More than two decades after Arlene Hall was found strangled inside the basement of her Dayton, Ohio, home, investigators have made a major breakthrough in the long-running homicide investigation. Authorities say newly tested DNA evidence led them to Jesse James Lockley Jr., a 70-year-old man with previous criminal convictions, who was arrested in connection with Hall’s death.
Arlene Hall’s 2003 Death Remained Unsolved
Hall was last known to be alive in March 2003. Her son reported her missing on April 3, and investigators later discovered her body in the basement of her Dayton residence on April 21.
Authorities determined that Hall had died from strangulation and classified the death as a homicide. Despite the investigation, the case eventually became a cold case, with the killing remaining unsolved for years.
Investigators returned to the case in December 2025 and submitted evidence for additional forensic testing, hoping advances in DNA technology could uncover information that had not been available when the crime occurred.
New DNA Testing Points Investigators to Suspect
According to police, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation notified Dayton detectives on July 10, 2026, that DNA belonging to an unidentified male had been detected on clothing Hall was wearing.
Later that month, investigators were informed that the DNA profile matched Jesse James Lockley Jr. Authorities subsequently focused their investigation on Lockley, eventually leading to his arrest on Sept. 15.
Police say Lockley spoke with investigators following his arrest and allegedly made statements they described as incriminating in connection with Hall’s death.
Suspect Held on $1 Million Bond
Lockley was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a murder charge and is being held on a $1 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 25.
State records show that Lockley is registered as a sexually oriented offender under a “Pre-AWA” designation. The status is connected to a 2000 conviction for gross sexual imposition. Prison records also show that he previously served time for offenses including attempted rape, aggravated robbery, robbery and felonious assault.
Dayton Police Chief Eric Henderson credited investigators in the department’s homicide and cold-case units for continuing to pursue the case.
Authorities said the arrest cannot undo the loss suffered by Hall’s family but expressed hope that the development could provide some measure of closure.
Lockley faces allegations in connection with Hall’s death. The charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
