On March 8, 1989, the mother of two drove her children to school, had lunch with a friend and attended two classes at San Jose State University, but then missed an optometry appointment.
Two days later, San Jose police located her Chrysler New Yorker in the short-term parking lot at the airport and found her body in the backseat wrapped in the quilt.
On Friday, officials announced that her husband, 66-year-old Half Moon Bay resident David Zimmer, was arrested and charged with her murder.
Last week David's brother, 69-year-old Santa Clara resident Robert Zimmer, was also arrested on a murder charge for Cathy's death.
The arrests come after the cold case was profiled nationwide, based on a mysterious and colorful quilt that was found covering her body.
David is expected to be arraigned early next week. Robert has been arraigned and is being held without bail. His next court date is April 18.
"When I reinstated the Cold Case Unit to assist county law enforcement with the investigation of unsolved homicides and sexual assaults, it was these kinds of arrests that I had in mind," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. "We do not forget victims, nor do we ever give up on justice."
Officials say the investigation showed that the Zimmers were in the midst of a separation when she was killed. Officials say David profited financially from his wife's death. Within a month of her slaying, he sold their home for more than $225,000 and collected proceeds from two life insurance policies totaling $183,000.
(Bay City News contributed to this report)
