Pennsylvania State Police Troop B in Uniontown continues its investigation into the homicide of Elizabeth “Betty Jane” Berquist, who went missing on Dec. 17, 1977.
Her remains were discovered on Apr. 15, 1978, and authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps solve the cold case.
Berquist, a nurse at what is now UPMC McKeesport, was last seen on the day she disappeared after finishing her shift. She had briefly stopped at her parents’ home in the township to leave her 2-year-old daughter with them for the night. Berquist then left their house, still in her nurse’s uniform, to go home and change clothes for an evening out. Her disappearance was immediately classified as a homicide, with her boyfriend identified as the main suspect in the case.
Berquist’s skull was found in a yard located in Hawkins Hollow, a remote part of Springfield Township in Fayette County. Despite a vigorous search that followed the discovery, only her skull was recovered from her remains.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Uniontown Station at 724-439-7111 or PSP Tips Toll Free at 1-800-472-8477. Tips can also be submitted online here. Callers to PSP Tips are eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest, the resolution of a crime or cold case, or the location of a wanted person or fugitive or missing person.
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