Man arrested in connection to killing bank teller during robbery in California in 1997

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Officials on Friday announced that they arrested a man in the deadly stabbing of a woman in Thousand Oaks, California.

>> Read more trending news

In a news release, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said they arrested the man responsible for the robbery of Western Financial Bank that left a bank teller, Monica Leech, 39, dead in 1997.

The suspect was identified as Kevin Ray James, 55, according to the sheriff’s office.

James was arrested following a joint investigation with the sheriff’s office, the Ventura County District Attorney Investigations bureau, and the FBI, according to KABC.

Leech was shot in the back of her head during a robbery on April 28, 1997, according to KTLA.

Two men wearing construction worker gear entered the bank and held it up, the news outlet reported. Leech was handcuffed by one of the men before the shooting. She died at the scene from her injuries.

The two suspects fled the scene in a 1994 Ford Explorer, according to KABC. The car crashed and the two men ran from the area.

The sheriff’s office said that the suspects had around $9,000 in their possession following the shooting, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The case went cold but investigators were able to use DNA that was collected in evidence from the scene to establish DNA profiles. Investigators were still unable to identify either of the suspects, KTLA reported. The FBI offered a $30,000 reward for information in 2021.

It is unclear what role James played in the deadly robbery and no information about the other suspect has been released, KTLA reported.

A news conference is expected to be held on Tuesday, at 10 a.m. PDT, the sheriff’s office said.