An FBI agent spent nearly a decade quietly following one man across state lines, convinced he had the right suspect. He never got the evidence to prove it.
The Murder
Cheryl Lynn Strother was 17 years old when she was murdered in Radcliff, Kentucky, in July 1974. Radcliff sits just outside Fort Knox, and much of the area's population at the time was connected to the military base in some way.
A Decade-Long Pursuit
FBI agent Tom Becker took a personal interest in the case, according to his former wife, Mary Becker, who has spoken publicly about his work on it since his death. Becker focused on a soldier who had once been stationed at Fort Knox, following him even after the man was reassigned to Texas. Becker told his own sons that he believed the suspect was the father of a child Cheryl Lynn had once looked after. He also said he found blood on the front seat of the man's vehicle during his investigation -- though DNA testing, which could have definitively linked or cleared a suspect using evidence like that, did not yet exist as an investigative tool at the time. Becker continued working the case until 1984, roughly a decade after the murder, without ever securing enough evidence to bring charges.
Where the Case Stands
Cheryl Lynn Strother's murder remains unsolved. No suspect has ever been publicly named or charged in connection with her death.
FAQ
Has Cheryl Lynn Strother's murder ever been solved?
No. Despite a lengthy investigation by an FBI agent who pursued one suspect for roughly ten years, the case remains officially unsolved.
Was DNA evidence available at the time?
No. DNA testing as an investigative tool did not exist in 1974, which limited what investigators could do with physical evidence collected during the case.
Has a suspect ever been named?
No suspect has been publicly identified or charged in the case.