Tacoma police release composite sketches of suspects in 1986 murders of two young girls

TACOMA -- Investigators are doing something unusual as they look into two cold cases in Tacoma. They're treating the murders of two children 30 years ago as if they just happened.

In 1986, two young girls from Tacoma were sexually assaulted and murdered. 12-year-old Michella Welch and 13-year-old Jenny Bastian were killed just five months apart.

Tacoma police are activating their Child Abduction Response team (CART), a joint effort by Tacoma Police, Pierce county Department of Emergency Management and the FBI.

It's an effort to generate fresh tips in the case that could lead to an arrest.

Police also now believe that, despite the similarities in the two crimes, they were not committed by the same person.

DNA evidence shows they are now looking for two suspects.