WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Polk County sheriff’s detectives said Monday that they have figured out who killed a 29-year-old Lakeland woman in 1986.
Teresa Lee Scalf, a nurse at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, was killed 37 years ago on Oct. 27, 1986.
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The sheriff’s office said Scalf’s mother, Betsy, found her daughter dead in the victim’s apartment. Scalf’s throat was cut and she had defensive wounds on her hands, deputies said.
The sheriff’s office said innovative DNA technology helped solve the case, leading deputies to Donald Douglas, an electrician who died from natural causes at the age of 54.
“If it weren’t for modern science, we would never know how in the world and who in the world murdered this beautiful registered nurse (who) worked in a trauma unit, saving lives, making people better and died that fateful night,” Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Judd said Douglas was 33 at the time and lived near Scalf. Detectives believed Douglas may have been interested in Scalf sexually, but she rejected her. Deputies talked to him when they were canvassed neighborhoods but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Douglas had never been arrested for any crime, Judd said.
“Certainly the suspect is deceased,” Judd said. “But my prayer is that he was in mental prison for what he did his entire life.”
Judd said detectives used blood evidence from the suspect and genealogy DNA practices to solve the case. Judd said Douglas’ son provided DNA to help them link Douglas to the case.
Members of Scalf’s family attended the news conference. Scalf’s sister, Pam, said she worked in health care because Scalf became a nurse.
“She went to nursing school where she got her RN and was so proud,” Pam said. “I’ve never seen anyone more proud. She said ‘I did it.’”
Scalf’s mother was also at the news conference.
“I want to say I’m 84 years old. I lived to see this done. I think that’s why I lived so long,” Betty said.
Pam said the family does not want Douglas’ family vilified for “the sins of the father,” and thanked Douglas’ son for cooperating with the sheriff’s office.
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