00:0052 years ago today, October 27th, 1974, the body of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith was discovered by hunters
00:09in a wooded area near the northwestern border of Summit County and Salt Lake County.
00:15The Summit County Sheriff's Office led the 1974 homicide investigation with the invaluable assistance of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's
00:25Office.
00:25Although there was much speculation regarding a suspect at the time, a suspect was never named, and the case was
00:33never officially closed.
00:35For the past 50 years, the Melissa Smith homicide investigation has remained an open, cold case with our office.
00:43Recently, major developments were made in a similar cold case homicide investigation in Utah County.
00:50These developments also brought the Melissa Smith investigation back to the surface.
00:56The investigators and other experts will speak to the specifics of the investigation.
01:02However, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Utah County Sheriff's
01:10Office, the Utah State Crime Lab, and the Summit County Attorney's Office.
01:16I would also like to recognize the members of the Summit County Sheriff's Office, both past and present.
01:23The work began with the investigations who handled the case in 1974, and it continued through the dedication and perseverance
01:31of those who carried it forward.
01:35I am deeply appreciative of everyone who has contributed to bringing this case to a resolution, specifically the late Lieutenant
01:44Allen Sittaway, who's dedicated an immense amount of time to this case.
01:51A quote often shared by Allen was by Voltaire.
01:55To the living, we owe respect, but to the dead, we owe only the truth.
02:02After 50 years, we have reached a point that so many have worked toward.
02:07Today, I am announcing the closure of the 1974 homicide investigation into the death of Melissa Ann Smith.
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