An elderly woman is attacked during an attempted robbery
On the quiet Sunday of August 27, 1967, a shocking act of violence shattered the peace of a Vancouver, Washington neighborhood. Inside a residence at 901 W 16th Street, two elderly Caucasian women, one of whom was Sara J. Amelia Cole, were subjected to a terrifying home invasion. The tranquility of their home was ripped away when a man broke in, violently assaulting and robbing both women. The injuries Sara sustained during the brutal attack would ultimately prove to be fatal, her life tragically cut short that day.
The assailant was described as a white male, estimated to be between 20 and 25 years of age. He was of a medium build, standing somewhere between five feet six and five feet eight inches tall, and was noted to have a dark complexion. Following the assault and robbery, the suspect fled the scene, leaving behind a community in fear and a crime that would remain a painful, unanswered question for decades to come.
In the years that followed, the death of Sara Cole became a cold case, a lingering shadow in the city's history. Despite the passage of time, law enforcement has not publicly announced any arrests or named any specific suspects in connection with the heinous crime. The case remains open, a somber reminder of a life taken too soon and the enduring quest for justice for Sara Cole and the other woman who survived the horrific ordeal.
