Cheryl Lynn Strother: Classmates try to close murder case

35 years later, classmates search for clues to teen girl's death

Associated Press

via kentucky.com

Fort Knox, Kentucky — Classmates of a 17-year-old Radcliff girl who disappeared 35 years ago and was later found dead have banded together to search for clues in her death.

Cheryl Lynn Strother was found dead near a lake on Fort Knox a month after vanishing.

Her death remains unsolved, but a group of her classmates from North Hardin High School say they won't give up the search for answers. They met for a reunion over the winter and began talking about Strother's death.

They have been using social networking Web sites like Classmates.com to contact other former graduates in hopes of developing new leads...

The Web site has links to North Hardin Junior High School and North Hardin High School, and both have information from Strother's classmates.

Robbie Dennis said he didn't know her, but he continues to look for information about her disappearance and death.

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"Closure would mean justice," Dennis said. "Thirty-five years is a long time to not have any answers. I'd truly appreciate any answers."

According to The News-Enterprise of Elizabethtown, some of Strother's classmates said Strother routinely would meet her grandfather near the school for a ride home.

On July 24, 1974, Strother wasn't there. Her body was found on Aug. 24, tied to a tree at Tobacco Leaf Lake on Fort Knox property.

Radcliff police at the time closed the missing person case and left the death investigation to federal agents, the newspaper reported. So, it looks like even though her death was horrific, they just filed the case and went on. good god.

Louisville FBI spokesman David Beyer said Strother's case is rare, with only a handful remaining unsolved after so much time has passed.

"Over the course of time, we have gotten tips and leads, but none that have helped to resolve the case," Beyer said. "Like most cases, it will remain open until solved."

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The Newsenterprise

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Hardin County, Kentucky

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FORT KNOX – ...“One of our classmates has taken the ball and really run with this and he’s doing an excellent job getting attention for Cheryl’s case,” said Mandy Bell-Andrews, a classmate of Strother’s. “To us, (Cheryl) was sweet, kind and pretty quiet.”

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...Cheryl would have graduated with the Class of ’75. While she did not join others at her graduation, her absence at school reunions since haven’t gone unnoticed. A handful of classmates are adamant about bringing new light to the case.

“I would love a reminder of Cheryl to maybe pull on some heart strings and rattle a few people’s consciences,” Bell-Andrews said. “Maybe someone will have something to tell. I want her to truly rest in peace after so many years.”

Classmates communicate regularly on www. classmates.com about the teen’s disappearance and death.

The Web site has links to North Hardin Junior High School and North Hardin High School – both of which have information from Strother’s classmates. The information contained on the Web site cannot be guaranteed as accurate as it is merely conversation between parties.

...Radcliff police recently questioned about the case said detectives there did little more than complete a missing person’s report shortly after the girl disappeared.

...With Strother’s body having been found on the military post, Radcliff police closed their missing person case, leaving the death investigation to federal agents.

From that moment on, the Army’s investigative unit, the Criminal Investigations Division, assisted agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigations in their work.

Fort Knox public relations personnel contacted recently about the case say the FBI now has the lead in the Strother case, [and typically has no comment].

One case noted by Beyer as being similar to Strother’s case was the early ’80s disappearance of Ann Gotlieb from a Louisville mall.

“Over the course of time, we have gotten tips and leads, but none that have helped to resolve the case,” Beyer said. “Like most cases, it will remain open until solved.”

Anyone with information about the case should contact the FBI at (502) 240-5944...

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