New law gives hope to solving State Fair Murders
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Friday, September 23, marks 35 years since Oklahoma’s high-profile “State Fair Murders” occurred.
“This is probably one of the top unsolved cases in the state of Oklahoma’s history,” said Dorian Quillen, a private investigator. Quillen was also a journalist at the time of the murders and covered the case.
On September 23, 1987, Cheryl Genzer, 25, and Lisa Pennington, 16, vanished after leaving the state fair. Both were later found murdered.
Decades ago, prosecutors charged a man for the murders based on a testimony from his friend. However, at the last minute, that friend recanted his claims, and the charges were dropped, and no one has been held responsible since.
Now, family and friends say it’s time to find her killer.
“We need to get this case resolved. Somebody knows something out there,” said Alan Pennington, the victims’ brother. “It's time to stop telling us, ‘We know who killed your sisters, but there's nothing we can do.’ We will no longer accept this."
On Friday evening, friends and family of the victims poured into the Geary cemetery where the sisters were laid to rest. During a brief ceremony, it was announced that they have new hope in finally getting answers thanks to a recently passed federal law known as the Homicide Victim Family Rights Act.
"In that, they can review cold cases, including an accounting of the physical evidence that exists,” explained Quillen. “So, we hope to be one of the first cases that they use that law for.”
Pennington added, “We have assembled a team of experts and investigators who are using a set of specific legal and administrative remedies to resolve this case.”
They’re hoping this new law will push investigators to test the case's evidence with the latest DNA technology.
“It's time for the murders of my sisters to be investigated for the first time using this new federal statute,” said Pennington. “My sisters were shot to death. Evidence was collected. One of the suspects has repeatedly confessed. It's been 35 years. My parents have passed away. It's time to solve the Oklahoma State Fair murders.”
Pennington asks that anyone with information about who killed his sisters to reach out to him directly. His phone number is (972) 657-0665.