Judy Bever

In the autumn of 1973, Judy J. Bever was a 24-year-old woman building a life in the growing Minneapolis suburb of Blaine, Minnesota. A young mother of two small children, she lived with her husband, Edward, in the Northview Villa mobile home park. By all accounts, she was navigating the joys and responsibilities of family life and work in a community that was rapidly transforming from a small town into a bustling suburb.

The last ordinary day of her life was Wednesday, October 10, 1973. That morning, her husband dropped her off at her job. After her workday, Judy, a White female, attended a mixed doubles bowling league sponsored by her employer. When the evening's games concluded, a coworker gave her a ride, dropping her off about a half-block from her residence at 1254 96th Ave. NE. It was the last time anyone confirmed seeing her alive. She never made it home. The following day, her husband reported her missing to the local police, setting off a search that would last for more than six agonizing weeks.

The mystery of her disappearance came to a grim end on Sunday, November 25, 1973, just a few days after Thanksgiving. A man cutting wood in a secluded, swampy area near 99th Avenue and Xylite Street in Blaine discovered her body. She was found fully clothed, lying face up. The location was only a few miles from her home, yet it was a world away from the life she had known. An autopsy revealed the cause of death: Judy Bever had been shot twice in the chest with a.22-caliber firearm, with one bullet piercing her heart.

Investigators from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office found no evidence that she had been robbed or sexually assaulted. The state of the scene led them to believe that she was likely killed at another location before her body was left in the marshy woods. Despite exploring several leads in the immediate aftermath, the trail went cold. No suspects were publicly named, and no one was ever charged in connection with her murder. For decades, the case file gathered dust, leaving her family with unanswered questions and a grief that could not be resolved.

Now, more than fifty years later, the investigation has been rekindled. The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit is actively re-examining Judy’s murder, recorded as Case Number 73-003400. Bolstered by a federal grant, the unit is applying modern forensic science to a crime that predates the era of DNA analysis. Investigators are systematically reviewing all remaining evidence, hoping that new techniques can uncover clues that were impossible to find in 1973. Detectives believe that the passage of time can also change allegiances and loosen tongues; someone who was afraid to speak decades ago may now be willing to come forward with what they know.

On the anniversary of the discovery of her body in November 2025, the Sheriff's Office renewed its public appeal for information. They emphasized that even a seemingly insignificant detail could be the key to unlocking the half-century-old mystery. "The ultimate goal is to hold offenders accountable and bring closure to victims’ families," the office stated, underscoring their commitment to finding justice for Judy.

As of December 2025, the murder of Judy Bever remains an open and active cold case investigation. Her children grew up without their mother, and a family has spent a lifetime wondering who was responsible for her death and why. The Anoka County Sheriff's Office urges anyone with any information, no matter how small, about the disappearance or murder of Judy J. Bever to contact them. Tips can be submitted confidentially via email to [email protected].