The Prosecution of Cold Case Homicides

On May 7, 1977, 15-year-old Penny Parker went out to collect money for her paper route with the Sacramento Bee newspaper. She never returned home. Two days later, Penny’s body was found in a rural field in Sacramento County. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. For 25 years, her murder remained unsolved despite diligent and persistent efforts of law enforcement to find her killer while Penny’s family waited for justice. Finally, in 2002, as a result of Sacramento County’s Cold Case Prosecution Program, Penny’s murderer was identified and charged with her murder ( Figure 8.1) .