YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Nearly thirty years ago, Judy Smith vanished from a York County bar.
The 34-year-old mother was last seen on Jan. 26, 1995, leaving Degen's, a bar that was located along the 700 block of East Market Street in York. Not much is known about Smith's final hours, but she was last spotted getting into a car with three individuals that night.
"What we know at this point is she was last seen getting into a vehicle with three individuals and was never seen again. We don't know what happened between that period and when she was found," explained Detective Sergeant Barry Mills with the Hellam Township Police Department.
She wouldn't be seen again until nearly three months later on April 25, 1995, when her badly decomposed body was discovered along Route 30 in Hellam Township.
"Judy was found in [a] ditch by a man who lives in a townhouse, he was looking for a cat back in 1995," said Det. Sgt. Mills.
Judy had been strangled and her clothes had been removed.
"One pant leg was pulled off one of her legs and she was lying there," said Det. Sgt. Mills. "There was DNA sent off to try to determine if there was a sexual assault."
Investigators ruled the death suspicious. They believe Judy put up a fight before she was killed, but when exactly she died is unknown and those responsible for her murder have never been brought to justice.
That's where a classroom on the campus of York College comes into play.
"One of our theories was that she was ultimately killed off-site and the ditch was just a dumping spot," said senior Andrew Kuhl.
Students in Dr. Barb Hanbury's criminology class are working hand-in-hand with Hellam Township police to crack this cold case.
"I created the course so the students could have a hands-on experience and actually engage with a cold case," Dr. Hanbury explained.
At the beginning of the semester, all enrolled students in the course underwent a training program, were fingerprinted and had to sign confidentiality agreements.
"[The students] have diligently and meticulously examined the case by reviewing all documentation, from the incident [and] autopsy reports to all case material," said Dr. Hanbury. "They have been coming up with questions and suggestions regarding the cold case."
And the hard work is paying off.
"We actually have discovered a couple of additional leads," said Dr. Hanbury. "We're really hopeful that we can be a part of the solving of this case."
"[Another] of our current theories is that [Judy] was potentially assaulted in one of the homes, woke up, ran through the brush area, hopped the fence and [that's] where her killer found her again and completed the act," explained Kuhl.
It's not just her death that students are learning about either.
"From everything we've read and everything we've learned about her, she was a really great person and this should not have happened," said senior Sydney Adams. "It would be great to find the conclusion and bring justice to [Judy] and her family."
Hellam Township police say there are multiple suspects in the case and the three people last spotted in the car with Smith have not been ruled out.
"I think this case will eventually be solved," affirmed Det. Sgt. Mills. "Judy Smith, her daughter and her family all deserve for this to be solved."
Anyone with information surrounding the disappearance of Smith can contact Det. Sgt. Mills at the Hellam Township Police Department at 717-434-1318.