Alan Haskins goes into the cellar where the remains of Judith Petty were found after a fire in February 2008. The American Military University Cold Case Investigations Team from Charles Town, W.Va., also known as the Safe Haven team, was in Parkersburg this past weekend acting on new information. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — New information has brought fresh hope in the investigation into the murder of Judith Petty, a Parkersburg woman whose remains were found after a fire in a farm building more than 15 years ago.

“We’ve actually got two new leads on this case,” said Melissa Sandberg, a member of the American Military University Cold Case Investigations Team from Charles Town, W.Va., also known as the Safe Haven team.

Petty’s remains were found in February 2008 in the cellar of the burned building on a farm owned by her family in Waverly. She was last seen in the area of the Parkersburg & Wood County Public Library, where she was returning books.

Marvin Petty, her father, found the remains several days after the fire.

Cold case investigators have been probing the death since November. Sandberg and Alan Haskins this past weekend were in Parkersburg and went to the crime site based on the information earlier obtained about two people, the new leads in the case, Sandberg said.

Judith Petty

Haskins has a bachelor’s degree in fire science and a master’s in emergency services management and is a National Association of Fire Investigators certified fire and explosion investigator.

“There’s things that he knows to look for,” Sandberg said.

What was found gave more credibility to the new leads and the information has been given to the office of the Wood County Prosecutor, Sandberg said. Doug Sturm, an investigator with the office who is working on the murder, was with the cold case team this past weekend, said Sandberg, who has a bachelor’s in social work with a minor in law enforcement from Western Illinois University and a master’s in social work from the University of Chicago.

The persons of interest still live in the area, she said.

Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said he couldn’t comment on the case, other than say the investigation is ongoing.

“We do continue to work on that case,” he said.

Sturm and Lefebure are the prime points of contact with the prosecutor’s office if anyone has information.

More probing and interviewing have to be done, but it’s an exciting time in the investigation, Sandberg said.

The new information obtained by the cold case team is the first significant development in several years, said Kelly Poiani, Judith Petty’s sister. She is in town until the end of the month, visiting with family while also distributing and posting flyers seeking information on the murder.

“I think this is the strongest lead we have had so far,” Poiani said. “I’m hoping this leads to something good.”

But the investigation is a long way from finished, Poiani said.

“I know they still have a long way to go,” she said.

Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.