Hi, Crime Junkies. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers.

And I'm Brett.

And the story I have for you today is about a teenage girl

who was brutally murdered just before her life could truly begin.

And the search for her killer that has continued to stump investigators.

This is the story of Tracy Kirkpatrick.

It's about 10.40pm on Wednesday, March 15, 1989.

A security guard named Donald Barnes Jr. notices something strange at the Westridge Square

Shopping Center in Frederick, Maryland.

All the lights inside the Eileen Ladies' Sportswear Store are still on, even though the

store was supposed to have closed almost two hours ago.

And Donald had already seen the lights on when he passed earlier on his patrols sometime

between like 9 and 9.30pm.

But at that time it wasn't weird.

He figured that the employees were still like wrapping up for the night.

But now, something is telling him to go and check it out just to make sure everything's

okay.

And you see, Donald isn't just a security guard.

According to reporting by Susan Nichol for the Frederick Post, he's also a deputy with

the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

The mall security thing is just like a side gig.

With those instincts of a deputy don't just turn off.

...