Justice For Mary London: California Police Reopens 35-Year-Old Murder Case Of A 17-Year-Old Girl, Whose Naked Body Was Found Near Interstate 5

The stabbing death of 17-year-old Mary London of Sacramento, California, whose body was found nude on Interstate 5 with multiple stab wounds, is still a mystery after 35 years, but police officials recently reopened the case, according to FOX 40. On January 14, 1981, London was reported missing after she failed to “show up at a scheduled ride at Sacramento High School,” where she was last seen alive at 3:30 p.m. on the side of the building.

The following morning, the developmentally disabled teen, who was a sophomore in high school, was found dead, laying near San Juan Road just west of I-5 wearing only white socks and one shoe. Homicide detective Dave Schwartz, who is now 86 and was one of the first to be assigned to the case, stated that London was found “stabbed muliple times and brutalized with some type of ammunition, maybe using the handle from the knife.” He went on to say that London, who was living with Foster parents, was “just a target in lots of ways, maybe 2 or 3 different ways she would have died from whatever happened to her.”

Schwartz added that he believes there are people in the community that “may have some good information on the death of Mary London, but weren’t prepared to discuss it. He said he may have an inkling as to who might have killed the California teen, but claims he “wouldn’t have the ability to put it on file because it isn’t fact.”

More than three decades ago, I-5 was not as busy as it is today; in fact, it was considered a “remote farmland,” making it feasible for anyone to dump a body there without being noticed as “There’s no businesses, there’s no homes, there’s nothing but farmland. So anybody missing on these roads at night, it’s very unlikely they’re going to be seen,” says Schwartz.

Sacremento police officials were never able to find the teen’s killer or a motive for that matter, but now that the 35-year-old murder case has reopened, they are in search of a black male by the name of Darrell, who was London’s friend during the time she was found murdered on I-5. He is now believed to be the age of 57 and 58, and although he is not a suspect in the case, police officials believe that if they locate Darrell for questioning, he might be able to help solve the cold case, reported ABC 10.

Retired @SacPolice homicide detectives are helping rework an old lead in the cold case murder of Mary London. @FOX40 pic.twitter.com/fp9jDYDGxK

— Ty Steele (@TySteeleNEWS) February 22, 2016

Although Schwartz and his former partner Dick Forest, 71, are now retired, the pair are currently working closely with investigators to help solve the case. Both retired detectives revisited the area where London’s partially nude body was found with multiple stab wounds after rummaging through photos of the crime scene. And although the landscape on I-5 may have changed and it is now difficult to locate the area where London was found dead, it was reported that they still remember every detail.

It’s been 35 years since the teen was found dead, and police officials have yet to find any leads in the case, but London’s half-sister Esther Schneider remains hopeful that justice will be served for Mary London. She stated that each time they “demonstrated her in the news” throughout the years, she was wishing they had found the one that was responsible for murdering her sister.

When Schneider first learned of London’s death, she said she was stunned and couldn’t “believe that someone had done that to her” young sister. It was reported that she saved every school picture of London, including news clips and says that she will “never let go until her killer is found.”

The Sacramento Police Department is asking those with information regarding Mary London’s murder or Darrell’s whereabouts to contact Pat at (916) 808-0517.

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