45 years after heiress Marion Ouma's body was found, the cold case still haunts investigators

Ouma, who was set to inherit a $40 million fortune, was murdered on January 3, 1979.

PUBLISHED OCT 7, 2024

A critical lead in the case centers around a report of a vehicle seen near the crime scene shortly after Ouma’s murder.

Kingman, Arizona: A 45-year-old cold case may have just had a breakthrough. Investigators have provided new details about the unsolved murder of Marion Berry Ouma, the granddaughter of Yellow Pages founder Loren Berry.

Ouma, who was set to inherit a $40 million fortune, was murdered on January 3, 1979, and her case has remained unsolved ever since. The Mohave County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) in Kingman, Arizona, is seeking the public's help to finally solve the mystery that has baffled detectives for decades.

Marion Ouma's body was discovered in the morning by security officers near the Hoover Dam along Highway 93 in Arizona.

A critical lead in the case centers around a report of a vehicle seen near the crime scene shortly after Ouma’s murder. Witnesses described the vehicle as a powder blue 1976-1977 Chevrolet Blazer or Ford Bronco. It had a removable hardtop, chrome push bars, all-terrain tires, a tall CB antenna, and, notably, a front license plate that was obscured by a rag.

MCSO spokesperson Lori Miller, told the Daily Mail, that although this lead hasn't yet yielded significant breakthroughs, it's still considered a valuable piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation.

Ouma’s grandfather, Loren Berry, passed away in 1986, leaving behind a massive estate valued at about $500 million.

Miller mentioned that a few tips had been received about owners of similar vehicles, but they did not lead to any substantial progress. She also noted that a neighbor who lived in the apartment next to Ouma at the time of her murder was identified, but he has since passed away, closing off another potential line of inquiry.

Ouma's body was discovered in the morning by security officers near the Hoover Dam along Highway 93 in Arizona. She had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including a fatal one to her lower right abdomen. An autopsy later confirmed that she had been shot with a .38 caliber weapon. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Ouma had moved to Las Vegas just months before her tragic death after spending years working in Africa as a physical education teacher.

Despite the physical evidence collected at the scene, including clothing fibers, hair samples, and bullet fragments, investigators have yet to identify a suspect. There were no signs of sexual assault or defensive wounds on her body, nor any evidence suggesting involvement in drugs or criminal activities.

Ouma’s grandfather, Loren Berry, passed away in 1986, leaving behind a massive estate valued at about $500 million. The circumstances of her move to Las Vegas remain unclear, and she was reportedly unemployed at the time of her murder.