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Jefferson County DA announces arrest in 1988 murder of Hardin County woman thanks to DNA results

Port Arthur Police and the Texas Rangers assisted in the resolution of the case.

BEAUMONT, Texas — The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office announced an arrest Tuesday in a 30-year-old Southeast Texas murder case thanks to DNA evidence.

Daniel Andrew MacGinnis, 60, of Warren, was arraigned Tuesday morning in the 1988 murder of Patricia Ann Jacobs, of Hardin County, according to the district attorney's office.

MacGinnis' bond has been set at $1 million.

Jacobs went to a meeting at the Silver Spur Tavern in Hardin County on or about October 5, 1988, but never returned home according to a news release from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.

She was reported as a missing person to the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office when her truck was found in the parking lot of the tavern the day after she didn’t return home the release said.

Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

Jacobs body was found in the Neches River in Port Arthur on October 6, 1988, the release said.

Port Arthur Police, Hardin County deputies and the Texas Rangers investigated at the time and after interviewing several witnesses McGinnis was identified as a suspect the release said.

MORE | MacGinnis' Texas sex offender registration

Texas Rangers went to California to interview MacGinnis who denied any involvement or knowledge about Jacobs’ murder.

The investigation, which shows no previous contact between MacGinnis and Jacobs, went cold due to a lack of evidence.

Recently Port Arthur Police and Texas Rangers discovered “items of evidence” and submitted them for DNA testing that wasn’t available in 1988 and were able to develop a DNA profile that matched MacGinnis.

Since the 1988 MacGinnis has become a convicted and registered sex offender.

MacGinnis' Texas sex offender registration page shows that he has been convicted of sexual assault in Texas in 1988, rape by force in California in 1990 and attemped aggravated kidnapping in Texas in 2004.

This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.

From the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office...

In conjunction with the Port Arthur Police Department and the Texas Rangers, District Attorney Bob Wortham announces the arrest of Daniel Andrew MacGinnis for the 1988 murder of Patricia Ann Jacobs.

On or about October 05, 1988, Jacobs failed to return home from a meeting at the Silver Spur tavern in Hardin County.

The next morning her truck was found still parked in the parking lot at the Silver Spur, and she was reported as a missing person to the Hardin County Sheriff's Office. 

October 6, her lifeless body was found in the Neches River in Port Arthur. 

An autopsy revealed that she died as a result of drowning, and had sustained trauma to her head and face. The manner of death was listed as "probable homicide."

An intense investigation was conducted at that time by the Texas Rangers, the Hardin County Sheriff's Office, and the Port Arthur Police Department. 

Numerous witnesses were interviewed and MacGinnis was identified as a suspect.

MacGinnis was interviewed in California by Texas Rangers, and denied any knowledge or involvement.

The investigation revealed no previous contact between Jacobs and MacGinnis. The investigation languished for lack of evidence.

In recent months, the Texas Rangers and Port Arthur Police Department discovered items of evidence that were subjected to DNA testing that was not available in 1988. 

The Texas DPS Crime Lab developed a DNA profile which ultimately matched MacGinnis, who had become a convicted and registered sex offender. 

An arrest warrant for MacGinnis was obtained and he is now in the Jefferson County Jail under a $1,000,000 bond.

Under the leadership of Chief Tim Duriso, detectives from the Port Arthur Police Department led by Detective Lt. Scott Argo are recognized for outstanding police work in the arrest of MacGinnis and in bringing closure to the family of the victim. Able assistance was provided by the Texas Rangers.

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