Fundraiser increases reward for information in Petty cold case
Attendees buy raffle tickets to support the search for information in the death of Judith Petty. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Judith Petty
Attendees buy raffle tickets to support the search for information in the death of Judith Petty. (Photo by Clara Noelle)
Judith Petty
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PARKERSBURG -- On Saturday, Judith Petty's family held a fundraiser at North End Tavern.
Prior to the event, Petty's family asked for donations they could use as prizes for the fundraiser. Donations were still coming in after it had started.
"People have donated tons of stuff," said Melissa Sandberg, the lead investigator on the case for the Safe Haven cold case investigation team. "People have brought in handmade crafts and coupons. We really had a variety of prizes."
Their goal for the fundraiser was to have more than fifty people come in, which was met. Petty's family raised $1,133 to increase the reward for information in the case; with an estimated dollar per ticket, Petty's family sold around 1,000 tickets. The reward is now estimated to be around $7,000.
Petty disappeared on Feb 6, 2008, and this year marks fifteen years since her death. Her case is still unsolved and it remains unclear on whether or not she was murdered.
Petty was last seen alive near the Parkersburg-Wood County Public Library and her body was found by her father in a burned-out barn on property her family owned in Waverly several days after the blaze.
She was 48 at the time of her death.
Clara Noelle can be reached at intern@newsandsentinel.com