14-year-old Gloria Pointer was set to receive a perfect attendance award at school on the morning of December 6, 1984.
It was cold and snowing that morning.
Gloria set off to school via a friend’s home — and took a shortcut through an alley.
Several people saw her along the way.
But she never made it to school.
The school principal called Gloria’s mother, Yvonne, and told her to call the police.
By then, police were near Gloria’s school, investigating some suspicious activity someone had called in at an apartment building.
They found a body at the bottom of a dark stairway that led to the basement.
A school ID and book bag were found next to the body. They belonged to Gloria Pointer.
It was an appalling crime. Gloria had been beaten to death, and there was evidence of a sexual assault.
After they identified Gloria’s body, police went to Yvonne’s house to deliver the awful news. Who could have hurt her daughter like this?
Word spread to Gloria’s school and among her friends.
Watch Gloria’s loved ones share their memories of her:
In the days that followed Gloria’s murder, Yvonne had to endure the heartbreak of planning her child’s funeral.
At the funeral home, Yvonne was advised not to look in the casket, but she insisted on having a private moment with her daughter.
That day, Yvonne made Gloria a promise: that she would find the person responsible for her murder and bring them to justice…
To find out what happened, you can watch the full episode now.
You can also watch on Peacock and listen to the podcast.
Plus, Josh Mankiewicz sits down with Andrea Canning for a new episode of Talking Dateline, in which they discuss Yvonne’s 30-year search for justice and what she is doing now to protect other young people from harm.
