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Linda Gibson and Cody Garrett

Report as Found / Update

Linda Charlene Gibson

Cody Lee Garrett

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Disappearance (Desaparición)

Circumstances (Circunstancias)

As the summer heat warmed the streets of Somerset that Sunday afternoon, Kentucky, Linda Gibson and her four-year old half-brother Cody Lee Garrett were walking down the sidewalk of Bourne Avenue. Linda was a sweet and happy-going young woman and mother to her own four-year old toddler, Stephanie at the time. Linda had grown up in Somerset and still lived close to her family, enjoying a tight relationship with her siblings. There are rumors online that she may have also been pregnant at the time of her death; however, this has not been substantiated at this time. (Link).

On July 3rd, just one day before holiday-goers would be celebrating the Fourth of July, Linda had agreed to get Cody out of the house by walking with him to the local convenience store while her mother, Debbie Harrison, took care of Stephanie. The convenience store was located at the intersection of Bourne and South Central Avenues and would have been approximately three-quarters of a mile for a 36 minute or so walk round trip. Linda and Cody were later seen sitting on a bench outside the convenience store drinking sodas and eating chips at around 2:30 – 3:00pm (14:30 – 15:00) before it appears they began walking back home. As the two siblings passed the area near the local Diary Mart, they were seen for one final time before apparently getting into an unknown vehicle before it drove away.

With Cody expected to be returned to his mother and Stephanie awaiting Linda’s return, the family rapidly became concerned when Cody and Linda failed to reappear at the house. As a new day came with no trace of the missing duo, Linda and Cody were reported missing the following day, July 4th.

There would be no sign of the missing woman and child until three days later, July 7th, when their bodies were located in an isolated area approximately 2 miles from Bourne Avenue where they were last sighted. It appears that the victims were killed somewhere else and then their bodies hidden in high weeds along a fence row near the edge of a field just outside of the city’s limits about 1,000 yards east from the edge of the Village Green subdivision.

Whether or not police were able to uncover additional evidence at the scene is unknown, and it is not clear precisely how or when Linda and Cody were killed. Newspaper articles from the time say they were beaten to death (Link); given reference to the rate of decomposition, it appears they died shortly after disappearing (Link). The Sheriff’s Office has acknowledged that the target was likely Linda and that Cody was merely an innocent bystander in the situation. There is no other information about the vehicle or driver(s) that supposedly picked Linda and Cody up. The date of death for both Cody and Linda is listed as July 4, 1994.

Although decades have passed, Linda’s brothers from the Gibson side continue to search for answers and the truth that will see Linda and Cody’s killers brought to justice. Her brothers have suggested that Linda may have known information about criminal activity occurring in the area which made her a target. According to her younger brother Clayton, Linda had been concerned in the months prior that someone was out to get her. Her family were never able to get Linda to open up about who she was afraid of or why she thought they wanted to hurt her.

If, as witnesses seemingly observed, Linda got into the vehicle voluntarily with Cody; it appears unlikely she was afraid of the driver of the vehicle. Given the onset of summer temperatures and the slightly lengthy walking distance, it is possible Linda thought they were catching a ride home. Either the driver had a weapon and forced her to get into the vehicle or it was someone she knew and felt comfortable around. If the person was complicit in the deaths, it appears they may have been working with whoever Linda was afraid of and there is more than one suspect. If they were not complicit in the deaths, it seems unusual that they failed to come forward to provide additional details (e.g., where they let Linda and Cody off).

There are quite a few rumors discussed on the related Facebook page but it appears that police have not discussed those rumors officially and they are not substantiated at this point. Some claim the person who picked Linda and Cody was a specific man “F.A.”; however, his relevance to the case and why they believe he was the person in question unclear. Others refer to a potential political coverup regarding Linda’s potential witnessing of officials being involved in sexual relations with underage minors amongst other crimes.

Police have said that while the case is an older one, it is not considered a closed case. They continue to receive new information which keeps the case continually active.

“She was a real quiet, shy girl. She loved her family and she loved life and I miss her very much every day.”

Clayton Gibson (brother)

@thesuitcasedetective

Linda Gibson and Cody Garrett➜ Linda and her little brother Cody were walking home after getting snacks at a local store when they were murdered in an unsolved homicide. https://thesuitcasedetective.com/2023/10/03/linda-gibson-and-cody-lee-garrett-unsolved-homicide/ #MissingPerson #Missing #TrueCrime #Unsolved #UnsolvedHomicide #ColdCase #UnsolvedMystery #Desaparecidos #truecrimetok #truecrimetiktok

♬ original sound – thesuitcasedetective

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Description (Descripción)

Linda Gibson

1. Pulaski Police list her date of birth as 1973, but her grave says 1972 and most resources list her age as 21. ↩︎

Cody Lee Garrett

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Distinguishing Marks or Factors (Características Distintivas)

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Medical Concerns (Atención Médica)

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Suspect (Sospechoso)

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Clothing (Ropa)

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Vehicle (Vehículo)

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If You or Anyone You Know Has Information About The Disappearances, Please Contact:

Linda Gibson

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Cody Lee Garrett

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Resources

• Pulaski Sheriff’s Office, “Summary of Unsolved Case, Double Murder”, Link.
• Facebook, “Justice for Linda Gibson and Cody Lee Garrett: Double Murder in Somerset KY”, Link.
• Blair, M. (2016) “22-year-old double murder still unsolved, family pleads for answers”, WKYT, 14 July, Link.
• Fulton, V. (2019) “25 years later, victims’ brother still searching for Kentucky double-murderer”, NBC News, 5 July, Link.
• Pendleton, P. (2019) “Family looking for justice 25 years after woman, brother found dead in field”, WYMT, 9 July, Link.
• Mardis, B. (2018) “Is cold case thawing?”, Commonwealth Journal, 12 July, Link.

Podcasts:

• Kentucky Gone Cold (2022) “At the Edge of Town: The Murder of Linda Gibson and Cody Garrett”, March, Link
• My Old Kentucky Homicide (2021) ‘Ep. 18 It’s Our Accents, Isn’t it?”, 30 August, Link.

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