The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit is seeking the public’s help to solve a chilling cold case from 1979. Marion Berry Ouma, a 25-year-old physical education teacher from Dayton, Ohio, was found dead on January 3, 1979, near Hoover Dam on Highway 93. Despite the passage of time, investigators are hopeful that new information can shed light on this decades-old mystery.
On that fateful January morning, Hoover Dam security officers discovered Ouma’s body down an embankment. She had been shot in the lower right abdomen, and an autopsy later revealed a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Investigators believe she had been dead for less than 12 hours when her body was found.
The investigation received a critical lead when a witness came forward. The witness described seeing a 1976-1977 powder blue Chevrolet Blazer or Ford Bronco near the crime scene at around 3 AM on January 3. The vehicle, with a covered front license plate, chrome push bars, all-terrain tires, and a tall CB antenna, remains a key piece of the puzzle. Despite extensive efforts, the owner of the vehicle and any potential connection to the crime have not been identified.
Initial attempts to identify the victim through fingerprints proved unsuccessful. However, a breakthrough came in February 1981 when a private investigator from Ohio suggested the victim might be Marion Berry Ouma. This lead was confirmed through fingerprint and dental record comparisons. Ouma, who had spent time in Africa and worked as a physical education teacher, had returned to the U.S. and was last seen conducting bank transactions in Las Vegas in late 1978.
Ouma’s whereabouts between December 13, 1978, and January 3, 1979, remain unknown, as does the motive behind her murder. It was discovered that her grandfather, Loren Berry, founder of the Yellow Pages telephone books, had passed away in 1980, leaving a substantial inheritance to Ouma, who was unidentified at the time of his death.
Despite these discoveries, many questions remain unanswered. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is renewing its plea for any information that could help solve this case. They are particularly interested in leads regarding the powder blue Chevrolet Blazer or Ford Bronco seen near the crime scene.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Special Investigations Unit at 928-753-0753 ext. 4408, referencing DR# 79-022. With community support, there is hope that justice can finally be served for Marion Berry Ouma.
