GRANITE BAY, Calif. — A family is still searching for answers in the death of a Granite Bay teacher found dead on Halloween 30 years ago.
Cherilyn Hawkley's daughters said they can't believe it's been 30 years, but they're holding on to hope. Decades later, her daughters still want to know who killed their mother.
"Every year, it replays like through your mind, and that's a lot to handle," said Melissa Hawkley, the oldest daughter of Cherilyn.
This week, the Placer County Sheriff's Office resurfaced photos of Cherilyn asking the public for help in solving the cold case.
The mother of three was found dead in her vehicle on Halloween in 1993. She was located about a mile away from Eureka Elementary School where she worked.
"It's strange knowing that whoever did it could be out there. It's also possible, I guess, that they've passed on because it has been so long. But it definitely is a weird feeling just knowing that whoever it is has never been caught, and we hope that he hasn't hurt anyone else," said Heather Bowen.
The sheriff's office said Cherilyn was reported missing by her boyfriend and last seen alive by her co-workers at school the Friday before Halloween. She was found days later by a deputy on patrol. He found her in the backseat of her minivan and found a rope near her body.
Bowen and her sister Melissa Hawkley, teens at the time of the murder, are now hoping technology will help solve the case.
"I know back when our mom passed away DNA was not used in cases as much as it is now," said Bowen.
Not knowing how long that will take, the family reflected on their mother and the caring person she was.
"I just remember she would laugh a lot. She had a lot of fun. She would just belt into song all of a sudden at the top of her lungs. Yeah, but we'd go and catch butterflies and we'd do all these projects. We'd go to the library. We'd read books," said Melissa.
They're searching for closure and the chance that someone out there may have the information they need.
ABC10 also reached out to the sheriff's office to ask if there are any new leads on the cold case, but the detective declined an interview because they didn't want to compromise the investigation.
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