An Important Change
While the search was on, Smith was behind bars when the state of Ohio started requiring prison inmates to submit DNA samples. One such sample was taken of Smith via a mouth swab. Then he became eligible for parole, and was released in 2000, nine years after Jessica Keen died. In the meantime, the search for her killer continued. This was what Sabin referred to as his pinnacle case- the one from which he could retire with pride once solved. He was not about to let a murder of someone so young and bright just go quietly.
