The 20-year-old daughter visiting Central New York walked out of party to get fresh air and was found dead days later in a cornfield.
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of her daughter’s slaying, Phyllis O’Connell today made an emotional public appeal to help solve the murder.
“I really want some closure. If anybody has some information….They have no idea what it’s like to lose a child. It’s the most devastating thing in the world,’’ O’Connell said.
Her daughter, Kristin O’Connell, 20, of Minnesota, was fatally stabbed and her throat was slashed after she left a friend’s house to take a walk about 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 14, 1985. Her nude body was found two days later in a cornfield off county Route 139, about a quarter mile from her friend’s house, in the Seneca County town of Ovid.
View full sizeKristin M. O'Connell was 20 years old when she was murdered near Ovid in August 1985. She left a party to get some fresh air and was never seen alive again. Her body was found two days later in a nearby cornfield.Phyllis O’Connell, who lives in Minnesota, asked for the public’s help at a news conference at the Waterloo state police barracks. At the conference, county District Attorney Barry Porsch announced his office is offering a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of Kristin O’Connell’s killer(s).
Porsch said state police work on the case nearly every day. “We feel this reward will lead to making an arrest in this case,’’ Porsch said.
Tape of call to dispatcher
Anonymous telephone call received by Trooper D. C. Reyer on the 800 telephone line at SP Auburn on 8/23/85 at 11:10 AM regarding Kristin O'Connell homicide investigation:(TPR. REYER): State Police, Trooper Reyer.
(CALLER): Hello.
(TPR. REYER): Hi.
(CALLER): Is this the State Police in Ovid?
(TPR. REYER): Yes, it is.
(CALLER): Listen to me, all right.
(TPR. REYER): Yep.
(CALLER): And, ah, don't interrupt me. Do you want the guy that killed that guy, or ah, that girl?
(TPR. REYER): Go ahead.
(CALLER): You look at, ah, ah, behind the Chevy, the green Chevy on, ah, Main Street in Waterloo and you'll find him. And if you open the trunk, if you open the trunk, you'll find what you want.
(TPR. REYER): Okay. A green Chevy on Main Street.
(CALLER): In Waterloo, and if you open the trunk. I'm getting out of town because I told him not to do it. I told him not to do it. I'm getting out of town.
(TPR. REYER): But wait a minute now. Okay, green Chevy.
(CALLER): (Hung up)
You can reach Scott Rapp at srapp@syracuse.com or 289-4839.
