Mother of cold case victim: 'I'm trying to find out who did this'

Now the girl's mother is back in Washington state, begging for answers.

"And I'm trying to find out who did this," said Marie Braschler, the victim's mother.

Varo was murdered nearly a decade ago, but her mother still remembers every detail like it was yesterday.

"And I will not give up ever until the person or persons who are responsible for this are caught," said Marie Braschler.

Braschler flew into Mount Vernon from Missouri, hoping to kick up new clues.

Lydia Varo came to Washington in July of 2001 to visit family. The 13-year-old went for a walk and never came back. Nine months later, someone found her body down a 50 foot embankment six miles from her aunt's house.

"Even now - nine years later, it's painful," said Darlene Pearson, the victim's aunt who was one of the last to see her. "I told her that we were going to go shopping, and we'd be back in a couple of hours. She gave me a big hug and kiss, told me she loved me and took a basketball and walked out towards the barn. And that's the last I saw her."

An autopsy showed Varo had been beaten to death.

Search and rescue crews scoured this area in the weeks after she disappeared. She was finally found nine months later when someone picking mushrooms found her body, leaving detectives to believe the murderer placed Varo's body in the field.

"I would say that someone has to know something," Pearson said. "Nine years can't go by without somebody speaking up and letting something slip out."

"How would you feel if this was your own child? Wouldn't you want this person caught, too? Nine years is a long time to go with nothing," said Braschler.