In the early hours of October 20, 1990, police in Mountain View responded to a fight and found Darryl O’Donnell suffering from a stab wound.

The 27-year old Milpitas resident was transported to the hospital, but did not survive his injuries.

Leads at the time were scarce, and the homicide case went cold.

Now, more than 30 years later, Sgt. Dave Fisher of the Mountain View Police Department was finally able to make a call to Darryl’s family to let them know a suspect had been identified, and the case had been closed — though there won’t be charges or a trial.

The victim’s sister, Lisa O’Donnell, thanked Mountain View police in a statement for their help in solving the killing.

.“My family, friends and I have lived the past 30 years not knowing who killed him,” she said. “We don’t have to endure the pain and agony of my brother’s death going through a trial. This brings a great sense of closure to me and my loved ones. It’s just amazing to find out this news after 30 years and (we are) so thankful for answered prayers.”

After the killing, witnesses gave police a vague description of the suspect, but it didn’t lead to an arrest. In September of last year, Sgt. Dave Fisher submitted blood evidence from the killing to the county crime lab. A month later, they had a name, linked by DNA evidence.

Officials at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office reviewed the case and the analysis. In late January, they signed off on closing the case, naming Sunnyvale resident John Snowgrass as the official suspect.

Snowgrass died in 2006, more than 15 years after the killing.

When working cold cases “you can’t stop,” Sgt. Fisher said in the release. “It always feels like there is one more chance, one more opportunity, to try and solve a case.

“This is what we work towards every day in this unit. It is always a small comfort to be able to go and tell a family ‘Finally.’ ”

Lisa O’Donnell, the victim’s sister, also recalled her late brother in her statement.

“My brother had a God-given gift of entertaining and talking to people,” she added. “He had a great sense of humor and just loved making people laugh. He just loved life and people loved being a part of his life.”