Man, 29, is arrested for decade-old cold case murder of woman, 64, beaten and stabbed to death in her Utah bookstore after his Armani belt left at scene provides vital DNA evidence

Police have arrested a man in the decade-old cold case murder of Sherry Black in Utah, who was brutally beaten to death in her own bookstore.

On Saturday 29-year-old Adam Durborow of Orem was arrested and booked into Salt Lake County Jail on first-degree felony aggravated murder and aggravated burglary. He is being held without bail.

Sherry Black, 64, was discovered beaten and stabbed to death at her business B&W Billiards and Books at 4366 S. 700 E. in South Salt Lake on November 30, 2010.

The case went cold as the crime scene showed no signs of robbery or a motive.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera refused to offer further details on how Durburow was identified as a suspect in the case during a press conference Saturday.

Police arrested 29-year-old Adam Durborow on Saturday in the decade-old cold case murder of Sherry Black in Utah, who was brutally beaten to death in her own business in November 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera refused to offer further details on how Durburow was identified as a suspect in the case Saturday. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office is anticipated to screen this case on Tuesday where they will release more details

'I do want to say that it’s taken several different individuals, detectives, agencies to be able to come here today, and say we’ve made an arrest,' Rivera said Saturday.

DNA was collected from Durborow on October 7th and submitted to the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services and one day later came back a match with the blood found at the Black crime scene, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The affidavit also says Durborow confessed to the homicide after he was notified of his Miranda rights, according to Deseret News.

He was arrested for shoplifting on September 16, 2010 and theft on January 15, 2011 and was found guilty on both charges. 

Utah law calls for the collection of DNA samples from those conviced of felonies and class A misdemeanors, but shoplifting is a class B misdemeanor and Durborow’s DNA was not collected in those arrests and never became part of the law enforcement database.

Sherry Black was discovered beaten and stabbed to death at her business B&W Billiards and Books at 4366 S. 700 E. in South Salt Lake on November 30, 2010

The scene of the murder pictured above November 30, 2010

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office is anticipated to screen this case on Tuesday where they will release more details.

Investigators have shared little evidence in the case with the public. They said an Armani Exchange men’s belt was found at the scene with a waist measurement of approximately 36-38 inches and a sticker on the back of the buckle with the number '323' and blood that was collected from the scene.

DNA testing determined the blood came from a male and in 2017 investigators released three snapshot composites of what the suspect could have looked like through the DNA phenotyping process using Virginia-based company Parabon-Nanolabs. 

Phenotyping predicts a person’s physical appearance and ancestry using genetic codes including skin color, hair color, eye color and facial structure.

DNA testing determined the blood came from a male and in 2017 investigators released three snapshot composites of what the suspect could have looked like through the DNA phenotyping process using Virginia-based company Parabon-Nanolabs. Those snapshot composites showed what the man may have looked like at ages 25, 38 and 52

Durborow pictured above left and right. The affidavit says Durborow confessed to the homicide after he was notified of his Miranda rights

Those snapshot composites showed what the man may have looked like at ages 25, 38 and 52. It’s not clear of those photos had any role in Durborow’s arrest.

The Unified police agency supported the investigation in 2013 and became the lead investigating agency in 2018.

Black’s family said they were aware of the arrest but would not issue a statement until next week.

Investigators have shared little evidence in the case with the public. They said an Armani Exchange men’s belt was found at the scene with a waist measurement of approximately 36-38 inches

There was a sticker on the back of the buckle with the number '323' and blood that was collected from the scene

Just last November Black’s family fathered to remember her passing and plead for aid in finding her murderer.

Black’s daughter Heidi Miller said: 'I just think it’s important after nine years to keep her in our memory, to think about her, to remember the good times we had with her, and show how much we miss her.'

'I also think it’s important to keep it out there in the public, so anybody that knows anything, has any information about her murder might come forward,' she added.

The family had offered a $100,000 reward for information on the suspect.