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Mother of Cold Case Murder Victim Speaks Out

Newswatch 16 has learned more about the case of a man in Susquehanna County now charged with killing his wife 29 years ago. The mother of the victim talked excl...

Newswatch 16 has learned more about the case of a man in Susquehanna County now charged with killing his wife 29 years ago.

The mother of the victim talked exclusively with Newswatch 16.

It was a very emotional interview as Lynda Walker's mother Norma Conrad talked about her daughter and the new murder charges against Lynda's husband.

Norma said even after all these years, she never believed her daughter would hurt herself, and she hopes that justice will finally be served.

It's been a long time coming, said Norma Conrad about the new murder charges filed in the death of her daughter Lynda Walker.

Conrad said she's so grateful the investigators never gave up on finding the truth about her daughter's death.

"The ones who came and told me yesterday, the law enforcement officers, I just thanked them and thanked them and thanked them for doing what they've done and all the time they've spent," said Conrad.

Lynda Walker's death was originally ruled a suicide back in 1983, but on Wednesday, her husband John Walker was arrested and charged with killing her.

Lynda's mother said she always knew her daughter didn't do it.

"I just know she never would, she never wanted to kill anything. why would she want to do it to herself? She wouldn't want to. She just wouldn't," said Conrad.

According to court papers, investigators started looking into case again in 2010, when John Walker's second wife contacted police with statements Walker made to her about Lynda's death.

Walker told his second wife police did not have evidence because he burned it.

As investigators re-interviewed witnesses, they said their stories directly contradicted John Walker's accounts.

Investigators said one of the major pieces of information that didn't add up was the coroner's ruling. Lynda Walker's death was ruled a suicide the day before an autopsy was even done.

The original autopsy was also done by a funeral director and a general practitioner.

Walker's body was exhumed in 2011, and a new autopsy was done by two board-certified forensic pathologists.

The pathologists said if it were a suicide, the position of the gun would not have been where it was found, and it was almost impossible for Walker to shoot herself in the direction her body was found.

Walker's death was then ruled a homicide.

Her family hopes justice will finally be served after years of questions and frustration.

"It makes you lose faith in the system when things like this never really get done right," says Lynn Conrad, Lynda's brother.

The original coroner on this case was also the coroner in the Dr. Steven Scheer case in Susquehanna County. The case of the man whose death was also ruled accidental in the 1970s, and later ruled murder.

As for John walker, he's in jail without bail, and he's due back in court November 5.

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