On the morning of July 28, 1984, 28-year-old Judy Weichert left for a 16-mile training run. She lived in the Surrey Hills neighborhood of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Judy was preparing for an upcoming marathon. She left her house around 7:30 a.m. Her husband, Steve, decided to sleep in that morning.
The dedicated runner had planned this long training session as part of her marathon preparation. She followed her usual routine of early morning runs in the familiar neighborhood streets.
HOUSE OF STEVE AND JUDY WEICHERT
The home of Steve and Judy Weichert in Oklahoma City. This was the residence from which Judy Weichert left for a run before she was murdered in 1984.
Around 9:45 a.m., a man and woman found Judy clinging to life in a field. The location was on Sara Road, just north of NW 122nd Street. She had been brutally raped and stabbed multiple times.
Despite her severe injuries, Judy had crawled several feet toward the road. Many cars had passed by without noticing her. Rescuers rushed her to Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City.
Before losing consciousness, Judy described her attacker to the woman who found her. She also provided details about his vehicle. Surgeons worked to save her life. Judy died from her wounds later that afternoon.
Her final moments showed remarkable strength. She used her remaining energy to help identify her killer. This information became crucial evidence for investigators.
Scene of the crime
The rural roadside in Oklahoma County where Judy Weichert’s body was found in 1983. She had been stabbed multiple times after leaving her home for a jog, and her murder remains officially unsolved.
Judy’s funeral was held at Resurrection Cemetery Chapel in Oklahoma City, and she was laid to rest in a quiet area of the cemetery. Her husband, Steve, placed a marble headstone nearby that read “My Golden Runner,” depicting a female runner and an armadillo.
Grave of Judy Weichert
In the aftermath, the Oklahoma City Police Department formed a task force to investigate the case. Initial efforts included issuing a region-wide caution for women jogging alone and offering a reward for information leading to an arrest. Judy’s husband, Steve, was initially considered a suspect but was quickly dismissed based on Judy’s description of her attacker as a complete stranger. Over the first year, the task force received regular leads from the public, but as time passed, the case grew cold. Investigators believed the suspect drove a blue Volkswagen Beetle, but despite extensive canvassing, no arrests were made. The case was eventually moved to the cold case division, where it remains unresolved.
Known Details About the Suspect:
According to the woman who found Judy alive and briefly conscious:
- Judy was able to describe her attacker as a man she did not know — confirming he was a stranger, not her husband or someone she recognized.
- She also described his vehicle as a blue Volkswagen Beetle.
- Investigators searched extensively for vehicles matching this description in the area but were unable to locate a definitive match or link a suspect to the car.
Just over four decades later, Judy Weichert’s murder remains unsolved. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has added her case to their playing card collection, which features unsolved murders and missing persons cases. The original case file predates the current electronic filing system, and efforts are ongoing to digitize old reports. Anyone with information about Judy’s case is encouraged to contact the Oklahoma City Police Department.
If you have information related to this case, please contact the Oklahoma City Police Department at (405) 297-1200.
