Authorities in Maryville are seeking help solve a cold-case murder.

Director of Public Safety Keith Wood says investigators are still hopeful for justice for Teresa Sue “Tess” Hilt of Chillicothe, who was found strangled and stabbed in her north Maryville apartment August 4, 1973.

Hilt was 22 years old. She had just graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in Elementary Education, and had started work on her Masters.

Wood says recent events such as the posting of a Facebook page in her honor have yielded some new information and re-stimulated the investigative efforts.

“Friends” of the Facebook page have speculated and wondered what the life of Tess might have been over the last 40 years had her life not been abruptly and prematurely ended.

If you hav information, you are urged to call Maryville Public Safety at (660)562-3209 or email [email protected].

Further information may be obtained via Tess Hilt Facebook page, justicefortess.com and defrostingcoldcases.com.

The photographs in this post come from the tribute page on Facebook.