Man charged in Baltimore cold case 40 years after woman’s body found in Druid Hill Park

Nearly 40 years after a 23-year-old woman was killed in Druid Hill Park, authorities are bringing charges against the man they allege is responsible.

David Williams, 67, was charged with first-degree murder and several other offenses earlier this month in connection with the fatal shooting of Teresa Ann Houck in October 1986.

“Nearly forty years may have passed, but our commitment to seeking justice for Ms. Houck and her loved ones has never wavered,” Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement Monday.

“What began as an unspeakable act of violence, with evidence of an apparent sexual assault, ultimately provided the critical lead that allowed investigators to identify a suspect and bring this case before the courts.”

Williams didn’t have an attorney listed in online court records, and the public defender’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The clue that helped investigators crack the cold case was DNA evidence of an apparent sexual assault before the killing, according to a news release from the state’s attorney’s office.

Houck, then a dancer at the Pussycat Club in Baltimore, left the venue around 2 a.m. on Oct. 22, 1986, court records show.

Several hours later, her body was discovered in a grassy area of Druid Hill Park with three gunshot wounds to her chest, neck and head, authorities said. She was nude from the waist down, according to court documents.

Her car was found in a parking lot near the intersection of Baltimore and Holiday streets, a short distance from the club, leading police to believe she was transported to the park and killed there.

Forensic evidence collected from Houck’s body was submitted to a lab for analysis. In 2005, scientists identified sperm in the collected swabs. Two years later, that sperm was matched to DNA from a rape and nonfatal shooting in Baltimore County.

It wasn’t until 2025 that the samples were matched to Williams in a forensic database. Police brought Williams in for an interview at the Harford County Sheriff’s Office in May 2026; he was already serving time in a separate murder case.

Court documents show Williams told investigators he had “never had sexual intercourse with a white female and was not in Maryland in 1986.” He denied being involved in Houck’s death. Additional DNA samples taken from him after the 2026 interview matched the DNA profile of sperm found on Houck.

Earlier this year, Williams was found guilty of first-degree murder and five accompanying firearm charges for the June 2025 shooting of his wife, Lillian Williams, in their home in Abingdon. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Williams told investigators that he and his wife were arguing when she approached the door of the bedroom with a handgun. He claimed he tried to take the weapon, which then discharged and struck her, according to court records.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office reported that Williams was not allowed to own a gun because of a 1978 conviction for armed robbery in Baltimore County.

The charges against Williams in the 1986 cold case mark the second time he’s been accused of murder.

“This arrest is a testament to the relentless determination of our law enforcement partners and the advancements in forensic technology that continue to give new hope to families who have waited decades for answers,” Bates said.

Banner reporter Dylan Segelbaum contributed to this story.