Federal investigators have reopened the decades-old unsolved murder case of a 26-year-old Missouri woman who was found dead with her children nearby.
The FBI in Kansas City is seeking new information from the public on the death of Diana Ault. The mother of two was found fatally shot inside her home in Independence, just east of Kansas City, on January 31, 1994. Ault's two children, both under the age of 5, were found in the home unharmed.
"With the passage of time and advances in technology, we are hopeful that a complete reexamination of this case will bring new details to light to advance this cold case investigation forward," FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub said in a statement.
On the night of the murder, Ault returned home late from a Super Bowl watch party with her 4-year-old son and 7-month-old daughter, when someone lying in wait shot her at close range in the neck as she walked down the hallway, KSHB reported.
Police found Ault's body after being called to check out a late 1980's Pontiac Grand Prix that was abandoned at a church less than a mile from her home. Inside the vehicle, police found a stainless-steel revolver, ammunition and a spent round. Officers also discovered the vehicle was registered to Ault.
Officers went to Ault's home to check on her, and heard a baby crying when they arrived. They entered the home and found Ault dead on the floor. Her young son told police "someone shot his mommy," KSHB reported.
After 28 years and no charges in the case, investigators are hoping new technology and improved DNA analysis might help them find the killer. Evidence in the case is already being reexamined.
"In consulting with the FBI's forensic laboratory, we submitted new items to them for testing," Jonathan Spaeth, a special agent on the FBI's task force, told KSHB.
As investigators chase new leads, they're asking the public for help solving the case and bringing closure to Ault's family.
"Even the smallest detail, which may seem insignificant, could be a key piece in the furtherance of this investigation," the FBI said.
Tips on Ault's death can be submitted to the FBI's toll-free line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.
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