Dawn Momohara was found dead the morning of March 21, 1977, on the second floor of a building at McKinley High School, in Hawaii's capital, according to the Honolulu Police Department.

Before Dawn Momohara was killed, she got a call from an unknown male and told her mother she was going to a shopping center. That was the last time her mom saw her, police said.

Dawn Momohara, 16, was partially clothed, with an orange cloth tightly wrapped around her neck, police said. She appeared to have been sexually assaulted and strangled.

The last time Dawn Momohara’s mother heard from her daughter, she told her she was going to meet friends at a shopping center in Honolulu. Hours later, after Dawn, 16, didn’t return home that ...

Dawn Momohara, 16, was found dead inside McKinley High School on Monday, March 21, 1977, according to Honolulu police. Photo from Honolulu Police Department ...

Dawn Momohara, 16, was partially clothed, with an orange cloth tightly wrapped around her neck, police said. She appeared to have been sexually assaulted and strangled.

16-year-old Dawn Momohara’s death posed a mystery for nearly five decades until DNA finally cracked the Hawaii case, Honolulu police said.

Dawn Momohara, 16, was found dead inside McKinley High School on Monday, March 21, 1977, according to Honolulu police. Photo from Honolulu Police Department ...

Dawn Momohara, 16, was found dead inside McKinley High School on Monday, March 21, 1977, according to Honolulu police. Photo from Honolulu Police Department ...

Dawn Momohara, 16, was found dead inside McKinley High School on Monday, March 21, 1977, according to Honolulu police. Photo from Honolulu Police Department ...