EVERETT — A man already charged with the murder of an Everett woman from 1984 has been charged with a second cold case from 1980.

Mitchell Gaff was charged in Snohomish County Superior Court on Friday in connection with the death of Susan Vesey, according to an Everett Police Department press release.

On July 12, 1980, Ken Vesey, the victim’s husband, had returned from working a night shift when he found Vesey murdered in her home on Casino Road, the release said. It was the morning after her 21st birthday.

Vesey’s 2-year-old daughter and infant son were found in the residence unharmed.

Law enforcement identified Gaff as a suspect following the discovery of new DNA evidence, the release said.

“Our investigators strive to seek justice for victims of violent crime and hold offenders accountable,” said Everett Police Chief Robert Goetz in the release. “We appreciate Detective Susan Logothetti’s efforts, because of which this suspect can be charged almost 50 years later.”

On Friday, Snohomish County Superior Court prosecutors charged Gaff with aggravated murder and first-degree murder in the Vesey case.

“I am so proud of our Everett Police Department for solving this murder case by utilizing advancements in DNA analysis techniques. Through perseverance, our team will crack the case even decades after the crime is committed,” Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin said in the release. “We honor Susan’s memory as we bring this suspect to justice.”

This comes after law enforcement connected Gaff with a different cold case, the 1984 killing of Judy Weaver, after DNA from a piece of chewed gum became the last piece of DNA evidence investigators needed to potentially solve the case.

On June 1, 1984, Weaver, a bar manager at the Bell-Ness Cafe in Everett, had been working since 6 a.m. when she asked the bartender to call her a cab around 9:30 p.m. due to her being too intoxicated to drive, court documents said. When the taxi hadn’t arrived 20 minutes later, she decided to walk.

En route to her Rucker Avenue apartment, Weaver stopped for ice cream at a Dairy Queen. A witness reported that Weaver appeared to be with a young man at the restaurant. It was the last time anyone saw her alive.

Prosecutors allege Gaff, who was 26 years old at the time, entered Weaver’s apartment to sexually assault and bind her. At some point, Gaff reportedly removed the batteries from the fire alarm and set fire to the apartment.

Sometime after midnight, a witness walking down Rucker Avenue saw smoke billowing from the apartment. He pounded on her door but no one answered.

Initially, firefighters entered through an unlocked back door, but they had to back out due to heavy smoke. Upon re-entry, they discovered the fire was contained to the bedroom, where they found Weaver.

In 2020, investigators took another look at the case using newly available DNA technology. Three years later, investigators received a DNA report from the crime lab stating DNA in the wrist ligatures turned up a match in CODIS: Mitchell Gaff.

Gaff was in CODIS for breaking into the home of two teenage sisters in Everett and raping them the same year Weaver was killed. He was convicted and sentenced in 1985. Prosecutors moved to legally detain Gaff under the state’s sexual predator law.

In 1994 and 2000, juries found Gaff to be a sexually violent predator who could be legally confined to receive treatment. During Gaff’s Sexually Violent Predator trials, he admitted to sexually assaulting numerous others. At one point, Gaff was reportedly attempting to attack up to 30 women a day.

Investigators found the Level 3 sex offender in Olympia, where he lived under a legally changed name, Sam Wise Price, according to The Daily Herald’s previous reporting.

Two years ago, undercover detectives posing as representatives from the gum industry asked Mitchell Gaff to participate in a survey on gum flavors.

In May 2024, prosecutors charged Gaff with aggravated first-degree murder, and days later, he pleaded not guilty at his initial arraignment. In January, prosecutors submitted amended information, charging Gaff with first-degree murder in addition to the previous charge, according to court documents.

At his arraignment on Feb. 3, he pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Gaff is currently in custody in Snohomish County.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com. X: @JennaMillikan