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St. Lucie County sheriff’s officials Thursday announced they closed the 1983 unsolved homicide of an 11-year-old girl as detectives named a former deputy as “the only probable suspect in this case.”
The body of Lora Ann Huizar was found Nov. 9, 1983, three days after being reported missing. Asphyxiation was listed as the cause of death.
Investigators named Deputy James Howard Harrison as the suspect in the death of Lora Ann Huizar. He is unable to be charged because he died in 2008.
“We have established probable cause to determine that Harrison abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered the juvenile victim and later altered the crime scene by placing the victim in a drainage ditch in an attempt to destroy physical evidence,” said St. Lucie County Chief Deputy Brian Hester in a statement.
Officials said Harrison worked for ten separate law enforcement agencies across Florida since the 1960s. During this time, they said he showed a pattern of inappropriate behavior involving juvenile females.
This pattern leads detectives to believe he may be responsible for other sexual assault cases across the state.
Anyone with information regarding Harrison and his possible involvement in any case is asked to case the St. Lucie County Criminal Investigation Division at [URL='https://www.websleuths.com/forums/tel:772-462-3230']772-462-3230.
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Florida deputy identified as murder suspect in 1983 cold case
![](/forums/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gannett-cdn.com%2Fpresto%2F2022%2F02%2F17%2FPTCN%2F8c2cc5a8-79ca-46ed-87aa-a0b5e6402f3e-Lora_Ann_Huizar.jpg%3Fwidth%3D300%26height%3D382%26fit%3Dcrop%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp&hash=7c565520a9faa5ff65295e533a463be2)
Suspect in 1983 slaying of Lora Ann Huizar, 11, named as dead deputy
The body of Lora Ann Huizar was found Nov. 9, 1983, three days after being reported missing. Asphyxiation was listed as the cause of death.
Investigators named Deputy James Howard Harrison as the suspect in the death of Lora Ann Huizar. He is unable to be charged because he died in 2008.
“We have established probable cause to determine that Harrison abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered the juvenile victim and later altered the crime scene by placing the victim in a drainage ditch in an attempt to destroy physical evidence,” said St. Lucie County Chief Deputy Brian Hester in a statement.
Officials said Harrison worked for ten separate law enforcement agencies across Florida since the 1960s. During this time, they said he showed a pattern of inappropriate behavior involving juvenile females.
This pattern leads detectives to believe he may be responsible for other sexual assault cases across the state.
Anyone with information regarding Harrison and his possible involvement in any case is asked to case the St. Lucie County Criminal Investigation Division at [URL='https://www.websleuths.com/forums/tel:772-462-3230']772-462-3230.
[/URL]
Florida deputy identified as murder suspect in 1983 cold case
![](/forums/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gannett-cdn.com%2Fpresto%2F2022%2F02%2F17%2FPTCN%2F8c2cc5a8-79ca-46ed-87aa-a0b5e6402f3e-Lora_Ann_Huizar.jpg%3Fwidth%3D300%26height%3D382%26fit%3Dcrop%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp&hash=7c565520a9faa5ff65295e533a463be2)
Suspect in 1983 slaying of Lora Ann Huizar, 11, named as dead deputy
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