Bluegrass Crime Stoppers revisits 1998 Lexington homicide

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – It’s a homicide that has remained unsolved for nearly 28 years, and Bluegrass Crime Stoppers is once again asking for tips to help bring answers in the killing of Linda Rutledge.

On November 7, 1998, Lexington police responded to a business at 121 Malibu Drive for a fire call. According to the Lexington Police Department, firefighters discovered Rutledge’s body inside. A coroner’s report determined she had injuries unrelated to the fire.

Detective Krystin Klingshirn said the case has been especially difficult because it predates many of today’s investigative tools, like smartphones, surveillance cameras, and social media.

“In cases like this that are older and those things aren’t available, I think it’s important to go back to what you would call old-fashioned detective work and just talk to people,” Klingshirn said.

She stressed that no piece of information is too small. “Don’t ever keep any information to yourself or think that it’s not important enough. Go ahead and submit it and let us decide if it’s relevant or not.”

Anyone with information about Rutledge’s death is urged to call Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at (859) 253-2020 or submit a tip anonymously online at p3tips.com