The person at the center of this case
Beth Ellen Vinson, 17-year-old female
Homicide · Unsolved
31 years waiting · since 1994
VICTIM - BETH ELLEN VINSON - RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Justice for Beth Ellen Vinson, 17-year-old female — the trail went cold in 1994, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1Four pieces of jewelry and a multi-colored cloth purse were in her possession the morning of the homicide but have never been recovered—where are these items?
🎯
suspect
Lead #2Who was the client she was meeting at 2:30 a.m. on August 16, 1994?
🚗
vehicle
Lead #3How did her car end up at the Capital Boulevard car dealership entrance, and who left it there?
On August 16, 1994, Beth Ellen Vinson, a 17-year-old working for an escort service in Raleigh, North Carolina, left her apartment at 2:30 a.m. to meet a client and was never seen alive again. Her body was discovered a week later on August 23, 1994, covered with cardboard between two warehouses on Wicker Road, bearing over 15 stab wounds. Key evidence including jewelry and a multi-colored cloth purse remain missing, and the identity of her killer has never been established, making this a critical case for renewed investigation.
Case
#607
Raleigh Police Department / North Carolina law enforcement
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
👁️
witness
Lead #4Were there any witnesses to her departure from the apartment or her movements between 2:30 and 5:30 a.m.?
💡
clue
Lead #5The method of concealment (cardboard covering) and location choice may indicate knowledge of the warehouse area—does this suggest a local suspect?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Raleigh, North Carolina August 16, 1994 On August 23, 1994, approximately four weeks after Beth Ellen Vinson, a 17-year-old white female, left her home in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and went to Raleigh to work and save enough money to get to New York, her body was found. Ms.
Vinson’s body had been covered with cardboard, and left between two warehouses on Wicker Road. Ms.
Vinson who worked for an escort service was last seen at 2:30 a.m. on August 16, 1994, when she left her apartment to meet a client.
At 5:30 a.m. her 1990 white four door Mazda 626 was found at the entrance of a car dealership on Capital Boulevard.
Continuing investigation of this homicide, determined that Ms. Vinson was in possession of four pieces of jewelry and a multi-colored cloth purse the morning of her homicide.
These items have never been recovered. Medical examination disclosed that Ms.
Vinson had been stabbed in excess of 15 times.
Timeline of Events
👁️
1994-08-16
02:30Last Seen
Beth Ellen Vinson left her apartment at 2:30 a.m. to meet a client
🚗
1994-08-16
05:30Vehicle Found
Her 1990 white four-door Mazda 626 was found at the entrance of a car dealership on Capital Boulevard
🔍
1994-08-23
Body Discovered
Body found covered with cardboard between two warehouses on Wicker Road, bearing over 15 stab wounds
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:August 16, 1994 at 2:30 AM
Last Updated:May 11, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:August 16, 1994 at 2:30 AM
Last Updated:May 11, 2026