Pamela Franklin was 20 years old when she was murdered. Her body was found in an orange grove in Auburndale, Florida, more than two decades ago, and the person responsible for her death has yet to be brought to justice.
At around 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, 1994, a partially burned body was discovered in an orange grove near the area of Old Dixie and Saddle Creek Road, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Ten days later, the medical examiner identified the body through dental records as that of Franklin, whose last known address was 906 W. Seventh Street in Lakeland.
An autopsy revealed that Franklin, who had the letter “P” engraved in one of her teeth, was the victim of a homicide, as she was stabbed to death before being set on fire.
Police officials were initially reluctant to release details in the case, such as the cause of death or the time she was murdered.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Sonya Dodds said, “That’s something that’s instrumental in our case. It’s something only the suspect would know.”
A month before Franklin met her demise, she was arrested on drug and prostitution charges.
It was alleged that she was a cocaine user.
Investigators have worked diligently to find Franklin’s killer, but ultimately, her case has turned cold.
Anyone with information regarding the unsolved murder of Pamela Franklin is encouraged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at (863) 298-6379 or send an email to coldcase@polksheriff.org.