Herlinda Pariseau lived in her North Side neighborhood her entire life. So when the 58-year-old woman decided to walk to a nearby Circle K store at North Stone Avenue and Fort Lowell Road late at night, she didn't think twice, even though her children warned her of the dangers.
Just before 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, 2002, a passer-by found Pariseau fatally stabbed.
The bag she was carrying from the convenience store had been ripped out of her hands — pieces of plastic remained in between her fingers.
Pariseau's purse also was gone.
Pariseau, a mother and grandmother, was only a short distance from her home.
"She did go out late frequently," said Pariseau's daughter, Lisa Witt. "It was her neighborhood. She didn't think a thing about going out whatever time of the night. She felt powerful enough to walk anywhere she pleased."
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Tucson police interviewed homeless people in the area, because Pariseau was slain near a drainage tunnel where transients lived, Witt said. They were unable to identify a suspect.
No arrests have been made, and a motive has not been determined.
The homicide is considered a cold case now, and police say they have nothing to go forward with.
The case was last reviewed on March 31, said Sgt. Diana Lopez, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.
"I'm not a revengeful person," Witt said. "I'd just like to see this person taken off the streets so they are not allowed to hurt anyone else."
Initially, Witt said she would call police once a week to get an update on the case. Gradually it went to once a month.
"After hearing each time, 'Nothing yet,' I decided I would let them call me," Witt said.
Witt also had a talk with family members, explaining that they could not let their lives hinge on whether a suspect was found.
She later spoke with a psychic to make sure her mother would approve of that message, and the psychic said she did.
"I know they may never find him," Witt said. "But in the back of my mind, I always wonder if they'll call today."
About the series
The Star will feature some of the Tucson-area violent crimes that remain unsolved — sometimes many years later.
Anyone with information is urged to call 88-CRIME. Tips also can be submitted online at www.88crime.org; or by text message at 274637, then enter tip259 plus your text message.
Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at 573-4242 or ahuicochea@azstarnet.com if you have been a victim of an unsolved crime or if you are related to a victim of an unsolved homicide.
