“Tracey’s killer is still out there. Someone knows something, and we are begging them to come forward with information. Our family deserves closure and the person responsible for this heinous crime needs to be brought to justice.” — Family of Tracey Kirkpatrick
Tracey Kirkpatrick was a 17-year-old high school senior who was brutally murdered on March 15, 1989, while working alone at Aileen Ladies Sportswear, a clothing store located in the Westview Shopping Center in Frederick, MD.
The exact details of the murder are unknown, but Kirkpatrick was found dead by a local security guard who entered the store around 10:30 a.m. that day. Kirkpatrick had been brutally stabbed to death and she was lying in a pool of blood.
The police launched an investigation, but despite extensive efforts, no one has been charged with the crime to this day, making it one of the most infamous unsolved murders in the St. Louis area.
Seeking Answers
Tracey Kirkpatrick’s family was devastated by her murder and has been vocal about their desire for justice for her. In the years since her death, they have spoken out to the media and in public forums to raise awareness about the case and to appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
“It’s an open wound. You don’t ever get over it.” — Joan Kirkpatrick, Tracey’s mother
In an interview with KMOV, a St. Louis news station, Joan Kirkpatrick stated that she believes that someone out there knows what happened to her daughter, and she is determined to find out the truth. She has also expressed her hope that one day, justice will be served for Tracey and her family.
“Someone may have information that they didn’t think was important 30 years ago, but now it may be that missing piece to the puzzle.” — St. Louis County Police Detective Sergeant Dan O’Halloran
The case of Tracey Kirkpatrick was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” in 1991, as part of the show’s efforts to help solve unsolved crimes. The episode highlighted the details of the case and interviewed family members and law enforcement officials involved in the investigation.
Suspects
Over the years, several suspects have been considered, including a co-worker of Kirkpatrick’s who had a history of violence, a man who was seen in the store the day before the murder, and a man who had committed similar crimes in the area. However, no concrete evidence linking any of them to the crime has ever been found.
A former coworker of Kirkpatrick’s, who had a history of violence and was fired from the store shortly before the murder, was investigated as a possible suspect. However, there was not enough evidence to charge him.
A man seen in the store the day before the murder: According to a news report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a man was seen in the store the day before the murder, acting suspiciously and asking questions about the security system. He was investigated as a possible suspect, but there was not enough evidence to charge him.
DNA Possibilities
In 2019, the St. Louis County Police Department announced that they had submitted DNA evidence found at the crime scene to a genealogy website in an effort to identify a suspect. The hope was that the genetic genealogy technique could help to identify a suspect by comparing the DNA found at the crime scene to the DNA profiles of individuals who had voluntarily submitted their DNA to the genealogy database.
However, as of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Tracey Kirkpatrick. The police have not released any additional information about the results of the DNA testing or any potential suspects that may have been identified through this method.
“It’s a really good case for the new genetic genealogy technology.” — Colleen Fitzpatrick, a forensic genealogist who has worked on other cold cases
The case remains open, and the police continue to investigate any new leads that may come to light. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the St. Louis County Police Department.
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