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Forty years ago today, 3-year-old beauty queen Rachael Runyan was abducted from a playground near her family's home in Sunset, Utah. After a nearly month-long manhunt, her body was found in a canyon about 15 miles away. Rachael's 5-year-old brother Justin and another older boy witnessed the abduction and saw the man who took her. However, some misunderstandings resulted in an inaccurate police sketch being released, which misdirected the focus of potential witnesses. Justin, now an adult, has recently come forward to clarify some details that led to a new break in the case, with a new possible suspect being examined, and new hope for closure for the Runyan family.

Writing and research by Aurora Cady.

Original music and audio production by Louis Levesque.
For inquiries: [email protected]

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LINKS + SOURCES:

If you have any information about the abduction and murder of Rachael Runyan, please call:
Sunset Police Department: (801) 825-1620.

Justice for Rachael Runyan on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064520717168 

Book:
Unsolved Child Murders: Eighteen American Cases 1956-1998 by Emily G Thompson

Podcasts:
Criminology: Rachael Runyan

Justice Files: Rachael Runyan's Story

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Rachael_Runyan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_kkUE6Uuc0

https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=4380727&itype=CMSID

https://vocal.media/criminal/the-abduction-and-murder-of-little-miss-sunset

http://www.spcoalition.org/simmons.html

https://www.grunge.com/758855/the-tragic-reason-utahs-rachael-alert-was-established/

https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Rachael_Runyan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert

https://www.deseret.com/2003/4/12/19715303/utah-s-rachael-alert-switches-to-amber-alert

https://www.abc4.com/news/the-justice-fil

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