One Triad family has a Christmas wish you can’t buy in any store. They simply want to know what happened to a family member who disappeared nearly 40 years ago.
Veronica Maynard was only 17-years-old when she vanished in Greensboro back in 1974. Her family believes Veronica is dead. Now, they just want to give her a proper burial.
Greensboro police have agreed to reopen case, after family members asked detectives to take another look. The person police and family members think is responsible died almost a decade ago. No one is looking to make an arrest. They just want to find Veronica’s body.
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“She was my best friend,” Maynard’s sister, Brenda Tucker, said. “She was a cheerful and an outgoing person.”
Alfreda Morris, another sister of Maynard, added, “We had fun times together…It makes me cry a lot, especially this time of year.”
Maynard’s sisters have never stopped looking for her or thinking about her.
“She always wanted to be a beautician. I do remember that. She made all of her daughter’s clothes,” Morris said.
Detectives have investigated this case for the past forty years and just recently reopened it. There are only a handful of missing person questions still open in Greensboro.
“I wish DNA was back in 1974 what it is now. There definitely was some evidence that was seized in 1975 that I feel probably could have lead to an arrest in this case,” Greensboro Police Detective Caroline Holliday said.
Now, Maynard’s sisters are entering their DNA into a national database that includes DNA information collected from unidentified remains all over the nation. If there’s a match, they will get the closure they so desperately want.
In addition, the sisters are also asking anyone with information to come forward. Police say Maynard’s husband, Julian, has always been the prime suspect. He died of a heart attack in 2004. Police never had the evidence needed for an arrest.
“I think a lot of people were scared to talk while he was living,” Tucker said. “We know that someone out there does know something about it.”
Morris added, “People will start talking now. Now, that they don’t feel that threat from him…”I pray that you give us closure. Let us know if you know anything.”
Detective Holliday says cases like this haunt police officers as well. “Think about Veronica’s family. They have been the victims all these years. They’ve had to go through holiday after holiday, birthday after birthday, just not knowing,” she said.
The governor offered a $2500 reward for information about this case back in 1978. WFMY News 2 checked with the governor’s office on Friday and that reward money is still available.
Anyone with information can also call Crime Stoppers: 336-373-1000. You can remain anonymous or possibly collect a reward up to $2,000.
