CLAYTON, Mo. — Thirteen years after Sedley Alley was executed for a 1985 murder in Millington, his daughter is seeking DNA evidence testing of a Missouri murder suspect with ties to the same area.
Thomas Bruce took an avionics course in Millington, Tennessee, around the time that Suzanne Collins, a 19-year-old Marine, was killed in Millington, according to attorneys representing Alley’s daughter.
Bruce is jailed in St. Louis County, accused of sexually assaulting two women and killing a third in a Catholic Supply store in November.
Alley was convicted of savagely assaulting and killing Collins in July of 1985 at the Naval Air Station in Millington. Earlier this year, his daughter April began pushing for DNA results, which could be found on the victim’s clothing, in hopes it could clear his name.
Innocence Project co-founder Barry Scheck told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Missouri authorities say Bruce matches a vague suspect description distributed by police.
Scheck argued Monday that she should be allowed to petition for new DNA testing on behalf of her father’s estate.
Bruce’s attorney declined comment.
