CPD continues investigation of Doisy murder
Johnny Wright was arrested for the 1976 murder of Rebecca Doisy.
Published Dec. 11, 2009
he Columbia Police Department Major Crimes Unit is continuing to investigate the 1976 murder of a former MU student.
Johnny Wright was arrested for the murder of Rebecca Doisy in September after Georgia police discovered a warrant while conducting a background check, a CPD news release stated.
Investigators have more than 20 leads on potential witnesses, which CPD Sgt. Roger Allen said is not unusual in a murder case.
Investigators are presented with some unique challenges when gathering evidence because the case is 33 years old. Tracking down witnesses can be difficult when so much time has elapsed since the crime, Allen said.
"Witnesses tend to move, sometimes women get married and change their names," Allen said.
Doisy's remains were never recovered, presenting another obstacle for investigators.
"That's our biggest problem that the body was never found," Allen said.
The methods of record keeping and preservation of evidence has also changed since the initial investigation concerning Doisy's murder. Allen said police reports are more in depth now than during Doisy's disappearance.
Investigators have converted some videos used earlier in the investigation to DVDs since the case has been reopened.
Doisy, who was 23 years old when she disappeared, was last seen at the Heidelberg with Wright. Law enforcement obtained a warrant for Wright's arrest 11 years after Doisy's murder in 1985.
Wright had already left Columbia by the time the warrant was issued and remained undetected until his arrest in September when he paid for a background check as part of a job application.
Allen said he believes Wright, who has since been released on bond, is back in Georgia.
Investigators are usually concerned when someone bonds out, but Wright is more troublesome because he eluded law enforcement for so long, Allen said.
Wright has a scheduled court appearance in December.
"We're all kind of holding our breath that he'll show up," Allen said.