NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — A California police department is drawing attention to a 45-year-old murder case by tweeting about the crime as if it just happened.
The Newport Beach Police Department just south of Los Angeles took to Twitter on Saturday to tweet about Linda O’Keefe, an 11-year-old girl kidnapped while walking home from school on July 6, 1973.
“Hi. I’m Linda O’Keefe (or Linda ANN O’Keefe, if I’m in trouble with my mom). Forty-five years ago today, I disappeared from Newport Beach. I was murdered and my body was found in the Back Bay. My killer was never found. Today, I’m going to tell you my story.” #LindasStory pic.twitter.com/G25n2IppZb
— Newport Beach Police (@NewportBeachPD) July 6, 2018
The girl’s body was found the following morning in a nature preserve.
The department suspended its normal Twitter content to draw attention to the case and posted as if Linda herself were talking to the audience.
“When my big sister gets to work, she is shocked to see the headline on the front page of the Daily Pilot: ‘Girl, 11, Vanishes in Newport’.
Linda? Vanished? ‘No, no, no,’ she thinks, ‘They must have it wrong.’” #LindasStory pic.twitter.com/6PV89kJ2yL
— Newport Beach Police (@NewportBeachPD) July 7, 2018
The series of tweets includes one that reads: “I was murdered and my body found in the Back Bay. My killer was never found.”
The tweets became a Moment on the social media site and have been gaining attention under #LindasStory.
“The man is looking in the ditch on the east side of Back Bay Drive, searching for frogs in the cattails. Instead, he sees something small, and pale. My hand. He sees my hand. He screams, trying to rouse me.” #LindasStory pic.twitter.com/32CGJKjuSs
— Newport Beach Police (@NewportBeachPD) July 7, 2018
