OLATHE – A 50-year-old Kansas City area man accused in a murder back in June entered a guilty plea Friday in Johnson County District Court to second degree murder.

Gary Dean Holcomb, Sr. entered the plea and sentencing in this case is set for December 1.

The charge stems from an incident that occurred on April 2, 1981, in Leawood, Kansas when Holcomb killed Phillip Whitehead during a burglary.

The arrest was the result of an investigation by the Leawood Police Department and the Johnson County Crime Lab. They initiated a “cold case” review, which lead to charges being filed.