Family hopes new DNA tech will help solve mother’s 2004 murder in Miramar

MIRAMAR, Fla. – Yvonne McCalla was a mother and loving sister.

Her sister Olive Smith remembers her fondly.

“She was fun loving, crazy sometimes. She had a laugh that everybody could recognize,” Smith said.

McCalla was a regular at church. The 37-year-old lived a quiet life.

On June 14, 2004, she was murdered inside her Miramar home. Police described the murder as brutal, and ‘overkill’.

“To think someone would do that was beyond our imagination. Who would do that to her?” Smith said.

Smith recalled trying to get in touch with her sister. She, along with other loved ones, drove to McCalla’s home concerned.

McCalla’s daughter and child’s father were not home at the time of the murder.

Shortly after the gruesome discovery, McCalla’s family spoke to Local 10 News.

“My sister was a wonderful God fearing person, young and full of life,” said Smith. “She has a 12-year-old daughter who needs your help finding her killer.”

Ad

It has been more than 18 years, but the families plea remains the same today.

“I’m hoping somebody out there knows something and is willing to come forward,” Beverly Woolery, McCalla’s sister said.

Miramar Police Detective Mark Moretti is now assigned to the case. He said someone went to the home with intent to kill McCalla. Now evidence is being re-tested in a crime lab.

Moretti is confident the case will be closed using new DNA technology.

“The forensic side always provides us the last piece of the puzzle that we need,” Moretti said.