Kentucky man charged in 1994 murder of Gary woman

A Kentucky man was charged in the murder of a Gary woman in June of 1994, according to the FBI.

The Lake County Prosecutor's Office charged 60-year-old Gerald Lynn Smith, of Madisonville, Kentucky, with the following:

• Murder
• Murder while committing or attempting to commit rape
• Rape

On June 17, 1994, 69-year-old Gloria Hansell was found strangled inside her home in Gary.

At the time of her murder, Hansell was a widow and lived alone, relying on an in-home oxygen machine because of poor health, reports said.

In 2020, the FBI's Gang Response Investigative Team requested the Indiana State Police Lowell Regional Laboratory reexamine evidence from the case.  

During the reexamination, investigators found male DNA in the victim's sexual assault kit. DNA analysis led investigators to Smith as a suspect, according to investigators.

GRIT investigators also placed Smith in Gary shortly before the murder.

A witness said Smith, who was 32 years old in 1994, had gone to Hansell's house at least twice in the weeks before her murder and said he had just moved back to the area, reports said.

On one occasion, Smith asked Hansell if he could cut her grass for money but she declined the offer, the witness reported.

On another occasion, Hansell said Smith made an unwanted advance toward her while inside her home that made her uncomfortable, the witness said.