SALT LAKE CITY – A mother in Salt Lake City has been hoping for nearly 20 years that police would find the information they need to solve the murder of her young daughter.
Rosie Tapia was 6 years old when she was kidnapped and killed on August 13, 1995. Wednesday marks the 19th anniversary of the crime, and Rosie’s mother is speaking out about the case and hoping her efforts will keep the search alive.
Rosie was kidnapped from her bedroom, sexually assaulted, murdered and dumped in the nearby Jordan River canal. Despite a massive investigation during which police chased down hundreds of leads over the years, a suspect has never been solidly identified.
Rosie’s mother, Lewine, said she does what she can to keep the case alive in the media and said she speaks with detectives on a regular basis—hoping to one day get justice for her daughter.
"I want the public to know that I'm not giving up, I'm not giving up that hope that one day that person will come forward, or they will make the arrest of the person who took her," she said. "...This way, when I leave, I can rejoice with Rosie that we found the person that took her. She can rest, and I can rest: so that's my goal."
Lewine said she spoke with detectives Wednesday morning, and she said they told her they were doing a new round of interviews in connection with the case and had a few more still to do. She said they told her they would contact her if any new information comes to light.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Salt Lake City police at 801-799-3000.
