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Indiana man arraigned in 1988 killing of 8-year-old girl

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana man charged in the 1988 rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl has been arraigned in her slaying.

An Allen County judge entered a not guilty plea for 59-year-old John D. Miller Thursday morning and assigned him a public defender.

Miller, from Grabill in northeast Indiana, faces murder and child molesting charges in April Tinsley’s death. He’s being held without bond.

Court documents say Miller confessed Sunday to abducting, sexually assaulting and strangling the Fort Wayne girl in April 1988. Her body was found three days later in a ditch about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away.

Investigators say DNA evidence and genealogy databases helped link Miller to April’s killing.

A message seeking comment was left Thursday for Miller’s attorney.