Jacksonville, FL — More than two years after the murder of Sabrina Blackshear, 45, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is announcing an arrest.
Troy Butler is now charged with her murder, after investigators say they matched his DNA and his gun, to a used condom and a shell casing they found at the scene of Blackshear's murder.
Blackshear's body was found alongside Silver Street and West 15th Street, by a woman who was out walking her dog.
According to JSO, their big break came in August 2015, after an unrelated homicide in St. Augustine.
At that time, a group of suspects were taken into custody, who were in possession of a stolen car and a .40-caliber handgun.
"Both that stolen car and that gun belonged to a Jacksonville man by the name of Troy Butler. He had reported his car stolen prior to that homicide occurring and they were able to verify he had no ties to that homicide whatsoever. But during their investigation, they did interview Butler about his stolen car and the gun. At first, he wasn't very forthcoming with the handgun, but later admitted it was his," says JSO Sgt. Steve Gallaher
Then in November 2015, FDLE found DNA belonging to both Butler and Blackshear on items that police had previously submitted.
Gallaher says,"The CODIS hit then led JSO homicide detectives to interview Butler about Sabrina's murder. During the interview, Butler admitted to being with Sabrina for prostitution, but denied killing her. With really no other evidence at that time, Butler was free to leave."
In August 2016, JSO received a report from FDLE that the .40-caliber casing recovered at Sabrina's murder matched the casings recovered at the scene of the St. Augustine murder.
"That confirmed we did have the same murder weapon and that weapon was Troy Butler's .40-caliber handgun," says Gallaher.
Then in February 2017, JSO says FDLE verified the DNA swabs collected from Troy Butler were a match to the previously reported CODIS hit, on the evidence they did recover from Silver Street.
Police say they also obtained cell phone records in July that put Butler at the scene of the murder, the night it occurred.
Butler was taken into custody earlier today and charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.