A killer who left a 23-year-old woman naked and strangled in a carrot field is still walking the streets after more than a quarter of a century.
Julie Finley vanished from Liverpool on August 5, 1994, and her naked body was found strangled in a carrot field off the St Helens bound carriageway of the Rainford by-pass a day later.
She was last seen alive just days after her 23rd birthday at the back of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital whilst talking to a man who was described as white and believed to be aged in his 20s or 30s.
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Her family believe she was snatched from the street or bundled into a car before being attacked and killed.
Despite numerous appeals, enquiries and leads over the last 27 years, her murderer has never been brought to justice.
On what would have been Julie's 50th birthday the independent charity Crimestoppers has launched an appeal for anonymous information and is offering a £10,000 reward.
Julie’s mother, Pat, who is supporting the appeal for anonymous information, said: “Julie’s Dad has now passed away and he went to his grave having never seen justice delivered.
"Julie would have been 50 on August 1, and who knows how her life would have turned out had she not been taken from us.
“I know it has been 27 years since she was murdered, but I want to see justice while I’m still alive and see somebody pay for what they did to Julie.”
In the early stages, a core team of 15 detectives worked tirelessly to probe the mystery killing and, in the first six months, more than 40 men were questioned.
Twenty people were arrested over the years but nobody has ever been charged.
Now, Crimestoppers is supporting Merseyside Police its investigation by offering a reward of up to £10,000 for information they exclusively receive that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people linked to Julie Finley’s murder.
Mick Duthie, director of operations at Crimestoppers, said: “Julie’s family remain desperate for answers.
“Our charity is supporting the investigation by offering this reward to get justice for Julie’s family. We are here to help people who – for whatever reason - feel unable to speak directly to the police. Like the millions of people who have trusted us since we began in the late 1980s, we absolutely guarantee you will stay 100% anonymous. Always.
“We are independent and offer you an alternative. So much time has now passed, and we believe someone will know who was responsible. You owe it to Julie’s loving family to do the right thing. Now’s the time to speak up anonymously and tell us what you know.
“If you have information linked to this murder, no matter how small, I urge you to make a difference and call our UK Contact Centre, which is open 24/7, on freephone 0800 555 111 or you can use our simple and secure anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Nobody will know you contacted our charity and you’ll be doing the right thing for Julie, her family and her friends.”
