Valerie McPherson’s case (Oct 16, 1958 – Aug 05, 1991) needs a better digital footprint. She was stabbed to death around 8am on Aug 5, 1991, while jogging along Contour Drive in Olmos Park, San Antonio, Texas.
Valerie had her 19 month old daughter Laurie with her. The little girl was in her stroller when Valerie was attacked. She remained unharmed. Husband Sandy was at the gym.
The knife attack happened in an affluent San Antonio suburb. Another jogger, Tibaut Bowman, saw Valerie.
“My first thought was that perhaps she had had a heat stroke, because she was down on one knee and she was jogging,” Bowman said in an interview with News 4 back in 1991. “But then when she looked up and I could see her condition, I thought maybe it was a hit-and-run. And then she told me that a black man had beaten her up.”
Valerie died four hours later at Brooke Army Medical Center where she was taken for surgery. Authorities said that she was stabbed nine times in her stomach and in her back. She had been able to give police a description of her attacker:
- between 30 and 40 years old
- black man
- stocky build
- about 6 feet tall
- dressed in dark blue pants with bright red tennis shoes, stylish clothes
From the articles (links below) I have taken the above details. From the clips, I took these screen shots. Other than this, there is little online. Should you have links to newspaper articles, contact me so we can update this post.
According to the papers Valerie was stabbed in her stomach and the back. However, in the clip you can see the autopsy sketch with the stab wounds. It seems that there are shoulder and neck/upper back wounds as well.
If Valerie’s clothes are still preserved they should be tested for touch DNA with the M-Vac especially where the attacker’s hand might have touched her.
The shoulder areas seem to be a good place to start. He might have held on to one of her shoulders while stabbing her. It would be useful to know whether the attacker was left or right-handed. The contusion spot on her arm might be from him grabbing her. That sleeve should be tested for touch DNA as well.
Valerie’s husband Sandy, who passed a lie detector test, explained that there is a $50’000 reward.
If you have information, please call the San Antonio Police Department Cold Case Tip Line anytime day or night at 210.207.7401, or you can call 210.207.7635 or 210.207.7484, or call Crime Stoppers at 210.224.STOP.
R.I.P. Valerie McPherson.
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