Jason Winchester, someone who went to high school with Dana, told 5NEWS he was in the military when she disappeared but came back home to attend her funeral.
"I met her my senior year in high school which would have been 1987-1988," Winchester said. "She was a sweetheart. I was in basic training when she went missing. I took emergency leave to come home for the funeral."
"It was hard. I had really liked her. I still have an occasional dream about her where she’s trying to tell me who killed her. It’s very frustrating," Winchester said. "For many years I couldn’t even drive past the area where they found her car without getting a little sad. I’ve heard different rumors and speculations for many years. I honestly don’t have a clue who killed her and it’s sad that they have never been able to make an arrest."
Winchester explains that because of how tight-knit the community was, he was close to the whole Stidham family, making the incident hit harder.
"I became friends with her brother after I came home from the Air Force and my mom worked with her mom at the Walmart Jewelry warehouse," Winchester said. "It was a shock to everyone."
Winchester said he thinks most people have probably given up hope that Dana's murder will be solved.
"I do think most probably have given up. Our population has grown so much from people who have moved here from abroad. So many have never even heard about her."
"So many sad things happened to that whole family," Winchester added. "I still can't believe it's unsolved after all these years."
Dana disappeared on July 25, 1989. Two months later, her body was found in Bella Vista.
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