Pocono News Section

Cold Case/Laura Ronning

Cold Case/Laura Ronning - Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 9:37PM EST

Thursday, Nov 6, 2008 @ 09:37pm EST

Honesdale, Wayne County-

Laura Ronning was just beginning her life She was a 24 year old college student from Florida . She spent her summers in the quiet safe Pocono Mountains and was a camp counselor at Camp Cayuga near Honesdale. She loved kids and loved to teach and guide them. Laura came to Wayne County again in the summer of 1991 and would never return home.

On July 27th, 1991 Ronning took a day off. She would walk to Tanners Falls to enjoy a day of peace and quiet. She loved to hike and read. In fact this picture was taken by the same falls where she would meet her end.

On this day, the darkness would take her life. Laura was raped and shot in the back of the head. The crime sent shockwaves across the Poconos. An army of investigators searched for clues and interviewed dozens of people. But in the end, the killer could not be found.

As the years went by her family traveled from Flordia to spend time in the place where their special girl was taken away. Her mother would come and play a tape of Laura singing when she was a little girl and even read letters to Laura.

Investigators say while 17 years has passed the Ronning case is not closed.

Tpr. Connie Devens, of the Pennsylvania State Police says, “The Pennsylvania State Police never closes a homicide case. They are always open investigations. Any tips received regarding those cases are followed up on."

Ronnings backpack and some clothing were stolen by the killer. They were never found. They could still be in the thousands of acres that surround Camp Cayuga .

Tpr. Connie Devens adds, "If there is any evidence out in the area still at this point we would definitely hope that someone would come forward and inform us of it. Obviously at the time the area was thoroughly searched. Any evidence we did locate was taken at that point in time."

Even in the early days of the investigation detectives told Eyewitness News that they always felt the killer was a local person. This is someone who had to know the area and the landscape. It was possibly someone who knew Laura and her daily routine.

Trp. Connie Devens concludes that if anyone who has any information no matter how small they may think it is we encourage them to call state police. The piece they have could be the piece we are looking for to help solve the crime.

Eyewitness News also learned from sources close to the case that investigators thought they had found a clue that could lead them to the killer. That happened in the past several months and this new lead them nowhere.

Eyewitness News I-team reporter Andy Mehalshick has covered this case from day one. Investigators believe the killer is still in this area and someone watching this newscast can provide the information that can help make the arrest.