Jun 15, 2009 7:58 pm US/Eastern
NJ Mayor Mourns Daughter After Suspicious Death
ROXBURY, N.J. (CBS) ―
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23-year-old Jody Rilee-Wilson, who grew up in New Jersey, was found dead on May 8. Her badly decomposed body was discovered in an Oklahoma state park, about 10 miles from where she lived with her husband and five-month-old baby.
CBS
There's terrible heartbreak for a New Jersey family after the daughter of the deputy mayor of Roxbury was found dead outside of Wister, Oklahoma. Authorities suspect foul play.
Now, the victim's family is reaching out to the nation, asking them to help solve the case.
"She was the most important thing in our lives, and we want this person brought to justice," Jim Rilee, the victim's father and Roxbury Deputy Mayor, said.
Their 23-year-old daughter, Jody Rilee-Wilson, who grew up in New Jersey, was found dead on May 8. Her badly decomposed body was discovered in an Oklahoma state park, about 10 miles from where she lived with her husband and five-month-old baby.
"She loved her daughter so much," mother Stacey Riley said. "It breaks my heart Jody won't be able to see Annabelle grow up."
The Roxbury native's death has been ruled suspicious, but local cops say they're still not sure how she was killed.
Rilee-Wilson's parents say her husband reported her missing on May 9, after getting back from an out-of-state funeral. He had taken the baby with him.
Rilee-Wilson's parents say they last spoke to their daughter on May 4, the day before her husband left for his trip.
"Quite frankly, I don't recall if she was going to go or not – I thought she said she was," Stacey Rilee said.
Now desperate for answers, they're going national, reaching out to several states for help.
Rilee-Wilson's SUV has been recovered. Now, investigators are waiting for fingerprint records from when Rilee-Wilson was a child, so they can isolate other prints on the vehicle.
"Right now, we feel there has to be more information out there," Jim Rilee said. "Someone must have seen something."
"She was a great person, loved being around family and friends, and that meant a lot," Stacey Rilee says. "Her family meant everything to her."
Morris County officials, including a member of CrimeStoppers, are working with the family, helping them get the information they need to Oklahoma.
A $10,000 reward is being offered. If you have any information on this case, you're urged to call 1-800-SHERIFF.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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