Initially convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1994 murder of a woman in Forestville, Maryland, Watson's DNA was later matched to three additional killings in Anne Arundel County committed years before.
Unlike the previous victims, Haenel was not sexually assaulted, so seminal fluid could not be collected, but the killer's DNA was still obtained via an unsmoked Newport-brand cigarette found close to the body, which had traces of Lisa's blood on the burn end and saliva from the murderer at the other.
[5] He was arrested as a suspect not long after, as he worked in the same office plaza, pleading guilty to first-degree murder at his trial, blaming his addiction to crack cocaine for the brutal crime.
Using the advancements in DNA technology, the evidence collected for the three crime scenes was entered into CODIS, and in due time, the samples linked back to Watson.
[3] He was sentenced to four additional life imprisonment terms, to be served concurrently with his previous one, and he was moved to the North Branch Correctional Institution, where he remains incarcerated.