Suspect in 1988 cold case remains out on bail

July 22, 2019 12:38 pm

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@APittsABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – The man accused of killing a 10-year-old Pawtucket girl in 1988 remains a free man.

Joao Monteiro, 59, posted bail Friday after being arrested by Pawtucket Police on Thursday. Detectives say his DNA matched blood found on the pants of 10-year-old Christine Cole.

Cole went missing in January of 1988 after going to a Pawtucket market to pick up a few items. Over a month later, her body was found washed up on a Warwick beach.

Cole’s murder was a mystery for 31 years until Pawtucket Police Detective Susan Cormier reopened the case last August.

“There was no relationship as far as we can show,” Cormier said Thursday. “He was a stranger.”

Monteiro appeared in 6th District Court Monday morning for a bail review. He signed a waiver of extradition. His attorney, William Devine, said it’s for Monteiro to visit family in Massachusetts. Devine said he assumes it’s for financial reasons, as he doesn’t believe Monteiro has a job to go back to.

“I think he’s in shock. It’s been a tough 72 hours for him.”

Devine said Monteiro denies being involved in Cole’s murder. Pawtucket Police said Monteiro once lived above the market where Cole was last seen.

“What they did find or allege to have found, was that there was a Y chromosome that would attach to any male in that lineage, and that’s what they have,” said Devine.

Prosecutors said they couldn’t push to hold Monteiro on bail due to the evidence presented to them.

Kristy DosReis, spokesperson for Attorney General Peter Neronha, sent the following statement to ABC6:

“Based upon its continuing review of the evidence in this case, the State today concluded that it could not reasonably press its request that the defendant be held without bail. The investigation will continue and it is the State’s intention to present this matter to a grand jury.”