Thirteen years after a man was killed in Masontown, Pennsylvania, police have finally charged the suspected murderer. A “pristine” cigarette found at the crime scene led to the arrest of Frank Timothy Campbell Jr, 38, who was charged on Wednesday with the August 2011 murder of 35-year-old Leon Mickens, according to Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele.

The Breakthrough Discovery

Mickens was fatally shot more than a decade ago—but no one had ever been charged in connection to his murder. The cigarette was found “within a couple inches to a foot to the initial blood splatter,” the DA told the Herald-Standard. Court records show he faces counts of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

The Role of DNA Technology

Aubele announced the break in the cold case on July 3, explaining that a combination of a witness’s identification and DNA evidence led to the arrest. Campbell had been a suspect in the cold case since the murder 13 years ago, but The DNA evidence on the cigarette sealed the deal. It puts him right there.

The Victim’s Family Reaction

After Campbell was charged, Destiny Mickens, the victim’s daughter, told CBS News: I feel a lot of emotions now. She added: I’m very blessed, my family is very blessed that this day has finally come.

The Aftermath

A preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled, online records show, but he is currently in state prison on unrelated charges. In the hours and days after Leon Mickens Jr., 35, of Masontown was gunned down near his home during what police believe may have been a drug deal gone bad in 2011, investigators said they received dozens of leads and tips that all began to point in a single direction. Now more than a year removed from the homicide, police said they remain very close to making an arrest and are diligently working on the case to try and bring it to a close.