Seventeen-year-old Joyce Francine Gaunt, described as a developmentally disabled White/Caucasian teen, was found murdered in Seattle on February 17, 1978. Her body was discovered nude and lying face down in a Seward Park picnic area; she had been beaten, sexually assaulted, strangled and suffered a crushed skull.

For decades the case remained cold with few leads. In 2010 investigators announced they were exploring a possible connection to Rodney Alcala, who had rented a storage locker in Seattle and was active in the Pacific Northwest around that time. Alcala’s known pattern of luring women and the violence in Joyce’s case drew police interest, but no DNA or other conclusive evidence linking him to Joyce has been reported and no arrests have been made.

Anyone with memories of Seward Park or information about Joyce in 1978 is asked to come forward.