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KY teen girl's disappearance 20 years ago still a murder mystery


KY teen girl's disappearance 20 years ago still a murder mystery (WKRC)
KY teen girl's disappearance 20 years ago still a murder mystery (WKRC)
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BROOKSVILLE, Ky. (WKRC) - Two weeks ago a man had a dream so vivid he contacted the investigator whose been looking for Erica Fraysure for two decades.

Erica, a 17-year-old, vanished from Brooksville, Kentucky. Her disappearance is now considered a murder mystery.

Some believe the answers are still in that tiny town.


Erica Fraysure left home to go uptown, something teens in small towns do. But Erica never came home.

Her car was found in a field. There was no sign of violence inside, but her family believes she's dead.

"Sometimes the phone will ring that might be Erica, saying Papa come and get me I know it won't happen but it's something I think about,” said Erica’s grandfather, Jim Fraysure.

"The community won't rest until Erica is found,” said Bracken County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Bob Scott.

Bob Scott has been looking for her since October 21st 1997. Back then he was a state police detective and worked out of a tiny office in Brookville’s old courthouse. Now he's chief deputy with the Bracken County Sheriff’s Office working out of the new Justice Center.

"They say every detective’s life there is one case, this is mine,” said Chief Deputy Scott.

The call to police came from kids who found the car between two bales of hay. Erica's purse was inside.

Weeks later, during a search, her keys were found 100 yards away.

"If they were running [they were] running in the direction of Brooksville,” said Chief Deputy Scott.

Running back to Brooksville, after leaving Erica’s car in the field, back to town where everyone knows everyone. All 600 or so of them.

"Small community everybody knows everybody those things didn't happen it was a time of innocence here,” said Chief Deputy Scott.

But that innocence was lost.

"I was told her body was taken to hog farm,” said Chief Deputy Scott.

"Also buried underneath the new high school,” said Jeanie Rosel of Brookesville.

Jeanie says the town isn't talking because everyone knows everyone.

“I know a whole lot more about what didn't happen because of the leads and the dead ends. I’ve had four people confess to killing Erica. It didn't happen,” said Chief Deputy Scott.

Scott says it's possible one only one person knows what happened. Of course, he has someone in mind and there is a clue he won't talk about. One that only he and the person responsible know about.

In the old courthouse, there are still posters of Erica Fraysure as the missing 17-year-old and age progression photos of what she would look like in her 30s.

Erica's mother put up those posters, held vigils and waited. And waited.

Erica's mother decorated for Christmas as if Erica might come home. She left her room the way it was the night she disappeared. Maggie died waiting. Erica's father is dead too.

“We like to find out where body might be and lay her to rest,” said Erica’s grandfather, Jim Fraysure.

Bob Scott still hopes someone will find her remains during hunting or harvesting season.

“If someone did this and told someone, I continue to pray whoever told has a conscious and will come forward and tell,” said Chief Deputy Scott.

Until that happens, the mystery of Erica Fraysure will haunt the small Kentucky town.

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