On the evening of September 12, 1996, Linda Silva, 47, an investigator for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services, was shot and killed as she was getting into her car in a parking lot at the corner of Alden and Bradford Streets in Provincetown. The shooting occurred at about 7:30 p.m.; witnesses said the single gunshot was at first mistaken for a firecracker or a car backfire. Silva had just left a local establishment after meeting with friends.

Silva, a Provincetown High School graduate, worked in child welfare and was known for handling difficult, emotionally charged cases. Colleagues feared her death was connected to that work. Witnesses reported seeing a man in a yellow shirt leaving the scene in a dark-colored pickup truck, but the initial investigation produced few immediate leads. For years the case remained open and painful for the family and community.

If anyone knew Linda, saw the truck or the man in the yellow shirt that night, or has information that could still help, please come forward.