ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — After more than four decades, Albuquerque police say they have identified a suspect in the 1983 killing of a 71-year-old woman, using advances in DNA technology and a renewed review of evidence.
The Albuquerque Police Department has filed a criminal complaint and secured an arrest warrant for 73-year-old Charlie Brown Jr. of Champaign, Illinois. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Agnes Tybo.
Officers were called on November 11, 1983, to the Sundowner Motel along Central Avenue Northeast, where Tybo was found dead inside a room. Investigators at the time reported the room was in disarray.
The Office of the Medical Investigator determined Tybo died from strangulation and ruled the death a homicide.
Tybo, who lived in Owyhee, Nevada, had been visiting Albuquerque with her brother to see family and attend the Indian National Finals Rodeo at Tingley Coliseum.
During the investigation, detectives located her missing purse in the bed of a dump truck parked at the motel. A white cotton towel was also recovered. Witnesses reported seeing a man attempting to enter rooms nearby, and a composite sketch was shared, but the case eventually went cold after leads were exhausted.
The case was reopened in 2021 when an APD investigator conducted a detailed review and submitted evidence for updated forensic testing.
In July 2022, authorities say a match was identified through the National DNA Index System, linking evidence from the scene to an Illinois offender profile belonging to Brown.
Detectives later traveled to Illinois, where they collected a DNA sample through a search warrant. According to investigators, testing showed Brown could not be excluded as a contributor to DNA found beneath Tybo’s fingernails.
Additional analysis using probabilistic genotyping also linked his DNA to the towel recovered with Tybo’s belongings.
On June 8, 2026, a formal complaint and arrest warrant were filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, charging Brown with first-degree murder.
Police say he is expected to face extradition proceedings to return to New Mexico.
In a statement, Police Chief Cecily Barker said the case reflects the department’s continued efforts to investigate unresolved homicides.
“This case highlights our department’s commitment to victims and their families, no matter how many years pass,” Barker said.
The case was also featured on APD’s “Duke City Case Files,” a series that highlights unsolved cases in an effort to generate new leads.
Police say the development underscores how advancements in forensic science continue to impact older investigations.
