Suspect in 1997 San Jose murder identified as Kansas man who died in 2022
Nearly three decades after a man was killed in San Jose, authorities in the South Bay said they have identified the suspected killer through DNA evidence.
San Jose Police announced Monday that Victor Lamont Ferguson is the suspect in the 1997 murder of 28-year-old Karen Gevorkov. Ferguson, who moved to Kansas following the incident, died in 2022.
"While justice may be delayed, the victim is never forgotten," Police Chief Paul Joseph said in a statement. "This breakthrough, made possible through advances in DNA technology, underscores our unwavering commitment to seeking the truth, no matter how many years pass."
According to officers, Gevorkov was found unconscious outside a home on Boynton Avenue in West San Jose on July 16, 1997. Gevorkov had died from blunt force trauma resulting from an attack.
An initial investigation determined that Gevorkov had been walking with a friend near Starbird Park the evening before. The friend told police that three men approached and attacked them with a blunt object, later described as a bat.
Police said the friend was not able to identify the suspects, but area residents were able to identify Ferguson as a person of interest.
Last year, advanced DNA testing matched Ferguson's DNA to the victim's clothing.
"Having advanced DNA testing technology has made a big difference," San Jose police spokesperson Stacie Shih said at a news conference on Monday. "Especially for this case when we were able to take DNA from the victim's clothing and tie it to the suspect and conclusively say that it was suspect Ferguson that was responsible."
Police said that a former inmate had also provided information in 2016 implicating Ferguson in Gevorkov's murder. Ferguson was not formally interviewed about the crime.
"Although the truth won't bring him back, it brings answers and hopefully closure for a family who has been waiting for both for a long time now," Mayor Matt Mahan said.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, "In every unsolved case, something—or someone—will lead us to the truth. Until then, no family should give up hope, and no criminal should sleep well."
Anyone who may have additional information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Martinez or Detective Jorgensen of the department's homicide unit over email or by calling 408-277-5283.
