Arizona Man Charged in 1979 Reno Killing Pleads Guilty

UPDATE, June 6, 2023

On May 4th, 2023, Charles Gary Sullivan changed his plea to guilty.

According to the court documents, Sullivan could face between five and fifteen years in the Nevada Department of Corrections.

Sullivan's sentencing is scheduled for June 27th, 2023.

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UPDATE, February 26, 2020

A trial date is now set for the man accused of killing a young woman in Reno 40 years ago.

Charles Gary Sullivan is scheduled to go on trial on January 25, 2021.

Sullivan's DNA was allegedly found on her body, resulting in his arrest in Arizona in August.

His lawyers have argued that his DNA was not on the zip ties and cloth used to tie her up.

They say due to the lack of evidence, the charges against Sullivan should be dropped.

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UPDATE, January 2020:

In a court appearance on Monday, lawyers for Charles Sullivan filed to have the charges against him dropped.

He is accused of killing a young woman in Reno 40 years ago.

The Reno District Court did not make a ruling on Monday.

His lawyers say there was not enough evidence to charge him with the murder of Julia Woodward, who was found dead in Hungry Valley in 1979.

Sullivan's DNA was allegedly found on her body, resulting in his arrest in Arizona in November.

UPDATE, December 2019:

Lawyers for a man accused of killing a young woman in Reno 40 years ago want the charges against him dropped.

His lawyers filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus on Monday, saying there was not enough evidence to charge 73-year-old Charles Sullivan with the murder of Julia Woodward, who was found dead in Hungry Valley in 1979.

Sullivan's DNA was allegedly found on her body, resulting in his arrest in Arizona in August.

His lawyers argue his DNA was not on the zip ties and cloth used to tie her up.

They say due to the lack of evidence, the charges against Sullivan should be dropped.

A hearing for that has not yet been set.

WARNING: The below document may include details that are graphic or disturbing.

Original Story, November 2019:

Prosecutors are tying a 73-year-old Arizona man to two unsolved Reno-area killings in a bid to keep him in jail following his indictment in the bludgeoning death of a California woman more than 40 years ago.

Charles Gary Sullivan's defense attorney, David Houston, didn't argue for his client's release Tuesday after Sullivan pleaded not guilty to murder in the 1979 bludgeoning death of 20-year-old Julia Woodward.

However, Houston says he doesn't believe DNA evidence presented to a grand jury in August ties Sullivan to Woodward's slaying.

That DNA evidence was from Julia Woodward's clothing, and compared to DNA from a crime he was convicted of in 2007. He was convicted of false imprisonment and criminal threats, and had to register as a sex offender. Records indicate that from September 2009 through July of 2012, Sullivan violated his parole on three occasions, and failed to register as a sex offender on three additional occasions.

Sullivan remains jailed without bail pending another hearing in January.

In Nov. 7 court filing, state Attorney General Aaron Ford and prosecutors identified Sullivan a suspect in the killings of two other women in the Reno area: a 23-year-old in 1979 and a 17-year-old in 1978.

Sullivan isn't charged in those cases.

He was arrested in August in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford and Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam issued the following statement after today's initial appearance charging Charles Gary Sullivan with one count of murder for his role in the brutal 1979 murder of Julia Woodward:

"Family and friends never stop mourning the loss of loved ones, just as members of law enforcement will never stop seeking justice on their behalf," said Attorney General Aaron D. Ford. "Julia Woodward's life was brutally cut short 40 years ago, but this passage of time has not made the crimes committed against her any less painful for her loved ones. While securing cold case convictions is complex and challenging, I couldn't be more proud of the prosecutors in my office advancing the cause of justice and promoting public safety. This case has found its way to the courtroom because of relentless efforts by the Washoe County Sheriff's Office to follow leads for the past 40 years. We are grateful for their commitment to seeking justice, no matter how long it might take."

"On behalf of the entire Washoe County Sheriff's Office family, I extend our deepest compassion to Julia Woodward's family for their loss," added Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam. "We can only try to appreciate how difficult these past 40 years have been. We cannot replace the family's loss but we can help them find justice. Their search for justice motivated us throughout this investigation and we pledge to remain by their side as this case moves forward. I would also like to reiterate our appreciation to all the agencies that assisted during this investigation. We would not be here today without the professional support of the Office of the Nevada Attorney General, U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI's Phoenix Office, FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Forensic Services and our own Washoe County Sheriff's Office Forensic Science Division."

"These kinds of horrific crimes have no place in our society," said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. "We’re proud to work with our partners across state lines to use our collective resources in the pursuit of justice. Our DNA team works every day to assist our law enforcement partners in California and beyond to help keep our communities safe. We applaud authorities in Nevada for their steadfast work to bring about a resolution in this case. My office hopes that this arrest will bring a measure of peace to those who have been affected by this senseless violence."

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