70-Year-Old Man Charged in 1993 Cold Case Murder After DNA Breakthrough

Thirty-three years after Randy Gail Sperino was found bludgeoned to death in an Illinois field, investigators have finally made an arrest – charging a 70-year-old man with her murder after a forensic genealogy company cracked a case that had gone cold for decades.

Who Was Randy Gail Sperino?

Randy Gail Sperino was 34 years old when she was killed in November 1993. She lived in the Granite City area of Madison County, Illinois, described by those who knew her as warm and well-liked.

On the day she died, Sperino was last seen walking near Granite City. A witness recalled her getting into what appeared to be a dark-colored pickup truck.

Her body was found on November 9, 1993, in a field in unincorporated Granite City. She had suffered what court records describe as “massive blunt force trauma to the head.”

For 33 years, her family had no answers.

Decades of Investigation

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office never stopped working the case. Investigators interviewed hundreds of people over the years and repeatedly submitted DNA samples collected from the scene to the national Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, beginning in 1998.

Every search came back empty.

The DNA Breakthrough

In 2025, investigators turned to Othram, a Texas-based company specializing in forensic genealogy technology. Using advanced DNA analysis and genealogical databases, Othram traced the DNA profile to a family lineage – and ultimately to a specific suspect.

That suspect was Albert Lee Zigler, now 70 years old, also known as “Buddy.”

Zigler was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in late May 2026. He is currently held in the Madison County Jail.

A Family Finally Gets Answers

Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor announced the arrest at a news conference on May 27, 2026. Randy Sperino’s son, Wes Sperino, was present.

“I thought I might pass and never know,” Wes Sperino said, according to local reporting. “But that all changed thanks to these guys behind me.”

“I finally get closure. My family and I finally know who did this.”

Zigler has not yet entered a plea. The case is expected to proceed toward trial.

The Growing Power of Forensic Genealogy

The Sperino case is among dozens nationally cracked in recent years using forensic genealogy – a technique that identifies suspects by matching crime scene DNA against consumer genealogy databases to trace family trees.

The method has given families of victims answers they had long given up hope of receiving – and put investigators on notice that no case may truly go cold forever.

References: DNA breakthrough leads to arrest in grisly 33-year-old cold case investigators never gave up on | Man arrested in 33-year-old cold case of woman found bludgeoned to death in field: ‘We got him’ | Cold case solved: Albert ‘Buddy’ Zigler charged in 1993 murder of Randy Gail Sperino