Last week, we shared the first installment of Goldie Thornsberry’s story. You learned that she disappeared from Fayetteville, Arkansas, in early 1996. Goldie was reported missing after her bank noticed strange activity on her checking account. When the investigation began, officers went to Goldie’s apartment and were greeted by one of her daughters, who said Goldie wasn’t home; she was traveling to visit family members. This story shifted with time about where exactly Goldie planned to go and whom she was traveling to visit. Investigators contacted relatives who said they hadn’t seen or heard from Goldie.
Goldie’s daughter and son-in-law were later charged with forgery after investigators determined they were using her checks. They became the main suspects in Goldie’s disappearance. Still, despite their best efforts, they couldn’t find Goldie or any hard evidence to prove what happened to her.
In 2010, there was a remarkable development in the case after one of Goldie’s former neighbors saw a news story about a Jane Doe who was found inside of a well in Little Rock in 2000 and thought it was Goldie. After a DNA comparison came back indicating it was, in fact, Goldie, they could finally move forward with the case. While there was a mountain of circumstantial evidence against Goldie's daughter and son-in-law, would it be enough for a conviction?
If you have any information about the murder of Goldie Thornsberry, please call the Fayetteville Police Department at 479-587-3555.