Police disclose clue in Ill. teen's 1985 rape and murder

(CBS/WBBM) GLEN ELLYN, Ill. - Twenty-six years to the day after 15-year-old Kristy Wesselman from unincorporated Glen Ellyn was raped and murdered, police on Thursday released previously undisclosed information about the case.

Police disclosed that Kristy wore a family heirloom ring the day she was murdered, and the killer apparently took it. Authorities are hoping someone knows the current whereabouts of the ring, which is gold and size 4 1/2. The setting holds a chipped pearl, reports CBS station WBBM.

Police kept that secret until now, hoping to weed out false confessions and clear suspects. Now, they hope it will prompt new leads.

Police tracked about 25 leads the past year, the most recent two weeks ago. Authorities continue to offer a $10,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. Police are also conducting a canvass of the 120 long-time residents of Kristy's subdivision, reports the station.

DuPage County Sheriff's Police Cold Case Squad Sgt. Robert Harris says he believes the case can still be solved.

"I don't want to say I'm 100 percent confident, but I'm almost there," Harris said. "We strongly believe that this killer was from this area and that someone has a bit of information that they can give to us."

On July 21, 1985, Kristy and her mother, Sandy Wesselman, intended to spend the day watching old movies. Sandy asked Kristy to buy some candy at a nearby supermarket.

"I watched her go out the door, and I said, 'Be careful, princess. I love you.' Little did I know that those were the last words I would ever say to my daughter," Sandy Wesselman said, reports the station.

Video caught Kristy standing in line at the now-demolished Jewel supermarket. She left the store on a well-traveled path used by residents of the nearby subdivision, in which she lived.

But on the path, she encountered her killer. She was raped and stabbed eight times. The body was found a day later.

"There's a man out there who thinks he got away with murder," Sandy, told reporters. "Please help us take away his dream. He stole all of Kristy's."

Police are asking anyone who may have information relevant to the investigation to call the Cold Case unit at 630-407-2333.