AUSTIN, Texas — For as long as most of us can remember, the Barton Creek Greenbelt has been a popular spot to hang out. But for one Austin woman, it was a place from which she never returned.
"This is just a general overview of the Greenbelt area in 1983," Det. Zachary Baldridge with the Austin Police Department (APD), said.
A snapshot of old Austin. Tuesday, March 1, 1983, was a typical warm spring day in Central Texas, so Sally Tullos decided to go sunbathing.
"She left her friends that she was with that morning and then went down to the Greenbelt by herself," Baldridge said.
At around 10 a.m., 33 year-old Tullos parked her car at Zilker Park and walked to Barton Creek, near Campbell's Hole.
"We believe that she went to the west bank, and that's where she was hanging out. And that's where her shoes and socks were. And then her body was found on the east bank, along with the rest of her clothes," Baldridge said.
Police said Tullos was naked and covered in brush.
"It was a pretty violent scene at that time. There's a lot of blood. She was stabbed," Baldridge said.
At around 12:30 p.m., a person walking the trail found her body by the creek and called 911.Police believe the assault was sexually motivated.
"The attack happened in the trees and then after, she stumbled down to the creek and that's where she collapsed and where she was found," Baldridge said.
Detectives have questioned multiple people throughout the years, but they've never made any arrests. Tullos had a boyfriend at the time. He was questioned and quickly ruled out as a suspect.
The year 1983 was around the time when Austin had a Barton Creek rapist. The man was believed to be linked to dozens of sexual assaults. To this day, he has not been positively identified or definitively connected to this case.
If you or anyone you know has information about what happened to Sally Tullos, contact Crime Stoppers online or by calling 512-472-TIPS. You can remain anonymous, and any tip leading to an arrest could result in a $1,000 reward.
KVUE Daybreak's Yvonne Nava is shining a spotlight on several Central Texas cold cases as part of a monthly series called KVUE Crime Files.