Jeanette Wilton
The Crime
On February 22, 2003, Jeanette Wilton’s body was found in the Flint River, which was near her home in Saginaw, Michigan. A later autopsy concluded that she had died of strangulation and multiple stab wounds to her neck. She’d also suffered blunt force trauma to her head and face, along with contusions and postmortem abrasions.
The Victim
Jeanette Wilton was a 57-year-old woman with three sons and had worked at a local hospital for the twelve years before her death. Jeanette was described as a loving and caring mother, grandmother and daughter.
The Cold Case
The Michigan State Police Third District Cold Case Team reopened the case in 2021, nearly 20 years after her death. Because of advances in DNA testing and their collaboration with the MSP lab and the Western Michigan University’s Cold Case Program, they were able to reanalyze evidence collected from the crime scene to a private lab and develop new leads.
The new DNA testing results identified 47-year-old Jason Cabello, who had previously been in a relationship with a relative of Jeanette Wilton’s but was not otherwise known to be associated with her. In September 2024, MSP referred the case to the Department of the Attorney General to review for potential criminal charges.
Cabello would have been about 26 years old at the time when Wilton was murdered.
“Through collaborative investigative efforts involving Western Michigan University's Cold Case program and the MSP laboratory, MSP was able to submit reanalyzed evidence to a private lab using a cold case grant to fund the reexamination, which developed new leads for MSP investigators,” said the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
In December 2024 Cabello was charged with one count of First-Degree Premeditated Murder, one count of Felony Murder, and one count of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. All three charges could have resulted in life sentences. Just before his trial was to start in April, Cabello pleaded no contest, avoiding the possibility of life in prison if he was convicted by a jury. He was sentenced on June 15, 2026 in Saginaw County to 23 to 45 years in prison, and upon release, he will be required to register as sex offender for the rest of his life. . "Mr. Cabello hopes this resolution offers closure to the family and the community," said Sara Coaster of the Manley and Manley Law Firm, who represented Mr. Cabello.
How WMU Cold Case Program Students Helped
WMU students from the Cold Case Program assisted detectives from the Third District Cold Case Team in reorganizing the case file and then digitizing it to allow for detailed searches of all digital material. They also helped detectives create an index of people of interest in Jeanette’s murder along with other relevant documents like a timeline of the day of her murder and a site visit to relevant areas.
Selected Media Coverage:
Michigan Department of Attorney General: Saginaw man charged for 2003 cold-case murder of woman found in Flint River
ABC12 News: Saginaw County man pleads no contest to 2003 Birch Run homicide
ABC12 News: Saginaw County cold case homicide suspect wants to withdraw plea
Mid-Michigan Now: New DNA technology and student efforts lead to arrest in 2003 Saginaw murder case
ClickOn Detroit: Man charged with murder 21 years after woman strangled, stabbed, and found dead in Flint River
News Channel 3: WMU Cold Case Program helps solve another murder with Michigan State Police