On November 2, 1997, 70-year-old interior designer George Wilbanks was found stabbed and strangled in the sanctuary of his north Columbus, Mississippi, home. Described in life as gracious and without a known enemy, Wilbanks’ violent death shocked neighbors and became part of a disturbing cluster: five unsolved killings of senior citizens between 1996 and 1998, all committed in a similar manner and within about three miles of each other.

Investigators pursued leads for years and the case drew national attention. In February 2012 the Columbus Police Department arrested 44-year-old Earnest Terell Talley, who was already in custody on an unrelated burglary charge; authorities said Talley and Wilbanks had mutual acquaintances and that the apparent motive involved money. A second man, Curtis Hinton, later turned himself in and was charged, but a grand jury declined to indict Hinton in August 2012 and he was released. Talley’s preliminary hearing was scheduled and his bond set at $2 million.

The murders of the other seniors from that period remained under investigation. Does anyone have information about Wilbanks, his acquaintances, or activities in north Columbus in the months before November 1997?