Years Later, OKC Jogger's Murder Remains A Mystery

On July 28, 1984, Cathy Lester received a letter and a recipe from her good friend, Judy Weichert. The next day, Cathy learned Judy had died.

“I remember just falling to my knees calling her name. I didn’t know what else to do,” Cathy said.

Cathy and Judy grew up together in Ponca City.

“Everybody liked her at school. She was real sweet, caring,” Cathy said of Judy.

Judy eventually moved to Oklahoma City.

“It was just the prime of her life and looking forward to starting a family,” Cathy said.

Judy never got that chance.

Exactly 34 years ago, Judy, 33 at the time, went for a jog near Northwest Highway, and was brutally attacked.

“She was attacked. We know it was a male attacker and she was sexually assaulted and stabbed,” Sgt. Gary Knight with Oklahoma City Police said.

After being raped, stabbed and left for dead, Judy still didn't give up.

“She was able to pull herself to the side of the road to try to flag down help,” Knight said.

Judy passed away at Mercy Hospital from her injuries.

No suspect was ever charged.

The only real evidence left behind was also the biggest challenge.

DNA breakthroughs proved fruitless, with no matches in the system.

Knight says the killer is either dead, never went to prison, or went to prison before DNA samples were taken.

With no match for the DNA, the case was closed.

Both of Judy’s parents passed away without answers.

The case has remained in the headlines, even capturing the attention of amateur investigators.

Cathy says, she just wants people to remember Judy for her kind spirit.

“I'm just here to stand up for Judy and not really to speak for her, as best I can, because she wouldn't have wanted to just been left hanging like this,” Cathy said.

For the past 34 years Cathy has been more careful around strangers, but even for every hardship, she is grateful to live another day.

“I think of that whenever I have a lot of things come up in my life. That I’m like, ‘you can't be sad. Judy never had the chance,’” Cathy said.

Information or tips on the case can be called into Oklahoma City Crime Stoppers at (405) 235-7300.