Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide.
Investigators believe they have solved the murder of a Korean War veteran, 39 years after he died.
Orison James “Jim” Chafin, who was 54-years-old at the time, died in 1987. The Navy veteran’s death came to light when authorities found his body with his throat slit in Resthaven Cemetery in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 9, 1987.
The case went cold after detectives failed to link evidence to any suspect.
But after authorities reopened the case in 2025 following a new tip, they used DNA left on beer bottles and cigarette butts recovered from a scene known as Critters Louge to link them to a suspect, Gary Wayne Billups, who witnesses said was drinking with Chafin at a bar in the area where the victim was last seen.
“For over 39 years, Jim Chafin’s murder went unsolved,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement. “He was a veteran who served his country and he died alone in a cemetery. For a long time, it seemed the person responsible would never be named.
“Today, we can say who was involved in his death. That is possible because Glendale detectives preserved the evidence in 1987 and because our investigators refused to let this case stay cold. No victim in Arizona should be forgotten, no matter how long it takes to find answers.”
No Charges Filed
Billups, 68, denied knowing Chafin though agreed to give a DNA sample to detectives in June. Five days later, he died by suicide.
In August, lab results confirmed Billups’ DNA matched crime scene evidence.
Since Billup died, no charges will be filed in the case.
“We are proud of the detectives who not only worked on this case almost four decades ago, but to those who were most recently involved. This is a prime example of the importance of preserving critical evidence. That meticulous preservation, along with the diligence of our partners with the attorney general’s Office, not only led to this DNA match but also to closure for the families impacted by this case,” the Glendale Police Department said in a statement.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office also said two other individuals investigated in connection with the case have also since died, so could not be contacted.
The Korean War began in 1950 when North Korea, with indirect support from Communist China and the Soviet Union, fought against South Korea—which in turn was supported by the U.S.
The conflict ended 73 years ago in July 1953 and, in total, roughly 5 million soldiers and civilians died.
Since no permanent peace treaty has ever been signed, “the unfinished” or “forgotten” war as many have described still divides Korea today.
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