Oklahoma’s infamous “State Fair Murders” is approaching its 35th anniversary
OKLAHOMA (KFOR) - Oklahoma’s infamous “State Fair Murders” is approaching its 35th anniversary, but to this day no one has been held responsible for the killings.
“This case is one of Oklahoma’s highest profile, unsolved cold cases,” said Dorian Quillen, a private investigator. "We're getting ready to have the fair again and every time the fair comes around, you know, people start talking about this case."
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, were brutally murdered after leaving the State Fair.
“Nothing really bad happened at the fair, but they were never seen again by their family, and they disappeared after they left with these two men,” said Quillen. “A month later, their bodies were found about a mile or so from this guy's house.”
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.
Alan Pennington, the victims’ brother and Quillen say they are doing all they can to get the case back in the spotlight.
“We want, you know, something to be moving again,” said Pennington. “You're always wondering about, you know, what life would be like with them here…. It’s been hard."
The duo says they believe they know who was behind the trigger.
"We believe there were two killers, we believe one of them has passed away, but we believe the other one is alive and well and bragging pretty continually about killing these girls,” said Quillen.
They also firmly believe with such drastic developments in DNA testing, there’s hope to finally put an end to the mystery.
“Just to have a resolution to the case would mean the world to me,” said Pennington.
Pennington and Quillen are holding a press conference on Sept. 23 to officially ask for fresh eyes to look into the case and test evidence they say hasn’t been tested before. It’ll be held at the cemetery where the sisters, along with Pennington's parents, are buried.