Saturday, December 13, 2008

Staunton murder mystery solved 42 years later ...

She was 18 years old in 1967 when her co-workers, a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old who were sisters-in-law, were gunned down at the Highs Ice Cream shop on N. Augusta Street in Staunton ... both shot in the head. The murder remained a mystery for 42 years.

Until this week.

Now 60 years old and dying from kidney and heart failure, Sharron Diane Crawford Smith has been charged with murder. A motive was not given but police said they had a motive and it was not robbery of the $138 that was stolen from the store that night.

Several times over the years the case has been reopened to investigate possible new leads only to go nowhere.

Now it looks as if the case can finally be closed.

More information and background into this story:

-- Wayneboro News Virginian: Closure
-- Waynesboro News Virginian: Police to speak on '67 murder
-- Waynesboro News Virginian: Families of '67 murder victims describe years of waiting
-- Staunton News Leader: Smith charges in '67 slayings

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally, closure for the family on case that has been well known in the area.

Lynn R. Mitchell said...

I agree.