PARKERSBURG - Four years since the death of a woman whose remains were found in the burned-out runs of her family's unoccupied farm, the family continues to plead for information surrounding her death.
Reported missing three days earlier, 48-year-old Judith Petty's remains were found Feb. 10, 2008, in a burned-out building of an empty Waverly farm owned by her father, Marvin Petty.
"It has been a cry for help for four years, four painful years waiting for the predators to be caught," said her sister Kelly Poiani. "Waiting to put the pieces of our minds back together."
Poiani said the family hasn't had any answers since her sister's death and they are asking the public for help, hoping someone knows something and comes forward.
"We fear someone is shielding (Judy's) murder and that the killer could strike again,"she said. "We are being tormented by this horrendous event and fear people who could lead the police to the killer or killers have not come forward and help finally put an end to our nightmare."
The Petty family, which includes the victim's parents and four sisters, believe the original investigation of the fire and Judith Petty's disappearance was not performed properly. The family said they asked investigators to treat their loved one's disappearance and death as a homicide from day one.
"We asked them to take photos and to look for evidence, even before her body was found," Poiani said. "They wouldn't do it and because of that we have a lot of anger and frustrations."
In 2009, Wood County Sheriff Jeff Sandy was elected to office and picked up the cold case file on Judith Petty's death and considered it a homicide.
"Unfortunately, there is little for the sheriff's office to work with," Poiani said.
Poiani said she and her family are grateful for the work the department is now doing, but the family wants answers that the officers do not have.
Previously, Sandy said there was very little of Judith Petty's remains left for investigators to work with and the cause of death has yet to be determined, which is part of the reason it took so long to rule her death a homicide.
The investigation was also hampered when it was discovered the state medical examiner's office mistakenly released some of Petty's remains to the family of two Jackson County children who perished in a house fire.
On February 6, 2008, Judith Petty was last seen walking from her north Parkersburg home to return books to the Parkersburg/Wood County Public Library.
"This is one of the hardest tasks we have ever taken on in our lives," Poiani said. "Not knowing who murdered my sister as well as destroying my parents' farm.
"All of this takes a mental, physical and emotional toll on even the strongest person and we know there has to be someone out there... that knows who this person or persons are."
Poiani pleaded for those people to come forward and call the sheriff's office to turn the criminals into the authorities.
"If this was your family member, you would want someone to come forward and help solve this case," she added. "Please help end our family's torment."
Poiani said getting information about her sister's death will not only help her family, but other families who have had similar losses.
"If we don't get the bad guys off the streets, other families will suffer like we have and I don't want that - we don't want anyone else to feel the way we have," she said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Wood County Sheriff's Office at 304-424-1834.
