A Minnesota man is facing life behind bars after DNA evidence linked him to the brutal 1986 murder of 38-year-old Nancy Daugherty. Michael Allen Carbo photo courtesy St. Louis County Jail.

ICYMI: Killer Finally Convicted After 39 Years—DNA Ties Minnesota Man to 1986 Murder

A Minnesota man is facing life behind bars after DNA evidence linked him to the brutal 1986 murder of 38-year-old Nancy Daugherty. 🌐 #News #StPaulMN #Minnesota #Crime

ST. PAUL, MN – Justice has finally caught up with Michael Allan Carbo, Jr., after almost four decades. The 56-year-old Chisholm, Minnesota man has been found guilty of brutally murdering 38-year-old Nancy Daugherty in 1986. The gruesome crime, once a haunting mystery, has now been resolved after a second trial ordered by the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Carbo was convicted on Friday by a St. Louis County grand jury on two counts of first-degree murder while committing first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

This verdict comes after Carbo had already been found guilty of the same charges in 2022, but that trial was overturned. The state’s highest court ruled that Carbo should have been allowed to present evidence suggesting another possible perpetrator. With that ruling, his retrial began last month, and this time, justice was sealed.

A Night of Horror: The Crime That Shook Chisholm

On the night of July 16, 1986, Carbo—just 18 years old at the time—crept into Daugherty’s home around 3 a.m. Evidence presented during the trial revealed the horrifying details: Daugherty was assaulted and strangled in her own bed, the attack cutting short her future plans.

Daugherty had been preparing to leave her Chisholm home that very morning, ready to start a new chapter in the Twin Cities to pursue further education.

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She had been working as a nursing home aide, a part-time bartender, and a volunteer EMT, making her loss all the more devastating to those who knew her.

Her lifeless body was discovered that morning, sparking a decades-long investigation. Despite early efforts by law enforcement, the case grew cold—until modern genetic genealogy helped investigators link DNA from the crime scene directly to Carbo.

Decades of Pain and a Final Verdict

Carbo’s conviction comes with two mandatory life sentences, each carrying the possibility of parole after 17 years.

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St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki acknowledged the toll the case has taken on Daugherty’s loved ones.

“This has been a long road to justice. The family of Ms. Daugherty has shown the utmost strength, and we thank them for their support from the beginning to the end,” Maki said.

For nearly 40 years, Daugherty’s murder haunted her family, friends, and the small community of Chisholm. Now, the man responsible will finally face the consequences of his horrific actions.

RELATED TOPICS: Crime | Minnesota

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