VA VA - Brandy Barlow, 2, Bedford, 4 Oct 1980

[neverletgo]

Central Virginia's unsolved homicides
Posted: Saturday, August 27, 2011 10:27 PM EST
By Carrie J. Sidener

Snipped:

Brandy Ann Barlow, Feb. 22, 1981

Brandy Barlow was playing outside the apartment where she lived with her grandparents at 307 A South St. in Bedford city on Oct. 7, 1980.

Around 2:30 p.m. the 2-year-old took her tricycle inside and went back out to play. That’s the last her family saw of her.

Family, neighbors and investigators searched for days, but it became clear that Brandy had been kidnapped.

Then on Feb. 22, 1981, two people walking along Shiloh Church Road in Bedford County noticed something in a ditch.

It was the badly decomposed remains of Brandy Barlow. The clothing she was wearing the day she disappeared was the only identifier.

To this day, investigators have people of interest in the case but the investigation remains ongoing.

http://www.wsls.com/story/20847880/central-virginias-unsolved-homicides

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.wset.com/story/28191943/justice-for-brandy-sheriff-and-investigator-reflect-on-cold-case

Wells says loitering was pretty common outside the Dutch Inn, but that night they couldn't find Brandy or anyone who had seen her.

"Everybody kind of vanished. It was a good many people around at the onset. After several hours everybody got out of sight," said Wells. “After it began to run into the next day, then that's when they got to the point that their memory from the day before got to be a whole lot less."

In a 1980 interview with WSET Wells said people were reluctant to talk to the police about Brandy's disappearance. Reward money couldn't persuade them. No promise of protection made a difference.

 

[Backwoods]

http://www.wset.com/story/28191943/justice-for-brandy-sheriff-and-investigator-reflect-on-cold-case

From your link:

...Wednesday on ABC 13 News at 6 a cold case investigator and prosecutor share why they are confident they will bring Brandy Barlow's killer to justice, using a tool that was just coming into play in the early 80s ...

Sounds like they have dna. Sure hope so!!

 

[beachlvr0810]

I remember when she went missing...it was only a few days after my daughter's 4th birthday and my heart was just broken for this little girl. Every time I would go to Bedford to shop, I would think of her. I pray they find her killer!

 

[bessie]

Justice for Brandy: Forensic Advancements Moving Cold Case Forward
Posted: Feb 25, 2015 4:51 PM CST
By Angela Hatcher

[...]
"The foresight to preserve evidence, the foresight to collect it, to get it to the laboratory has put us in a position to take advantage as technology evolves and I believe continues to evolve,” said Krantz. "The technology is evolving to where we can use other sources of DNA that were not, even if we had the sample, it wasn't testable. It is now testable."

[...]
"As good as the forensic evidence is, it does not trump good human intelligence. That's why I've just got to keep urging, I need people to come forward,” said Krantz. "I believe we have significantly narrowed the scope of suspects. We have I believe a short list."

[...]
Brandy Barlow has a legacy. Her case inspired the approach Krantz' office takes when crimes are violent or involve children. There is a response team of investigators, prosecutors, and victim witness advocates. They also spend a lot of time on prevention, making safety presentations at schools and to parents, all with the hope that what happened to Brandy will never happen to another child.