A team of investigators from the Columbia, Mo., police department has arrived in Georgia to interview a man they say committed a murder 33 years ago.
Johnny Wright, 65, is being held in the Gwinnett County jail following his arrest last week in Lawrenceville. A background check for a job turned up a warrant for Wright's arrest, according to Capt. Greg Vaughn with Lawrenceville police.
"We're certainly hoping to get a statement from him," said Detective Jeff Westbrook with Columbia police.
In August 1976, 23-year-old Rebecca Doisy was last seen with Wright when the two were having drinks. Her family reported her missing two days later. The woman's body was never found, and she was presumed dead.
Wright was questioned in Doisy's disappearance and then released due to a lack of evidence.
In 1985, a former roommate of Wright's told police he had seen Doisy's lifeless body in Wright's car. An arrest warrant was issued for Wright, but police couldn't find him.
"He vanished off the face of the Earth," said Westbrook, a 22-year veteran of the force. "We couldn't find him anywhere."
Columbia police are also trying to find some of the witnesses that provided details in the case three decades ago.
Kathleen Doisy, Rebecca's younger sister, said the family assumed Wright was dead. But that was until he turned up in Gwinnett County.
Missouri police are hoping to be able to return Wright to Columbia. But that may depend on what Wright reveals to police.
"A 30-year case it tough," Westbrook said.
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