PERRY COUNTY, Pa. – More than 16 years after a man was murdered in Perry County, police have enough evidence to charge a suspect — thanks to a cigarette butt.

Investigators lifted DNA off of the cigarette, found at the scene of the murder of adult video store clerk Donald Gosline.

“We believe he was a clerk there, that a robbery was committed,” said District Attorney Chad Chenot. “He happened to be the only person working at the time.”

Police tested the DNA from the cigarette butt. The DNA matched samples collected from Steven Carl Buttolph.

Police arrested and charged Buttolph with the killing.

Police said Steven Carl Buttolph left a Marlboro cigarette in the 104 video store in Liverpool Township.

In 1992, detectives learned Buttolph frequented adult stores, including an adult world in Dauphin County.

An employee there told police Buttolph often smoked Marlboro reds.

“It’s great that we can go back and find DNA,” said Trooper Karl Schmidhamer. “DNA has been invaluable to us at this point.”

Police arrested Buttolph in 1995, but his wife refused to testify against him.

“It’s always good when we can make an arrest and move a case forward, as opposed to just sitting back and knowing who committed the crime,” said Chenot. “Now we can prove it in court.”