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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6636289.htmlThe day before Thanksgiving in 1996, Kristen Lea Wilson stopped by the grocery store on her way from work to pick up some items for the family holiday dinner.
When she arrived at her southwest Houston apartment, she put away her groceries and then went to her bedroom to change clothes. That's when an intruder, waiting in the darkness, ambushed and strangled her.
Like many killings from years gone by, the crime has faded from the public's memory. But at least one day of the year we are asked not to forget these tragedies.
Today, nearly 13 years after her slaying, Wilson's family will join thousands of people across the country in observing National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.
In Houston, families who have lost loved ones to violence will display the victims' empty shoes at City Hall as part of an event sponsored by two local chapters of the national Parents of Murdered Children organization.
The day of observance, declared by Congress in 2007, not only honors victims but also provides support for family members and promotes awareness about violence. It's also an opportunity to bring attention to unsolved murder cases like Wilson's.
“The only way to solve a case is to keep it in the public eye,” said Nancy Ruhe, executive director of the National Parents of Murdered Children, the group based in Ohio that lobbied for the national day. “This gives families hope.”
Last year, 16,272 murders were reported nationwide, according to the FBI. The same records show that Houston had 294 murders in 2008.
Crime Stoppers of Houston this week highlighted five unsolved murder cold cases, including Wilson's, in recognition of the local observance.
‘I want to know why'
Kimberly Edwards has been waiting a long time for someone to come forward with information about the killing of Wilson, her younger sister.
“I want to know why this happened,” Edwards said.
Wilson, 29, had just started a secretarial business and was preparing to move to a safer neighborhood when she was killed Nov. 27, 1996.
Wilson's parents went to check on her the next day because she did not show up for Thanksgiving dinner at her grandmother's house and they could not reach her. They found her door unlocked and no signs of forced entry. They discovered her body, nude from the waist down.
Police believe Wilson fought her attacker, who may have raped her.
Houston police Detective C.P. “Abbey” Abbondandolo, who took over the case a few months after Wilson's death, described the slaying as “a nighmare scenario” because she was attacked in her home. He said it's a difficult case but he's optimistic he will solve it.
Topic: Kristen Lea Wilson - November 1996 - SW Houston (Read 470 times)
