A woman in Maryland was charged with murdering a baby girl whose body was found near a Colorado reservoir in 1996.
Jennifer Katalinich, 42, was arrested Tuesday on charges of first- and second-degree murder in the death of the infant who was discovered in a plastic garbage bag in the Horsetooth Reservoir near Fort Collins. After the case remained cold for over two decades, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation determined through DNA evidence submitted in July that Katalinich and four other individuals were possibly related to the deceased infant.
After ruling out the other potential relatives as likely suspects, police issued an arrest warrant for Katalinich. Police did not confirm whether Katalinich was the child’s mother but determined that she was the prime suspect in her death. After the discovery of her remains in 1996, a church raised money for the baby to be buried and dubbed her “Baby Faith,” a moniker the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office also adopted.
“This case serves as a great reminder that LCSO is determined to solve all cases despite the amount of time that passes after the commission of the crime,” said Sheriff Justin Smith. “It often takes just one citizen to come forward with information to spark new life into a cold case.”
Katalinich was booked into the Larimer County Jail on Tuesday but was released after posting a $25,000 bond.
