Cold Case: Sarasota Police Seek Info In 1985 Death

SARASOTA, FL — Sarasota police investigators are asking the community for information about a homicide that occurred 35 years ago in the 300 block of Tarpon Avenue in Sarasota, the department said in a news release.

Denise Marie Stafford, who was 28 years old at the time of her death, was found dead on Oct. 13, 1985. Detectives say she was likely killed between 11 p.m. on Oct. 12 and 3:10 a.m. on Oct. 13. They also believe she was at home alone with her child at the time of her murder.

Additional details in the case are being withheld due to the ongoing investigation.

Stafford and her husband worked and visited former establishments in Sarasota, specifically the Playground Lounge and the Sawmill Restaurant, police said.

Investigators believe utilizing advancements in evidence analysis, as well as new information from the community, will be crucial in solving this homicide. Recent advances in DNA technology have allowed the Sarasota police to reexamine forensic evidence from cases once thought to be unsolvable.

Anyone with information about Stafford’s death is encouraged to call investigator Jeff Birdwell at 941-263-6028. An anonymous tip can be left with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477) or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com