Texas authorities say they have located a woman whose parents were found dead as babies in 1981 and are asking for the help of the public to solve her murder mystery.
“Baby Holly has been located alive and well and is now 42 years of age,” the office of the southwestern state’s attorney general Ken Paxton said in a statement.
“We rejoice today that Holly has been found,” first assistant attorney general Brent Webster told reporters, but added: “We still are looking for suspects in this case.”
Tina and Harold Clouse’s family and baby Holly say they last heard from the couple in 1980.
In 1981, the bodies of the Florida couple were found in a wooded area of ​​Houston, but only last year were they positively identified as Clouses by the use of genealogical techniques.
Holly “has been notified of the identities of her biological parents and got to meet her extended biological family for the first time this Tuesday,” Mr Webster said, explaining it was a virtual meeting.
“They hope to meet her in person soon.”
The prosecutor told reporters that Holly stayed behind at an Arizona church and grew up in a family whose members are not suspected of crimes.
He said police are looking for two women who “identify themselves as members of a nomadic religious group” who brought Holly to church.
“They were wearing white robes and they were barefoot,” Mr Webster said.
“They indicated the beliefs of their religion included the separation of male and female members, practicing vegetarian habits and not using or wearing leather goods.”
In late 1980 or early 1981, relatives of the Clouses received a call from a woman calling herself “Sister Susan,” she said.
The caller said the Clouses had joined their group and wanted to sever ties with their family and sell their property. The woman offered to drive the couple’s car back to Florida for money.
Family members called the police. When two or three dressed women arrived by car, they were arrested but never charged, Webster said, urging the public to report any information related to the case.
“It is such a blessing to be reassured that she is alright and has had a good life,” Cheryl Clouse, Holly’s aunt, was quoted in the statement from the Texas attorney general’s office as saying.
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