SALT LAKE CITY — It's a cold case mystery that’s gone unsolved for more than half a century, and now family members and detectives are hoping someone has information that helps solve the 1971 murders of Carolyn Kingston and Michael Bown.
It was a brutal crime where Kingston and Bown were shot to death in broad daylight, during what police believe was a botched robbery.
Fifty-four years later, the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said they're still searching for the killer.
"We really think that there are individuals that still know what happened that day,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera.
On September 2, 1981, Kingston was working at family-owned Natter's Market along with her two young sons. That’s when police say a man walked into the store and shot her with a .22 caliber handgun.
“We believe there was some type of a struggle between Carolyn and the suspect,” said Det. Ben Pender with the Salt Lake County Cold Case Squad.
Caroline didn’t die on the day she was shot, surviving for more than a year and was able to tell police and family members some of what happened.
The second person killed that day was a bread deliveryman, Michael Bown, with detectives saying he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it’s a day that still haunts his family.
"I always kept asking myself, ‘Why him, why Mike?' Because he was so needed and so loved by all of us in the family,” shared Ron Bown, Michael's younger brother.
With detectives now seeking help from the public to bring justice to both families, they say a critical piece of the investigation is that during the struggle with Carolyn, the killer lost his watch.
It's a piece of evidence that may yet yield DNA evidence.
“Technology is changing; it is changing weekly out there, and we are not going to give up on this case!” Pender said.
Detectives also want Folks to take a good look at this
Witnesses also shared that a late-50s model Chevrolet was parked with the engine running near the market on the day of the crime.
Addressing the killer directly, Pender reiterated that it is never too late to do the right thing.
“Today I am pleading with you to come forward," he implored.
There was nearly a third victim on the day of the shooting, with another bread deliveryman being forced to the ground. But the killer either ran out of bullets or his gun jammed.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Det. Pender at 385-468-9816.
