Alachua County, FL – Thirty-eight years after Rita Melton was found dead in a wooded area near Orange Heights, investigators are renewing their call for information that could help solve the Alachua County cold case.
According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Melton was found dead on Aug. 28, 1988, in a wooded area approximately 1.5 miles north of Orange Heights. Her blue and white Ford F-100 pickup truck was located nearby.
The sheriff’s office highlighted the case Friday, Aug. 28, on the anniversary of Melton’s death, saying the investigation remains unsolved.
Authorities did not provide additional details Friday about how Melton died, what evidence was recovered during the original investigation or whether investigators have identified any suspects.
Instead, deputies are asking anyone who may know something about the case, even information that may initially appear insignificant, to contact investigators.
Nearly four decades have passed since Melton was found, but the sheriff’s office said tips from the public could still help investigators find answers and provide closure for her loved ones.
Anyone with information can contact Alachua County Sheriff’s Sgt. M. Cooper at 352-367-4163 or mbcooper@acso.us.
Tips may also be provided to Crime Stoppers of North Central Florida at 352-372-STOP.
The renewed appeal comes as law enforcement agencies increasingly use anniversaries of unsolved cases to bring them back to public attention, potentially reaching witnesses or others who may now be willing to share information.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office continues to seek answers in Melton’s death 38 years after she was found near Orange Heights.
