Man arrested in 22-year-old murder

YOUNGSTOWN — The rape and strangulation death of a Youngstown State University coed found floating in the river in December 1985 has been cracked by DNA, a city prosecutor says.

Bennie Adams, 50, of Hollywood Avenue was arrested early this morning on his way home from work in Struthers, said City Prosecutor Jay Macejko. At arraignment in municipal court, bond was set at $1.75 million.

A trapper checking traps along the Mahoning Avenue river discovered the body of Gina Tenney floating near the West Avenue bridge on Dec. 30, 1985, Macejko said. The young woman lived in an apartment above Adams on Ohio Avenue.

The case was originally investigated by Detective William Blanchard and Detective Sgt. Joe DeMatteo, a patrolman at the time. DeMatteo is now head of the bomb squad.

Macejko said blood samples were taken at the time of the murder and a new DNA sample from Adams was taken today. The prosecutor said he’s confident it will prove Adams committed the crime.