Who killed Karen Thomas in 1981? On December 21, 1981, the family of Karen Andrea Thomas, a 21-year-old African-American woman, grew worried. It had been three days since they last had contact with her, which was highly uncharacteristic. Karen had recently moved back into her mother and step-father's home in mid-December, after a period of staying in an apartment in the 4900 block of NE 7th in Portland, Oregon.
A sense of unease prompted Karen's brother, Kevin Thomas, to go to her old apartment.
With the assistance of the landlord, he gained entry and made a devastating discovery. Inside, he found his sister's body; she had been fatally stabbed. Investigators with the Portland Police Bureau began looking into her life, interviewing family, friends, and acquaintances. They learned that Karen was a mother to a three-year-old son and had been making positive changes in her life for his sake. Despite their efforts at the time, detectives were unable to identify any suspects in her murder.
For sixteen years, the case remained cold. Then, a new lead emerged when an individual came forward with information. This new information pointed investigators toward a person of interest: Johnny Moore, an African-American man born in 1948. However, before any charges could be brought or further investigation could definitively link him to the crime, Moore died of an apparent drug overdose in 2004. The case officially remains unsolved, and investigators continue to seek information from anyone who knew Johnny Moore and might have heard him speak about the death of Karen Thomas or any other similar crimes.
