Police identify second suspect in cold case homicide of 16-year-old Pamela Conyers

By Greg Ng

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    MILLERSVILLE, Maryland (WBAL) — Anne Arundel County police and the FBI identified a second suspect in connection with the 1970 killing of a teenager, and investigators want to hear from anyone who knew the suspects.

Pamela Lynn Conyers was a 16-year-old student at Glen Burnie High School who was last seen alive on Oct. 16, 1970, after she drove the family car to run an errand at the Harundale Plaza shopping center in Glen Burnie.

“Pamela Conyers was a vibrant, 16-year-old Anne Arundel County resident,” Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said.

The car was found three days later, and her body was recovered less than 24 hours after that alongside what was then a construction site for Maryland Route 100. Authorities said Pamela was strangled to death.

Investigators said DNA was found on Pamela’s clothing and person and on cigarettes left in the car and was processed in 1996. Forensic genealogy helped link the suspects to the killing, police said.

“When the suspect DNA from the crime scene could not tell us exactly who the suspects were, FBI personnel utilized investigative genetic genealogy to identify the two men responsible for Pam’s death,” said Joe Rothrock, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Baltimore field office.

During a news conference Monday, authorities identified Donald Willard, formerly of Montgomery County, as the second suspect. He died in 2010 at the age of 74.

“If Willard were still alive today, he too would be charged for his role in the death of Pamela Conyers,” Awad said.

Last year, county police identified the first suspect as Forrest Clyde Williams III, who died in 2018. He lived in Anne Arundel County and in Virginia.

Both men were hunters, police said.

Willard was described as a handyman who worked with Hoverhill Contracting Co. in White Marsh. Police said he once lived in Pasadena and worked on the construction site near the crime scene.

Investigators do not know whether the two suspects knew each other or Pamela at the time of the teenager’s killing.

Now, investigators are asking the public to come forward with information on the suspects as they piece together parts of the investigation and their possible connection to other crimes.

“We recognize that this announcement has been a long time coming, particularly for Pam’s family and friends,” Awad said. “While we do hope it provides a sense of closure to all who knew and loved her, we know that they still search for answers to what happened to Pam — that’s why we’re continuing to push forward with this investigation.”

“Even though these individuals have since died, it’s not too late to come forward with information, there’s no information that’s too small,” Anne Arundel County police spokesman Justin Mulcahy said.

Police said both men were known to drink at what was the Mountain Bar on Mountain Road in Pasadena. Police ask anyone who may have frequented that bar, or who may have hunted or worked with the two men to come forward.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about Williams and/or Willard or the case to call police at 410-222-4731 or the Anne Arundel County police tip line at 410-222-4700.

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