Fingerprint from taxi license application leads to arrest in decades-old double homicide

An arrest has been made in a grisly, decades-old double murder after a suspect was identified by a fingerprint from a taxi license application.

Theresa Marcoux, 18, and Mark Harnish, 20, were shot to death on November 19, 1978 in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said Wednesday that a bloody fingerprint was collected at the scene, but a match was never made.

Then an unnamed tipster came forward with information linking Timothy Joley, 71, of Clearwater, Florida – who previously lived in Massachusetts – to the crime.

“Investigators obtained from the Springfield Police Department a fingerprint identification card registered with that department because Joley was fingerprinted in 2000 as an applicant for a taxi license,” Gulluni said.

Two law enforcement investigators were called in – each with extensive experience in fingerprint analysis, comparison, evaluation and verification – and both compared Joley’s print to the print left at the scene.

Marcoux and Harnish were last seen alive on the morning of November 19, 1978 at approximately 12:30 a.m., leaving a party hosted by friends.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., police discovered a green 1967 Dodge pickup belonging to Harnish parked at a rest stop at Route 5 and Riverdale Street.

An officer noticed that the driver’s side window of the truck was damaged and saw blood in and around the vehicle.

The remains of Marcoux and Harnish were found above a nearby guardrail and they both had multiple gunshot wounds.

“The upcoming investigation included painstaking efforts to document and photograph the scene, with physical and biological evidence collected by investigators. The rest area was thoroughly searched for evidence, but no firearm was recovered,” Gulluni said.

“Investigators concluded that Theresa and Mark were shot while in the passenger compartment of the pickup and their bodies were moved to the area where their remains were later discovered.”

Theresa Marcoux (pictured), 18, and Mark Harnish, 20, were shot to death on November 19, 1978 in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

Marcoux and Harnish (pictured) were last seen alive on the morning of November 19, 1978 at approximately 12:30 a.m., leaving a party organized by friends

Police discovered Harnish’s truck at a rest stop. Their remains were found above a nearby guardrail and they both had multiple gunshot wounds

Ballistics tests concluded that the bullets were all fired from the same unknown firearm capable of firing .38 caliber ammunition.

After Joley’s name was brought to the attention of investigators, they learned that he had lived in the city at the time and owned a gun.

“Investigators also learned that Joley was a licensed gun owner in November 1978 and that he purchased a Colt pistol approximately a month before the murders,” Gulluni said.

The prosecutor said there is no known motive at this time and there was no apparent connection between Joley and the victims.

While both of the victim’s parents have died, remaining family members attended Gulluni’s press conference on Wednesday.

“I admire and respect you for your patience, determination and the confidence you have maintained over the years,” he said.