Nora Amaya was 38 when she was last seen on the night of Halloween 2009 after leaving several clubs in Washington, D.C. Security footage recorded her arriving at her 16th Street NW apartment alone about 2:30 a.m. on November 1. She did not show up for a November 2 catering event; family members and a security guard entered her apartment and found her dead in bed.

An autopsy determined Nora had been strangled. Investigators noted a disturbing detail: all of her fingernails had been removed, which led them to conclude someone may have been trying to destroy DNA evidence. Male DNA was recovered at the scene but has not matched any law enforcement database entry. Security video from the Halloween night shows many people in costumes and masks, complicating identification of anyone who might have entered the building.

No arrests or publicly identified suspects have been announced and the Metropolitan Police Department continues to list the murder as an open investigation. If anyone knew Nora, saw her that night, or has information about people coming or going from her building on November 1, please come forward.