Hazel Ivy Retired housekeeper was killed at her South Austin apartment.
Lester Ray Guy has been in prison since 1979.
Posted on 12/26/2010 10:37:53 PM PST by nickcarraway
Earlier this month we reported Austin police solved a cold case murder from 1978. After 32 years, the family of the murder victim was able to gather for the Christmas holidays and share the gift of closure.
Lella Moulder has to turn to pictures three decades old to rekindle Christmas memories of her mother Hazel Ivy. "She was so good, and did not deserve to die that way," said Moulder.
In 1978, Ivy was 66 years old, wheelchair bound and living in a South Austin apartment when police say she was raped and murdered by Lester Ray Guy. He's 58 now, but was 26 at the time of the murder. "It was just kind of like you are in a dream or something for the longest time," said Moulder.
The horrific crime affected Ivy's grandnieces as well. "She was crippled and the things he had done to her, I had nightmares about her dying, I mean it was horrible," said Kitty Davidson, Ivy's grandniece.
"When you are the family of someone who has died like that, you have to live through it to understand what if feels like," said Karen Whitley, Ivy's grandniece.
Guy was questioned shortly after the crime, but police were unable to gather enough evidence to make a case against him or anyone else. So Ivy's family has had to endure the last 32 years without knowing who took her life. "The hope just fades and fades and gets worse," said Whitley. But investigators from the initial crime scene collected and kept key evidence that, with the help of today's DNA technology, eventually led investigators to guy.
"30 years ago things were so different, and that they did have the forethought to do something like that," said Whitley.
"When it finally came about all these years later it is like a miracle really," said Moulder. "It's like you are over the moon," she said. Now Ivy's family looks forward to eventually having their day and court, where they can look Guy in the eye and ask why.
"To look him in the eye and ask him what kind of man he thinks he is," said Moulder.
"He took a loving, crippled woman and he hurt her, and I want to see him hurt and I want to tell him I want to see him hurt," said Davidson.
Guy, who is already serving a life sentence in Amarillo for a crime committed a year after Ivy's death, will be brought to Travis County -- perhaps in the next two weeks -- where his case will be presented to a grand jury. It could be the gift Ivy's family has waited for, for 32 years.
"It's the best Christmas ever," said Moulder.
Hazel Ivy Retired housekeeper was killed at her South Austin apartment.
Lester Ray Guy has been in prison since 1979.
32 years is an eternity. At least the murderer was where he was supposed to be all these years. That’s comforting.
Wow... maybe if they try him for Ivy’s murder, he will finally get what he so richly deserves... the death penalty!!
Wow... maybe if they try him for Ivy’s murder, he will finally get what he so richly deserves... the death penalty!!
The victim was living in South Austin when the crime occurred.
Guy, who is already serving a life sentence in Amarillo
Austin and Amarillo — sounds like Texas to me!
The gift of closure???
CLOSURE: I hate that word. I mean do you really totally heal over losing your disabled Mom to such violence and pain when you find out who did it? Does some information then allow you to just get over it? It may be “closure” of an open case but if this was my Mom... I don’t think I would ever get over it. IMHO. Just a thought.
Makes you wonder how many more murders he committed but was never convicted of. The only good thins is that now he can be retried under new laws, convicted and executed within 5 years.
. . . or just released into the general prison population with an announcement as to when all guards will be off on a 15 minute coffee break.
This is why there is no statute of limitations on murder - and should never be.
Hell, he has been in prison for 30 years. Nothing will happen that hasn’t already happened.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.