Could key ring unlock the cold case murder of woman who was stabbed to death on her 21st birthday in 1981?

  • Tracey Neilson found stabbed to death in her apartment in January 1981 
  • Her death more than 30 years ago still remains unsolved by the police 
  • Police believe the killer took a key ring from Mrs Neilson when she died 
  • Have released sketch of  key ring which spelled 'Tracey' in capital letters 

Investigators have released a sketch of a tortoise-shell key ring hoping it will help solve the murder of a student who was stabbed to death more than 30 years ago.

Tracey Neilson was found dead by her husband Jeff on her 21st birthday in January 1981 in their apartment in Moore, Oklahoma.

Over 1,500 leads were pursued by authorities as part of the 34-year investigation into the young woman's murder but the case remains unsolved. 

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Evidence: Police have released a sketch of a key ring owned by Mrs Neilson, which went missing. Investigators believe it may have been taken by the killer

Evidence: Police have released a sketch of a key ring owned by Mrs Neilson, which went missing. Investigators believe it may have been taken by the killer

Victim: Tracey Neilson, pictured, was 21 years old and studying at the University of Oklahoma when she was stabbed to death

Victim: Tracey Neilson, pictured, was 21 years old and studying at the University of Oklahoma when she was stabbed to death

Now the Oklahoma State Bureau of Identification has revealed that they believe a small key ring bearing Tracey's name was taken by the killer as it went missing at the time of her death.

At a press conference, police issued a sketch of the the key ring, which measured one inch wide by four inches long, with Tracey in block capital letters, in the hope it will lead them to the culprit.

OSBI director, Stan Florence said: 'In our experience, killers sometimes take items from their victims. So we believe that the killer very likely took this key ring and also may very well still have it.'

Dr Neilson, her husband who discovered her dead, also made an emotional appeal for information at the press conference.

He told News 9: 'With Tracey's death, there is a huge emotional burden that placed on the family, extended family and everyone her life touched.

'We ask anyone that has any information that would be helpful to come forward. We plead and we beg for that.'

The sketch comes after investigators also released a mysterious ticket receipt signed with three initials as evidence in a 1981 murder earlier this year.

The cable ticket assignment book shows that the last home to be worked on was the one where Mrs Neilson lived, with the work carried out on the morning of her murder.

A newly-released cable ticket receipt from that day shows work was completed at Tracey Neilson's apartment on the day of the slaying
A newly-released cable ticket receipt from that day shows work was completed at Tracey Neilson's apartment on the day of the slaying

Investigation: A cable ticket receipt from that day shows work was completed at Mrs Neilson's apartment on the day of her death

Police are also trying to trace who signed the book with their initials.

Investigators believe that Mrs Neilson ran errands on the day of her death on January 5, 1981 before returning to her apartment in Jamestown Square at around noon.

Family and friends attempted to call her to wish her 'Happy Birthday' but the calls went unanswered.

The body of Mrs Neilson, a student at Oklahoma University was later discovered by her husband at 5pm. The couple had only been married for five months.

Though a single fingerprint was recovered by investigators, authorities have not yet found a match.

The OSBI noted that Dr Neilson's family was part of a campaign to establish an Automated Fingerprint Identification System in Oklahoma.

OSBI said that a cold case initiative was launched earlier this year, and that it has already completed new DNA testing on some of the evidence.

There is an $11,000 information award available, and that tips can be submitted through dialing 1-800-522-8017.

 

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