CHARLOTTE — Police made an arrest in the death of Kim Thomas, 32, a mother who was killed in her Cotswold home on July 2, 1990, Channel 9 learned from police sources and Thomas’ family.
Police arrested Marion Gales, is someone who has been on CMPD’s radar the entire time, sources said.
He was a handyman who had been suspected of committing the crime for decades.
Thomas’ husband, Dr. Ed Friedland, found his wife’s nearly dismembered body on the floor.
He was charged with the crime but that was dismissed.
#BREAKING: Sources tell me & Glenn Counts that a suspect has been arrested in the 35-year-old cold case of Kim Thomas. She was found nearly dismembered in her Cotswold home in 1990.
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) February 19, 2026
Family tells us Marion Gales, the handyman, has been charged. @wsoctv
https://t.co/Nj5j8ynBch
Gales spent 20 years in prison on an unrelated manslaughter charge and was released in March 2025.
New DNA testing last year found that Gales’ genetic profile matched pubic hairs recovered from Thomas’ body, and DNA on a rug also aligned with his.
When that new evidence came out, Channel 9’s Glenn Counts spoke with Gales, who stood firm, denying his involvement.
CMPD is planning a 1 p.m. news conference, which will provide more details. You can watch it online and on air.
No additional details have been made available.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News starting at 5 p.m. for updates.
COLD CASE: DNA evidence points to possible suspect in Charlotte woman’s 1990 killing
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