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[QUOTE][quote="shadowangel, post: 2474947"][I]Sometimes they speak to us. [/I]
Its a typical [I]Deaths and Funerals[/I] article in a small-town paper. Page 12, column 3. The heart-breaking story it tells is far from typical.
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Ashboro, NC -- Christine Marie Wright, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wright, was found dead Saturday. She had been abducted from from her home in February.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The girl's body was found floating face down in a creek early Saturday night, a little more than two months after she disappeared from the apartment where her parents then lived.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]An autopsy indicated the child was alive when she was thrown in the water.[/SIZE][/FONT]
On the evening of February 12, 1974, Kenneth Wright and his wife Linda put 7 year-old Christine Marie to bed around 9:30. The couple and their four children were living in an apartment in Chester, VA, awaiting the completion of their new home. It was the last time the family would see the blonde-haired, blue-eyed second grader alive.
At 6:30 the next morning, Christine was gone. The apartment was locked, but they found a sliding glass door which led to a patio open. Local police were baffled by the disappearance. Kenneth stated, "We don't know of anything that was troubling her. It may have been something deeper we didn't know about". Mother Linda simply said they had had no trouble with her. A religious family, the father told reporters they were "relying on our faith and belief".
The couple seemed to be trying to reason why Christine would run away...As though the idea of Christine being kidnapped was out of the question for them.
The only clue was a report by neighbors that they had seen a stranger in the area around 10:30 the previous night who had been chased off by dogs. The man was described as six feet tall, around 175 pounds, dark-complected with a medium-length beard.
A nation-wide search was initiated. The FBI were reportedly following leads in CT and nearby NC. No substantial leads were developed.
On April 20th, 1974, little Christine's body was found in White Oak Creek near the town of Dinwiddie. LE stated that the killer had to have known the area, as the location where she was found was the widest and deepest section of the creek. She was found about 100 yards downstream of a bridge. Any further upstream and the creek was choked with debris and shrubbery. Christine was still dressed in the pink nightie she had been wearing the night she disappeared. LE stated it was likely she was placed in the stream the night she was kidnapped.
The VA MEs office conducted an autopsy. Little Christine had been sexually assaulted, and was alive when dumped in the creek.
Used, then tossed aside to die.
The investigation into her death went nowhere. Suspects were interviewed, but no new information was discovered.
Two years later, in February of 1976, Christine was exhumed. A second autopsy was conducted by the VA and NC medical examiners. Newspapers speculated that there was a new lead, some new direction in the investigation. Authorities wouldn't reveal the exact reason, but stated that there was "hope there might be new information to come from the exam...(and) provide additional evidence". Her parents weren't even notified of the exhumation, instead they found out about it from relatives in NC.
As it turns out, the reason for the exam was far more mundane. The original ME who had conducted the initial autopsy had passed away. Due to a change in VA law, if Christine's case ever made it to court, the ME's reports would not be sufficient to secure a prosecution. The ME had to testify in person, therefore the new ME conducted an additional autopsy.
No new info was discovered.
I had considered posting this case several times, but hesitated as there wasn't much "sleuthing" to be done. People would read it, think it over, then move on to the next case. However, a few days ago, I was looking up info on something completely unrelated to Christine's death. I clicked a link, and on the screen I read this.
[B][FONT=Arial]Chesterfield cold case homicides[/FONT][/B]
[SIZE=2][FONT=Arial][B]1974:[/B] Nine-year-old Christine Wright was found dead in a creek in Dinwiddie County after disappearing from her apartment on Chestertowne Road.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]I had found the Chesterfield Crime Solvers site without even realizing it. I could only think that Christine wanted us to remember.[/SIZE][/QUOTE][/QUOTE]Just bumping this to see if someone can think of something else to try that we haven't-or maybe come up with some connection or idea we haven't thought of-this case continues to haunt me-I wish Christie could at least have a little justice.
