EDISON — A case that had been cold for almost 20 years resulted today in the indictment of a New Brunswick man on charges of murdering a teenage girl in 1990.

Steve Parkey, 40, faces a possible life sentence with no chance of a parole under an indictment returned by a grand jury, charging him with killing Nikki Adams, 15, a student at New Brunswick High School.

Parkey was indicted on charges of murder, and felony murder in the fatal stabbing in what was then the Colonial Motel on Route 1 in Edison in October 1990.

A Middlesex County grand jury, sitting in New Brunswick, also charged Parkey with committing the murder while sexually assaulting or attempting to sexually assault the girl, and that the slaying involved torture.

If convicted of murder and those additional aggravating factors, Parkey would face a life sentence without possibility of parole.

Parkey was arrested in August following new laboratory tests done on blood samples originally taken from the crime scene. Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas Sewitch has said authorities believe Adams cut her attacker as she tried to fight him off, leading to the blood stains. Adams' body was found Oct. 3, 1990 by a cleaning woman at the motel.

"It was a cold case. The evidence was sent for forensic analysis that wasn’t available at the time of the murder," Sewitch said.

During Parkey’s arraignment last August, Sewitch stated in court the defendant had six felony convictions, including drug offenses and sexual assault, and failing to register under Megan’s Law as a sex offender.

Parkey, also charged with having a knife or other sharp object, is being held on $2 million bail.

Previous coverage:

• New Brunswick man charged in 20-year-old murder case