OPERATION COLD CASE SUNDAY MARKS THE HEARTBREAKING REALITY THAT IT’S BEEN 21
YEARS SINCE A LOCAL MOTHER WAS
MURDERED AS REJECTS ANCHOR
ASHLEY HARDING JOINS US LIVE.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: YOU TALK TO
MARY PETERSON’S MOTHER.
PEARSON’S BODY WAS FOUND BY
HER 2 KIDS. CAN YOU EVEN
IMAGINE SUCH A THING? IT’S SO
HEARTBREAKING. YOU GUYS, YOU
KNOW, THE CHILDREN.
>>MELANIE LAWSON: WE’RE 5, 8,
YEARS OLD WHEN THEY DISCOVERED
THEIR MOTHER STRANGLED TO
DEATH INSIDE HER FAMILY HOME
JUST OFF FORT CAROLINE ROAD.
NOW JSO IS QUESTION SEVERAL
PERSONS OF INTEREST OVER THE
YEARS. BUT THE FAMILY IS STILL
WAITING FOR AN ARREST IN
JUSTICE. NOT FOR MARY
PETERSON’S MOTHER. SHE WILL
NOT STOP UNTIL THAT HAPPENS.
>> NEWS 4 JAX WAS THERE FOR
THIS PRESS CONFERENCE IN 2004
WHEN THE FAMILY OF MARY
PETERSON MARKS 2 YEARS SINCE
HER MURDER, HER MOTHER,
FRANCIS FUTURE ROLE FOR
ANSWERS.
♪
ANSWERS. ♪ >> AND SHE
>> FAST FORWARD 2 DECADES
LATER, FUTURAL TOLD ME SHE
NEVER IMAGINED WE’D STILL BE
HERE.
>> ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS.
SHE WAS KIND.
>> CONSIDERATE, HE WONDER COME
SOMEBODY COULD 2 THINGS. 2
WONDERFUL GIRL LIKE THAT. I
JUST CAN’T THINK ARE NOW.
>> HOW HE COULD DO IT TO OR
EXACTLY WHO HE IS HAS NEVER
BEEN DETERMINED.
>> THIS WAS THE SCENE THAT
TERRIBLE MORNING. 21 YEARS AGO
OUTSIDE THE HOME ON OAK
LANDINGS DRIVE.
>> TODAY, A NEW FAMILY LIVES
IN THE HOUSE. ONE THING THAT
HAS NEVER CHANGED HIS FUTURE.
PURSUIT OF JUSTICE WHILE SHE
WAS GOING THROUGH HER DIVORCE,
MARY PETERSON HAD MOVED BACK
IN WITH HER PARENTS. BUT ON
THE DAY SHE WAS MURDERED. SHE
RETURNED BACK TO THE HOME JUST
OFF FORT CAROLINE ROAD TO GRAB
SOME CLOTHES AND A PLAN TO GO
BACK.
>> BUT SHE CHANGED HER MIND
CALLED HER MOM ON THE PHONE
AND SAID THAT SHE WAS GOING TO
STAY TRAGICALLY. IT WAS THE
LAST TIME THE 2 EVER SPOKE.
>> THE LAST SHE SAID WAS I
LOVE YOU TO MY MOTHER. VINCI
TOMORROW. THEY I REGRET COIN
THAT NIGHTS.
>> FUTURAL SAYS EVEN 21 YEARS
LATER, PEOPLE STILL TELLER.
THEY’VE NEVER FORGOTTEN ABOUT
MARY. JUST THIS WEEK FUTURAL
FOUND SOMEONE HAD LEFT FLOWERS
AT HER GRAVE. WELL, SOME DAYS
ARE HARDER THAN OTHERS. IF YOU
TROLL HAS PICTURES OF HER
BELOVED MARY AND A CARE BEAR
FROM THE JUSTICE COALITION
MADE FROM HER CLOTHING
MEMORIES. SHE’LL FOREVER
CHERISH. FUTURAL SAYS NO
MATTER WHAT, SHE’S NOT GIVING
UP HOPE.
>> I’LL NEVER GIVE UP LOOKING
FOR HOPE. AND FOR WISHING FOR.
EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. 21 YEARS
WISHED AND HOPED AND PRAYED
AND LOOK FORWARD.
>> BUT I’M NOT GOING TO GIVE
UP REMEMBERING A BELOVED
MOTHER. 21 YEARS AFTER HER
MURDER.
>> IN HOPES OF ONE DAY SEEING
JUSTICE.
>>MELANIE LAWSON: AND FEW
JEWEL TELLS ME THE LAST TIME
SHE HEARD FROM DETECTIVES IN
THIS CASE WAS LAST YEAR. BUT
AS OF OUR INTERVIEW WEDNESDAY
MORNING, SHE DOESN’T KNOW
WHERE DETECTIVES ARE IN MARY’S
CASE. NOW, POLICE HAVE
INTERVIEWED MANY PEOPLE,
INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS AND
HER HUSBAND. I HAVE REACHED
OUT TO THE JACKSONVILLE
SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR COMMENT.
THEY SAY THERE IS NOT ANY NEW
INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH THE
PUBLIC AND THERE HAVEN’T BEEN
ANY RECENT TIPS. ANYONE WITH
INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2002
MURDER OF 35 YEAR-OLD MARY
PETERSON IS ASKED TO CALL JSO
CRIME STOPPERS, OF COURSE, CAN
BE REACHED AT 8, 6, 6, 8, 4,
5, TIPS.
>>BRUCE HAMILTON: 21 YEARS IS
A LONG TIME AND SOMEBODY OUT
THERE KNOWS SOMETHING, SAW
SOMETHING AND POLICE ARE JUST
LOOKING FOR A SHRED OF
SOMETHING THAT CAN LEAD THEM
TO THE KILLER. WE’RE NOT
MARRIED CHILDREN. DO THEY HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT?
>>MELANIE LAWSON: YOU KNOW,
THAT’S REALLY A SAD THING IN
THIS CRUCIAL TOLD ME THAT THEY
DID IN THE FEW YEARS AFTER
MARY’S MURDER OF THE WALL,
THEY WERE STILL YOUNG CONTACT
BASICALLY STOPPED. NOW SHE
HOPES AND PRAYS ONE DAY THAT
THEY CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP,
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THEY’RE