at the time, just to look for anything that might result in new leads.”

Donaldson’s record

An examination of court records reveals that Donaldson has been arrested in Warren and other counties on several charges over a nearly 20-year period.

Most notably, at the time of Dumore’s death, Donaldson was out on bond and awaiting trial in Edmonson County for a 1991 case in which he was charged with three counts of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree attempted sodomy and one count of second-degree assault of a Bowling Green woman.

Written statements taken from Donaldson and the woman indicate that the allegations stemmed from an incident in the woman’s car while it was parked on a gravel road in Edmonson County.

Donaldson admitted to having sex with the woman in his statement, court records show, but said he and the woman later got in a fight, and he bit her on the arm and struck her in the face.

The indictment, alleging that the crimes occurred on or around Nov. 13, 1991, was handed down by the Edmonson County grand jury on June 8, 1992; Donaldson was arrested about two weeks later.

The woman, along with KSP Det. Stan Harlow and Dr. Lee Carter, who examined the woman after the alleged incident, testified for the prosecution, led by then-Edmonson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Greg Seelig.

Donaldson, his father, Edward Donaldson Sr., and Brian Kelly testified for the defense in the May 24, 1993, trial.

Donaldson, who was represented in that case by Bryan LeSieur, was acquitted of all the rape and attempted sodomy charges, and convicted of misdemeanor fourth-degree assault; Edmonson Circuit Judge Ron Dortch had reduced that from the felony second-degree charge, and Donaldson was sentenced to one year of probation.

Other incidents, according to court records, include arrests in Warren County in 1998 for criminal mischief, which was later dismissed; for driving under the influence, to which he pleaded guilty; an emergency protective order taken out against Donaldson in 2003; and a speeding ticket in 2006.

In Edmonson County, Donaldson was charged in 1998 with harassment and terroristic threatening, though those charges were dismissed the following year, and also in 1998 on separate occasions with possession of marijuana, for which he pleaded guilty and received probation; first-degree burglary and theft by unlawful taking, which were dismissed in 2000 after a pretrial diversion; and harassment, terroristic threatening and third-degree criminal mischief, which were all dismissed in 1999.

In 2000 in Edmonson County, he was cited for operating an ATV on a roadway, which was dismissed, and pleaded guilty in 1997 to DUI and in 2006 to speeding, while a charge of failing to produce an insurance card was dismissed.

In Butler County, Donaldson was arrested in 1993 on two counts of felony theft by deception, pleading guilty to reduced charges of misdemeanor theft by deception and receiving a suspended 90-day sentence.

Donaldson was also charged with menacing in Barren County in 1995 and with theft by deception in Grayson County in 1997, both of which were dismissed.

Donaldson will be arraigned Tuesday in Warren Circuit Court on the murder and sodomy charges. His attorney, Gary Logsdon of Brownsville, could not be reached for comment.