MD MD - Alva Parris, 9, left to go to aunt's house, Essex, 15 Jun 1960

[imstilla.grandma]

Baltimore County police are still searching for clues in the unsolved murder of 9-year-old Alva Parris.

Parris' body was found in Essex on June 15, 1960, five days after she went missing.

Her body was covered with leaves, tree branches, and lye (or alkaline). You can view her video case file here.

Parris left her house on June 10, 1960 on the way to her aunt's house.

Police say her killer may be dead, but clues may have been passed down through family members

Baltimore County Police still looking for clues to 9-year-old's unsolved murder

BALTIMORE (WBFF) --

foxbaltimore.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The inside of the grave contained the severely decomposed body of Alva.

According to the assistant medical examiner at the time, Dr. William Lovitt, Alva had been dead for five days and had most likely been dead since not long after her initial disappearance.

However, Dr. Lovitt was never able to definitively identify a cause of death. The autopsy revealed that there were no visible marks that showed she had been stabbed, shot, or strangled. And while Dr. Lovitt said that strangulation could be a possible cause, the tissue tests and internal evidence were both inconclusive.

But, medical examiners did conclude that lye, had been poured on Alva's abdomen, and her clothes had been positioned to cover it.

In addition to the chemical being the reason why Alva's body was in such an advanced state of decomposition after only five days, police said that they believed that its use was to burn away evidence of a sexual attack.

64 years later, Alva Jean Parris' killer is still a mystery

Two volunteer firefighters stumbled upon a shallow grave located on the property of a nearby abandoned farmhouse.

www.wmar2news.com

 

[dotr]

Baltimore County Police are still investigating the murder of 9-year-old Alva Jean Parris, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Essex 65 years ago. The yellowed case files and photos from 1960 are now in the hands of Detective Linsey Buckingham, who is determined to ensure this child's case isn't lost to time.
Jun 12, 2025 By: Jack Watson

1960 Essex Cold Case: The 9-year-old girl found in a shallow grave

"I don't think there's anyone who can look at a photograph of a 9-year-old girl and not do anything they can to try to give her some justice," said Det. Buckingham.

www.wmar2news.com

If you have any information that could help solve Alva Jean Parris' murder, please call Baltimore County Police at 410-887-3943.