Okaloosa County Cold Case Solved After 53 Years

Okaloosa County, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- An Okaloosa County cold case is closed after more than half a century. The body of nineteen-year-old college student Debra Espey was found in a wooded area in Niceville on March 12th, 1973. She was beaten to death and buried in a shallow grave. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office confirms the case is now solved. Dennis Murphy was the sole suspect in Espey's murder. A witness claimed to have seen Espey with Murphy the day she went missing. Murphy died in an Alabama traffic crash in February 2023. Espey's family says they're grateful for the closure and thanked investigators for their work over the years.