A former beauty pageant contestant and soprano singer, Nona Dirksmeyer, was found dead in her off-campus apartment in Russellville, Arkansas, in 2005. Despite two main suspects and three full murder trials, no one has been convicted of her murder. Dirksmeyer was beaten, bludgeoned, and stabbed to death just days before her 20th birthday. The case remains a cold case that has baffled the small town for nearly two decades.

The first suspect in Dirksmeyer’s murder was her long-term boyfriend, Kevin Jones, who was later acquitted. They had been dating for over four years, and Jones was the one who discovered her body. Another suspect, Gary Dunn, her neighbor, was charged twice and tried for her murder, but both times the juries were unable to reach a verdict. Ironically, Dunn is currently in jail for attempting to kidnap another Arkansas beauty queen.

On the day of Dirksmeyer’s death, her boyfriend became concerned when he couldn’t reach her and went to her apartment with his mother. They discovered her bloodied, naked body and immediately called 911. Dirksmeyer’s mother later expressed her regret at not being the one to find her daughter.

During the investigations, Kevin Jones was questioned twice and subjected to a polygraph test, which he allegedly failed. He was then arrested for the murder, but in 2007, after a lengthy trial, the jury unanimously found him not guilty. The defense pointed out flaws in the evidence, including the mishandling of Nona’s cellphone and the lack of a certified expert administering the polygraph test.

After failing to convict Jones, the investigators turned their attention to Gary Dunn, who lived in the same building complex as Dirksmeyer and had a criminal history. DNA evidence was presented, suggesting Dunn’s involvement in the crime, but two separate trials ended in deadlocked juries. It wasn’t until 13 years later, in 2018, when Dunn was arrested again for attempted kidnapping, that he was finally incarcerated. In an ironic twist, it was another Arkansas beauty queen who alerted the authorities after Dunn began stalking her.

The murder of Nona Dirksmeyer remains unsolved, leaving her family and the small town of Russellville without closure. Her case will be examined in NBC’s Dateline new podcast, Murder in Apartment 12, set to be released on September 26th. Despite multiple suspects and trials, justice has not been served for the 19-year-old beauty queen and talented soprano singer.

(Note: This article has been rewritten in AP News Style format without quoting any news organization.)