A 20 year old is found murdered near a park hours after she was last seen
In the late summer of 1995, the life of 20-year-old Tina Lynn Wilkerson was tragically cut short, leaving a lasting wound in the community of Lake Station, Indiana. A vibrant young woman with dreams of becoming a nurse or a singer, Tina was known for her love of babysitting and her protective nature towards friends and family. However, her life took a dark turn in the days leading up to her own demise.
Just days before her death, Tina's fiancé, Richard Sleziak, was murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. This event deeply affected Tina, causing her to become more withdrawn. On the night of August 14, 1995, after attending Richard's funeral, Tina was last seen walking near Indiana State Road 51 around 2:00 a.m. A few hours prior, a witness had seen someone attempting to start Tina's 1981 Buick station wagon.
The following morning, on August 15, 1995, a passerby made a grim discovery. Tina's nude body was found in a brushy area along Marquette Road, near the baseball fields of Four Winds Park. She had been brutally murdered, having sustained multiple stab wounds and a severe cut across her neck. Defensive wounds on her hands indicated she had fought for her life. The lack of significant blood at the scene led investigators to conclude that she had been killed at a different location and her body had been moved. Later that day, her car was found abandoned.
Despite an ongoing investigation, Tina Wilkerson's murder remains unsolved. Authorities believe she likely knew her attacker. Over the years, numerous individuals were questioned, and one person of interest even failed a polygraph test, though no charges were ever filed. The Lake Station Police Department, with assistance from the Indiana State Police in 2004, has continued to seek answers. Her case has been featured on television in hopes of generating new leads. While authorities do not believe her murder is connected to her fiancé's death, the tragic series of events left a family and community searching for justice that has yet to be found. The case is now considered a cold case, a painful reminder of a young life taken too soon.
