A Colorado City teen will be laid to rest years after her disappearance and murder.
The remains of 13-year-old Hailey Dunn were released to her mother Billie Dunn Monday afternoon, according to local attorney Jon Young.
Billie Dunn plans to hold a funeral for Hailey, but she says, “Hailey’s funeral will be a private, family gathering. We know how blessed we are to have all of you and hope you will each understand we need to lay Hailey to rest in private. This day will bring tears of many emotions, but most of all it gives Hailey her final peace and brings us one step closer to bringing Hailey justice. Thank you again for your love and dedication to our precious daughter.”
Hailey disappeared without a trace over six years ago after leaving home to spend the night with a friend.
Over three years later, investigators found her remains at lake in Scurry County, and her murder remains unsolved to this day.
Hailey was last seen alive on December 27, 2010. Billie Dunn reported her missing the next day after she failed to come home from a friend’s house she said she was staying at the night before.
The friend told detectives Hailey had never arrived as planned.
Colorado City community members banded together and combed the town for months before giving up hope that they would ever see Hailey alive her again.
Her remains finally found by someone rock hunting at Lake JB Thomas in March of 2013, but her killer is still at large.
No arrests have been made in connection to Hailey’s death. Her mother’s ex-boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, remains the only publicly identified suspect.
Adkins spoke out to BigCountryHomepage.com in 2011 before Hailey’s body was found, saying “I had nothing to do with Hailey’s disappearance, I love Hailey with all my heart and she means a lot to me.”
Investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety told BigCountryHomepage.com they were still considering Adkins a suspect in 2015, though they are investigating other leads as well as tips of all kinds continue to come in from individuals claiming to know what really happened to Hailey.
Hailey’s case remained on the Texas Rangers Unsolved Homicides website over one year after it was first featured.
(Information from BigCountryHomepage.com)
