New details come forward in the case of Paul Girard's unsolved murder from 1988

New details are resurfacing in regards to the murder of Paul Girard on Presque Isle, almost 30 years to the date.

On the morning of September 30, 1988, 34-year old Paul Girard was found dead near Chief Kawbawgam's grave with multiple stab wounds in the back, chest and face.

After hundreds of interviews, Marquette City Police Department was able to narrow down a suspect.

“This was a man who had said he had done it, but when we interviewed him, he asked for an attorney, and since we didn’t have enough information, we did everything we possibly could to bring him to trial, but we weren’t able to develop a case against him," said retired Detective Captain Hank Steede.

Unable to move forward, the unsolved murder sat for 30 years, frustrating those closest to the case.

“I had a picture of Paul Girard in my desk drawer and everyday I would see that and it was like 'I want to find out who did this,'" said Steede.

Now, 30 years later, Detective Sergeant Doug Heslip has that same drive to bring closure to the case by looking at the same suspect.

“They came down to one and that guy is still on the radar since then, other people have been developed and I am trying to systematically eliminate them through science and investigative work," said Heslip.

Because of advances in DNA technology, Heslip has been able to identify that some DNA found from the 1988 crime scene did not belong to Girard.

“We don’t know who it belongs to right now," said Heslip. "Sometime you get a full profile, sometimes you get not such a big profile, and we are working on that.”

Search warrants have been requested and Detective Heslip is currently awaiting information to further the investigation.

"With search warrants comes more questions, so I have to look at that information, analyze it and see where I want to go with the new information I am about to receive hopefully by years end," Heslip said.

Heslip adds that the investigation is in a good place right now, but he can’t promise an arrest will be made.

Marquette Police is still open to hear anyone who has information on the 1988 murder.

“If you think its minor, it might not be minor to me because it might fill in a piece of this big puzzle," said Heslip. "Don’t be afraid to come forth.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Marquette Police Department at 906-228-0400.