As the 30th anniversary of Amber Hagerman’s tragic abduction and murder approaches, Arlington police are making a renewed plea to the public for assistance in solving this long-standing case.
Amber, whose disappearance led to the establishment of the AMBER Alert system, was only 9 years old when she was taken from an Arlington parking lot on Abrams Street. On January 13, 1996, she was riding her bike, accompanied by her younger brother, Ricky, who returned home alone, just a few blocks away, without her.
The case garnered significant attention when a neighbor, alarmed by the sound of screams, reported seeing a vehicle speeding away, as documented by The Spokesman-Review. This critical moment was one of the few leads in the case.
Tragically, Amber’s body was discovered four days later, abandoned near a creek approximately six miles from where she was last seen. Her life was brutally taken, with evidence showing her throat had been slashed.
Witness accounts, including that of Jimmie Kevil, who lived nearby, describe seeing a man in a black pickup truck forcibly taking Amber into the vehicle before fleeing the scene. Despite these accounts, the case remains unsolved, prompting authorities to once more seek the public’s help in bringing closure to Amber’s family.
A man who lived near the area, Jimmie Kevil, said he saw a man in a black pickup truck forcing Amber into the vehicle before fleeing the area.
“I saw [Amber] riding up and down,” Kevil said in an interview with CBS Dallas-Fort Worth in January 2016.
“She was by herself. I saw this black pickup. He pulled up, jumped out and grabbed her. When she screamed, I figured the police ought to know about it, so I called them.”
On January 27, 1996, radio caller Diane Simone wrote a letter to KDMX-F, pushing for an Emergency Alert System to help abducted children. The call prompted officials to later establish the AMBER Alert.
In January 2021, Arlington police held a news conference in the parking lot to honor the 25th anniversary of Amber’s abduction.
Arlington SGT. Ben Lopez urged all residents in the area, whether undocumented or not, to come forward and assist with any information.
Kevil, the only witness to come forward, has since passed away.
“I miss her voice. I miss her touch. I miss her hugs,” her mother, Donna Norris, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“I remember everything about her. There’s nothing I’ve forgotten about her.”
Anyone with any information is urged to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or call the Arlington Police Department at (817) 459-5700.
[Feature Photo: Amber Hagerman/Handout]
