Mistrial Declared in 1986 Murder Case Over Used Body Bag Claim

New allegation of evidence contamination leads judge to halt trial of man accused of killing 11-year-old girl.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:08pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a cracked and damaged evidence bag, conceptually illustrating the concerns over evidence contamination in the 1986 murder case.A new allegation of evidence mishandling casts doubt on a decades-old murder case, exposing the fragility of forensic evidence in cold cases.Stamford Today

A judge in Stamford, Connecticut, has declared a mistrial in the 1986 murder case of 11-year-old Kathleen Flynn after prosecutors revealed a retired police lieutenant's claim that the victim's body was placed in a used body bag, raising concerns about evidence contamination.

Why it matters

The allegation of evidence mishandling could undermine the prosecution's case and jeopardize the chances of securing a conviction, even decades after the crime. It also raises broader questions about the integrity of the original investigation and the reliability of forensic evidence in cold cases.

The details

Marc Karun, now 60, was on trial for the murder and kidnapping of Kathleen Flynn, who was attacked while walking home from school in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1986. Prosecutors recently received an email from a retired Norwalk police lieutenant, Robert Fabrizzio, who said a state crime lab official told him shortly after the killing that Flynn's body had been placed in a used body bag, potentially contaminating evidence. The crime lab official Fabrizzio referenced was the late Henry Lee, a renowned forensic scientist.

  • Kathleen Flynn was killed on September 23, 1986.
  • Karun was arrested in 2019 at his home in Stetson, Maine.
  • The mistrial was declared on Monday, April 6, 2026.

The players

Marc Karun

A 60-year-old man on trial for the murder and kidnapping of Kathleen Flynn in 1986.

Kathleen Flynn

An 11-year-old girl who was raped and killed in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1986.

Robert Fabrizzio

A retired Norwalk police lieutenant who reported the claim about the used body bag to prosecutors.

Henry Lee

A renowned forensic scientist who was the head of the state crime lab at the time of Kathleen Flynn's murder and reportedly told Fabrizzio about the used body bag.

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What they’re saying

“We're obviously disappointed by this turn of events, especially for the family members of Kathy Flynn, who have waited forty years for justice and some degree of closure.”

— Paul Ferencek, State's Attorney

What’s next

Prosecutors will be working with the state crime lab and medical examiner's office to investigate the claim about the used body bag and determine if it is true.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges of prosecuting cold cases, where even minor issues with evidence handling can undermine an entire investigation decades later. It raises concerns about the reliability of forensic evidence and the need for strict protocols to ensure the integrity of crime scene investigations.