ESSEX, Md. — No one saw it coming.
For most, it was just another summery Friday morning.
However, June 10, 1960, would forever alter the Parris family's future.
The Parris family lived in a low-rent housing project in Essex called Riverdale Apartments. But the parents were separated and Ralph Parris lived in Tennessee.
The day started simply: Fredonia Parris asked her 9-year-old daughter Alva Jean Parris to run a quick errand to her aunt's house. Elizabeth Queen, Alva's aunt, only lived around three blocks away from the Parris' residence.
But Alva never made it to her aunt's house.
How? No one is exactly sure. But here is what we do know.
After Fredonia and Elizabeth had not heard or seen Alva for hours, Fredonia reported her missing.
A police search around their neighborhood and the surrounding areas began shortly after.
It wasn't until five days later on June 15, that the first bit of evidence was discovered.
Alva's shoes were found by searchers in a swamp-like forest section of Essex near Middle River.
Soon after, two volunteer firefighters stumbled upon a shallow grave located on the property of a nearby abandoned farmhouse. Covering the grave was a single piece of linoleum, a few twigs and a thin layer of dirt.
The inside of the grave contained the severely decomposed body of Alva.
According to the assistant medical examiner at the time, Dr. William Lovitt, Alva had been dead for five days and had most likely been dead since not long after her initial disappearance.
However, Dr. Lovitt was never able to definitively identify a cause of death. The autopsy revealed that there were no visible marks that showed she had been stabbed, shot, or strangled. And while Dr. Lovitt said that strangulation could be a possible cause, the tissue tests and internal evidence were both inconclusive.
But, medical examiners did conclude that lye, had been poured on Alva's abdomen, and her clothes had been positioned to cover it.
In addition to the chemical being the reason why Alva's body was in such an advanced state of decomposition after only five days, police said that they believed that its use was to burn away evidence of a sexual attack.
With these autopsy findings, police had the information they needed to take further action.
An emergency phone line to receive tips from the local community was set up, and police committed to canvassing a seemingly endless number of homes and businesses where Alva was known to frequent.
Hundreds of calls flooded the tip line, several even led to strong leads. So it wasn't surprising when within 36 hours of finding Alva's body, at least six men had been taken in for questioning.
Several had records of being sex offenders.
However, police captain of the time, Elmer Adams, said that despite the amount of helpful tips, they had no prime suspects in their investigation.
Baltimore County police say that although the person responsible for this crime may already have died, there might be clues for this investigation that could be hidden among items passed down to family members.
Anyone with information is asked by detectives to call 410-887-3943 or text 443-862-9426.
Those with information may also be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 through the Metro Crime Stoppers, and are asked to call 866-756-2587.
