Northern Minnesota man charged in 1987 killing of 83-year-old woman in her apartment

This photo provided by the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office shows 44-year-old Bruce Wayne Cameron, who was arraigned in St. Louis County District Court Thursday, June 4, 2015, on a charge of intentional second-degree murder. Cameron is accused of killing Leona Mary Maslowski, whose body was found in her apartment in the northern Minnesota town of Virginia on Oct. 5, 1987. An autopsy found Maslowski was stabbed, beaten and strangled. (St. Louis County Sheriff's Office via AP) (The Associated Press)

VIRGINIA, Minn. – A man accused of killing an 83-year-old Minnesota woman in 1987 when he was 16 years old told authorities he assaulted her after going into her apartment to steal alcohol, according to a criminal complaint.

A judge set bail at $1 million Thursday for 44-year-old Bruce Wayne Cameron, who was arraigned in St. Louis County District Court on a charge of intentional second-degree murder.

Cameron is accused of killing Leona Mary Maslowski, whose body was found in her apartment in the northern Minnesota town of Virginia on Oct. 5, 1987. An autopsy found Maslowski was stabbed, beaten and strangled.

Cameron told investigators he was at a party above Maslowski's apartment when he went to steal alcohol, according to the complaint. He said he assaulted her after she confronted him, the complaint said. According to authorities, the suspect's fingerprints and palm print were found on a door near Maslowski's body.

Prosecutor Brian Simonson said in court it was a brutal, vicious attack committed against an elderly and vulnerable victim, WDIO-TV of Duluth reported.

Maslowski's family got news of the arrest on Wednesday, son Jim Maslowski said.

"I think most of us, including myself, had come to the conclusion it wouldn't be solved. So it was a surprise, and a relief. Now we are hopeful the criminal justice system will be fair and equitable," he told WDIO.

The charge against Cameron resulted from a cold-case investigation conducted by the Virginia Police Department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Although Cameron was a juvenile when Maslowski was killed, he is charged as an adult. There is no statute of limitations for murder, and the juvenile court lost jurisdiction when he turned 21, County Attorney Mark S. Rubin said in a statement.

Cameron is due back in court June 17. Online court records do not list a defense attorney who could comment on the allegations against him.