Family of Slain Woman Looks For Answers

Tulsa police tackle a murder mystery. Investigators hope a $10,000 reward will be just the catalyst they need to break open some leads in a case that to this point, has very few. The News On 6 crime

Thursday, November 8th 2007, 9:12 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa police tackle a murder mystery. Investigators hope a $10,000 reward will be just the catalyst they need to break open some leads in a case that to this point, has very few. The News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports the problem with the case is that, at first, no one knew it was a murder. That means detectives were called out. And, when they were, the scene didnâ€™t yield much evidence.

Police first thought Kay Pope died from an accidental overdose of pain medications, but her autopsy revealed she'd been raped and strangled.

Kay Pope brought this specially made blanket with a family photo on it, to a Mother's Day get-together in May. That's the last time her sister, Jane, saw her alive.

Kay was found inside her duplex near 47th and Harvard on May 26th, no signs of forced entry, no signs of foul play. In the end, it turned out; foul play was very much to blame.

"I'm just more sad and I don't understand why this happened to her. She didn't deserve it. She was good to everybody. Tried to help everyone and it really never mattered to her. She didn't have a mean bone in her,â€ said Kayâ€™s sister, Jane Summerlin.

From the time Kay was young, she was kind and giving. She couldn't have children, so was delighted when she eventually adopted two daughters and a son. Family was her life. And now, her family misses her every day.

"We have a lot of family gatherings here. So she always thought it was funny. I always try to organize everything and couldn't organize anything. So, she'd always laugh about that,â€ said her sister, Jane Summerlin.

The family hopes a $10,000 reward offered by an anonymous donor, will finally bring the truth to light.

"Maybe one little piece, even if you think it's nothing, one little piece connects to the puzzle to someone, somewhere, somehow,â€ said Summer Summerlin, Kayâ€™s niece.

Answers are so important. Kay's family realizes they may never know why, but they desperately need to know who.

In the meantime, they'll each keep her close in their own way. Summer, Kayâ€™s niece, wears her aunt's thumbprint on a necklace, close to her heart.

Anyone with information about Kay Popeâ€™s murder can call Crimestoppers at 596-COPS.

Watch the video: Working To Solve A Cold Case

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