Story Created:
Nov 7, 2008 at 7:10 PM CST
Story Updated:
Feb 5, 2009 at 3:08 PM CST
We continue or Cold Case series with a look at the first of 39 unsolved murders in Wichita Falls since 1980.
KAUZ is teaming up with Wichita Falls Police to help solve these crimes.
We start by going back 28 years, when a 31 year old Wichita Falls woman was killed. It was the morning of January 13, 1980 when Florence Arteberry was found dead on the city's East Side.
No arrest and no current leads have officers still searching. They may not know who's responsible but police do know the 31 year old's death was no accident. Clues, iincluding footprints found near her body, indicate a struggle. So does the cause of death.
Officers said Florence died from asfixation. Today we caught up with her son Thomas Arterberry. He's currently serving time in jail, but still wanted to talk to us about his mother's death. Thomas said she's known as Florene to friends and family. He says he was with his mom before the murder, but she sent him back home before it actually happened.
Thomas Arterberry said, "I went home, went to bed that night, and my brother came back and told me my mother was dead."
Police say she was last seen alive walking down the 600 block of Flood Street talking to un-known male, but it's what happened after that remains a mystery.
Florence's body was found face up near the Northwest corner of the Washington School Building. Near her, police also found a black ladies wig, and a bra, along with the footprints. Florence's death wasn't just a horrific act, it also affected her four kids including Thomas.
"For my mother being gone I'm just kind of hurt hurt cause my mother was a real sweet lady, she was real sweet." said Thomas.
But the hardest part for Thomas is knowing the killer is not behind bars.
"Police still don't know who did it, but I do." said Thomas Arterberry.
Thomas told us who he believes killed his mother. The information could hinder the case and so we will not release the name. However we did share the information with WFPD. Detectives say Thomas has never told them about the person and they will talk to him about it. They also tell us the person has been on their radar. We will keep you updated if any arrests are made.
11:23 PM d r barnes wrote ...
i remember when florene came up dead. i grew up with her four kids, we all were neighbors and went to school together. their mother will never be forgotten and neither will her four kids: thomas, rayford, eddie and tina. R.I.P. Florene.