Jason Robert Cabello, 48, of Saginaw, pled no contest on April 20 to the murder and sexual assault of Jeanette Wilton in a case dating back to 2003, according to an announcement by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The plea was entered before Judge Manvel Trice III in the 10th Circuit Court in Saginaw County for one count of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Wilton, who was 57 at the time of her death, was found dead in the Flint River near her home on February 22, 2003. An autopsy determined that she died from strangulation and multiple stab wounds to the neck. She also suffered blunt force trauma to her head and face as well as contusions and postmortem abrasions.
Cabello had previously been involved with a relative of Wilton but did not have any other known connection to her. The Michigan State Police Third District Cold Case Team reopened the investigation in 2021 after nearly two decades had passed since Wilton’s death. This decision followed advancements in DNA testing technology that allowed investigators to reexamine evidence collected during the original investigation.
The renewed efforts included collaboration between Western Michigan University’s Cold Case program and the Michigan State Police laboratory. Evidence was sent for analysis using forensic-grade genome sequencing funded by a cold case grant. This process led detectives to develop a DNA profile matching Cabello with material collected at the crime scene in 2003. After this confirmation, authorities referred the case to the Department of Attorney General in September 2024, leading to charges against Cabello three months later.
Attorney General Nessel said, “For more than two decades, Jeanette’s loved ones carried the weight of an unsolved tragedy… Their dedication did not just solve a cold case. It finally brought justice to Jeanette, her family and friends while proving that no passage of time can stand in the way of accountability.” Col. James F. Grady II, director of MSP added: “The breakthrough brought long-awaited answers in a case that had remained unsolved for more than 20 years… The case stands as a powerful example of how advancements in forensic science… continue to transform cold case investigations.”
Cabello is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Trice on June 1.