The Unsolved Murder of Nereida 'Nettie' Melendez

Murder, She Told

Kristen Seavey

Documentary, True Crime, Society & Culture

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

1989 - Worcester, Massachusetts. June 5, 1989, was supposed to be a day of celebration for 17-year-old Nereida “Nettie” Melendez. The responsible and ambitious teenager was set to graduate from high school and begin the next chapter of her life. But when Nettie failed to appear at her graduation ceremony, her family immediately knew something was wrong. Their worst fears were realized the following day when Nettie’s body was found during a family-led search. Decades later, the mystery surrounding her death remains unsolved. Nettie's brother, Peter Vasquez, and cousin, Doris, join us to talk about the young woman behind the headlines, the lingering questions that continue to haunt their family, and the determination that keeps them searching for justice. 17-year-old Nereida Melendez, who went by Nettie, had a big day ahead of her, and plans for her bright future. June 5th, 1989, was just the beginning: her high school graduation. But when her name was called onstage to get her diploma, Nettie was nowhere to be found. Her family started to panic. Nettie was responsible, and it was highly unlike her to miss such an important event. Their panic ended in tragedy when her body was recovered after a family search the next day. To this day, her case still remains unsolved. Nettie’s brother, Peter Vasquez, and her cousin Doris, reflect on Nettie’s life, their frustrations with the slow moving investigation, and what they would say if they were face to face with her killer. If you have any information on the murder of Nettie Melendez, I encourage you to call the Worcester Police Dept at 508-799-8466, text TIPWPD to CRIMES (274637), or submit an ⁠anonymous tip⁠. This episode was originally published on 01/03/23. Episode sources and photos: ⁠https://murdershetold.com/episodes/nettie-melendez⁠ Support the show: ⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠ Instagram: ⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠ TikTok: ⁠@murdershetold⁠ Facebook: ⁠/mstpodcast⁠ Website: ⁠murdershetold.com⁠ ----- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Murder She Told, True Crime Stories from Maine, New England, and Small Town USA.
0:18.7	I'm Kristen Ceevi. You can connect with a show at
0:21.8	Murder She Told.com or on Instagram at Murder She Told Podcast.
0:32.1	Telling her story is very important. Getting to know who Nettie was is very important.
0:39.2	I don't want her memory to die ever. She may not be here, but she's here forever and always in the heart and in the heart
0:45.6	of family and her friends in the community of Worcester. Noreta Melendez, who went by Nettie, spent the evening of Saturday, June 4, 1989, baking at her home in Worcester Mass.
1:01.1	Her graduation ceremony from North High School was set for the next day, and 17-year-old Nettie was making cookies and cupcakes for a party after the event.
1:12.8	Monday would be a busy day,
1:18.9	with errands and graduation rehearsal in the morning, the ceremony in the evening, and her graduation celebration that night. She called one of her older brothers and his wife, asking them to
1:24.8	come over and help her bake. Netty was excited and proud to graduate
1:29.4	high school. She had insisted that her older sister, Jolanda, come home for the ceremony and party.
1:35.8	When Jolanda explained that she couldn't afford to buy Nettie a present and wasn't going to attend,
1:40.8	Nettie insisted that just Jolanda's being there was enough. So Jolanda and her newly
1:46.4	wed husband headed back to the family home in Worcester to celebrate her youngest sister's
1:51.6	accomplishment. Like many teens on the edge of adulthood, Nettie dreamed of getting out of the
1:57.9	neighborhood where she'd grown up. After graduation, she intended to take
2:02.1	business classes at the nearby Quinn Sigamund Community College, her first step in pursuing a
2:08.1	business career. According to her older brother, Peter, Nettie wanted to become a, quote,
2:14.2	woman of the 90s. Her entrepreneurial spirit was reflected in the fun class prophecy section of her high school
2:21.4	yearbook, which foretold each student's future.
2:24.5	It was predicted that Nettie would run a clothing store with her cousin and close friend, Doris.
2:30.1	This is Doris talking about her relationship with Nettie.
	...

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