Overview
- Madison County prosecutors announced Tuesday that Albert L. “Buddy” Zigler, 70, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the 1993 killing of Randy Gail Sperino and is in custody with a public defender appointed and a detention hearing set.
- Investigators say a forensic genetic genealogy match produced the key lead after DNA from the original 1993 scene was submitted about a year ago to a specialized lab in Texas.
- Court documents allege Zigler admitted picking up Sperino, striking her with a metal bat or steel pipe at his home, and dumping her body in a field; those allegations are part of charging papers and will be tested in court.
- Officials credited decades of persistent work—re-interviewing witnesses and repeatedly testing evidence—and noted Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor had anticipated using genetic genealogy years earlier.
- Prosecutors are seeking to keep Zigler jailed pending trial because the charges allege a violent, non-probationable offense, the victim’s family said they welcome answers, and the case highlights a growing trend of solving old homicides with forensic genealogy.