On The Case With Paula Zahn is investigating the abduction and murder of teenager Julie Lynn Ferguson who was mysteriously killed after finishing work in Greenbelt, Maryland, in 1995. Her murder has never been solved, and the case remains open.
On the evening of March 20, 1995, 17-year-old Julie Ferguson finished her shift at Linens’ N Things in the Greenway Shopping Center and sat down outside to wait for her friends to pick her up to give her a ride. Approximately 15 minutes later, at 10 pm, her friends turned up, but Julie had vanished.
All that remained of the high schooler was a juice bottle and a bag with a few of her belongings. Her concerned friends contacted her family, who knowing that Julie would never take off with telling someone, telephoned the police.
Tragically, Julie’s body was found eight hours later by two men walking to work in Glenn Dale, MD, just four miles from the shopping center.
The teenager had had a particularly violent death; her throat was slashed, and she had been strangled. She was also covered in bruises, and her arms and legs had multiple defensive wounds; she had fought hard for her life.
Motive for Julie Ferguson’s murder remains a mystery
The motive for the crime has remained a mystery. She had not been sexually assaulted, and the cops ruled out robbery as all her jewelry was left untouched, though her purse was never recovered.
Julie had been a popular high school student who had had no known enemies. Her family and friends, plus the cops, could not understand why she had been targeted.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelMany eyewitnesses spoke of seeing a red or burgundy mid-1980s Volkswagen Jetta at the scene of the abduction; one eyewitness even said they’d seen Julie talking to the occupants. The car allegedly contained two men and one woman; two of the occupants had visited a liquor store at the mall shortly before Julie vanished.
The cops became more interested in the car after a witness reported seeing a similar red or burgundy Volkswagen Jetta in Glenn Dale near to where Julie’s body was found. The investigators released sketches of the car’s occupants, but unfortunately, no one came forward, and they never found the vehicle.
Detectives also expressed an interest in Glenn Dale resident Doug DaSilva. He had a previous conviction for rape and lived close to where Julie’s remains were found. However, his DNA was not a match. But the police still suspect he may have had something to do with her abduction.
If anyone has any information regarding Julie’s murder, they should contact the Prince George’s County police at 301-772-4925. Anyone wanting to remain anonymous can call 1-866-411-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that leads to an arrest.
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On The Case With Paula Zahn airs at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.