‘Dateline’ covers 1984 cold case solved decades later through DNA

Ariel Harmer
·2 min read
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An all-new episode of “Dateline,” airing Friday, Jan. 5, will cover the story of Gloria Pointer, a 14-year-old who was killed in 1984 and whose murderer faced justice 29 years later thanks to DNA testing.
An all-new episode of “Dateline,” airing Friday, Jan. 5, will cover the story of Gloria Pointer, a 14-year-old who was killed in 1984 and whose murderer faced justice 29 years later thanks to DNA testing. | NBC

Friday’s all-new episode of “Dateline” will cover the story of Gloria Pointer, a 14-year-old who was killed in 1984 and whose murderer faced justice 29 years later thanks to DNA testing.

Pointer was a star student and loving daughter, according to “Dateline” previews, and was abducted and killed while walking to school one day. Her mother, Yvonne Pointer, began a tireless effort to advocate against violence and support children, and police continuously investigated the crime for years.

In 2013, their work paid off: DNA found on Gloria’s clothing led investigators to the man who killed her.

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Who was Gloria Pointer?

Gloria pointer was 14 years old and a student at Harry E. Davis Junior High School in Cleveland, Ohio, at the time of her death, according to her mother’s official website.

Pointer was an excellent student and was supposed to receive an award for perfect attendance on Dec. 6, 1984, per Dateline. However, she never appeared at school that day, and school officials soon reached out to Pointer’s parents, who called police.

Later that morning, an apartment building custodian found Pointer’s body at the bottom of a stairwell. She had been assaulted and beaten to death, per Cleveland.com.

According to Yvonne Pointer, several witnesses had seen Gloria walking to school and noted a man following her. Although they provided a description of the suspect, police were unable to identify the man, and the case went cold for years.

In 2013, investigators tested the clothing Gloria had been wearing at the time of her death and formed a DNA profile of her killer. The profile was a match for Hernandez Warren, a convicted rapist who had previously served time in prison, per Cleveland.com.

Where is Hernandez Warren now?

Warren was arrested and charged with Pointer’s murder in 2013 and pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and rape in 2014, per ABC 5 Cleveland. He alleged that he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the murder and apologized to Pointer’s family during his court hearing.

Warren was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison, meaning he will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years of the sentence but may spend the rest of his life behind bars. He is currently serving that sentence in the Southeastern Correctional Institution in Ohio, per ComingSoon.net.

How to watch tonight’s ‘Dateline’

Friday’s “Dateline,” “A Promise to Gloria,” will air at 9 p.m. MST on NBC and will be available the next day for streaming on NBC and Peacock.