CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Unified Police make arrest in 2010 killing of Sherry Black
Oct 10, 2020, 3:21 PM | Updated: 5:12 pm
FILE: A photo of Sherry Black and her first granddaughter taken in 1990 sits on a shelf in B&B Billiards and Books in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 28, 2011. Black was brutally murdered in her bookstore in 2010. Photo credit: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — A suspect is under arrest in the 2010 death of Sherry Black, the mother-in-law of former Utah Jazz CEO Greg Miller.
In a statement, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera says the arrest was made by Unified Police (UPD), and that the case will be screened with the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office early next week.
Rivera identified the suspect as 29-year-old Adam Durborow, who was reportedly arrested without incident at his Orem home on Saturday by Unified Police Department officers.
Rivera was not at liberty to reveal any other details, including how Durborow was identified as a suspect, if a tip from the public lead to Durborow, or if DNA played a role in the arrest.
Background
Suspect in the Sherry Black homicide, 29-year-old Adam Durborrow. Photo credit: SLCO Sheriff
On Nov. 5, 2010, Sherry Black was found beaten and stabbed to death inside her business, B&W
This DNA phenotype shows what the killer of Sherry Black might look like.
Billiards and Books, at 3466 S. 700 E. in South Salt Lake.
Rivera says that, at that time, the South Salt Lake Police Department (SSLPD) began a homicide investigation. A motive was never discovered.
In 2013, SSLPD sought the help of UPD’s Cold Case Unit and UPD became the lead investigating agency 2018.
In 2017, Parabon Nanaolabs provided a composite sketch of a suspect. Using DNA found at the scene of Black’s death, the lab conducted Snapshot Forensic DNA phenotyping which it “accurately predicts genetic ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling, and face shape from any ethnic background, even individuals with mixed ancestry,” the lab says on its website,
Also in 2017, the Black’s family members added to a reward for information, increasing the total to $250,000.
“The diligent work of the detectives from both agencies over the last ten years has resulted in today’s arrest,” said Sheriff Rivera in a statement on Saturday.
“I want to thank the detectives, investigators, and many others from UPD, SSLPD, DA, the Utah Crime Lab, and Parabon Nanolabs for working together in common pursuit of justice for the Black family.”
The investigation into Black’s death remains an open and active investigation according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s office. Rivera did not provide details about the person arrested in the case.
