Aug 10, 2008 5:23 pm US/Eastern
Investigators Look For Clues In Cold Case Murder
BOWIE, Md. (WJZ) ―
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Detectives hope a high school reunion will lead to clues in the murder of a young woman 35 years ago.
CBS
It's stumped investigators for decades.
A beautiful, young girl was found dead in the woods of Anne Arundel County shortly after her high school graduation.
Weijia Jiang reports authorities went to her class reunion Saturday night to get new leads in the 25-year-old case.
As the Bowie High School class of 1973 celebrates a 35-year reunion at a local hotel, police are conducting an investigation.
That's because it's also been 35 years since their classmate Donna Dustin was found beaten to death off Meyers Station Road.
To this day, her parents wonder who is to blame.
"She's the one who suffers. She's my baby, and I know she was just so scared that night," said her mother Delores Dustin.
Investigators hope they'll soon be able to identify two or more suspects in the early 1970s murder.
Donna's badly beaten body was found along Meyers Station Road near Bowie Race Track.
Investigators said Donna went out on a double date on Nov. 16, 1973. She dropped her date around 1:30 in the morning.
Hunters found Dustin's body the next day, about three miles from her Prince George's County home.
"We want to know who's responsible for Donna's death. We want to know who was there when it happened, and we want to finally give Donna's parents some answers because it's unimaginable them going 35 years without knowing what happened to their daughter," said Captain David Waltemeyer, Anne Arundel County Police.
"You don't lose a friend that tragically without everyone getting involved with this," said friend Debbie Grasso.
Investigators reopened the case on the strength of a tip. They talked one more time with the class of 1973 this weekend, hoping someone will remember a key detail that might bring them closer to an arrest.
"In cold cases, time is a friend. The relationships will change, maturity levels change, they have kids that age, and then guilt sets in," said David Cordle, Anne Arundel State's Attorney's Office.
"You lost hope after awhile. We still hope, but it ain't as strong as it used to be," said Joe Dustin.
Prosecutors are calling this an active investigation.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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