Victim Michael Thomas, 37, the brother of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas (above), was killed between Aug. 13 and Aug. 16, 1981. Sixty one-year-old Michael Anthony Locklin has been charged with his murder. (file photo)

A 61-year-old man has been charged in the cold case murder of an insurance adjustor killed during a robbery at his South Los Angeles home in 1981, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney John McKinney of the Major Crimes Division said Michael Anthony Locklin (dob 10/20/55) is charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance allegation of murder in the commission of a robbery.

The defendant is expected to be arraigned on Aug. 21 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.  Case BA459658 was filed on July 31.

Victim Michael Thomas, 37, the brother of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, was killed between Aug. 13 and Aug. 16, 1981.  His body was found at his home in the 4600 block of Santa Barbara Boulevard, now Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, after the victim failed to attend church services and later did not show up for work.

Investigators identified the defendant through DNA evidence, prosecutors said.

If convicted as charged, Locklin faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.  A decision about whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date.

Locklin is being held without bail.  The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.