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Sandra Yi ReportingThere's new information from North Carolina about the investigation of the murder of a former Utah woman.
Police put out a sketch of a man they believe has information on the murder of Jenna Nielsen. The man is described as in his late teens to early 20s, about 5 feet 3, and weighing 120 pounds. His black hair was pulled back into a long ponytail. He was wearing a dark-colored sleeveless shirt and baggy blue jeans shorts.
Investigators are also studying a 911 call made this morning by someone who claimed to have information about her death.
Police found Nielsen's body yesterday morning behind a convenience store in Raleigh, which was usually the first stop on her newspaper delivery route.
Deanne Green, Nielsen's aunt, lives in West Valley City. She revealed the 22-year-old mother of two was stabbed. She said, "It's totally unacceptable, you know, how anybody could attack anybody, let alone being eight months pregnant, it's unacceptable."
She said the family knows a little bit more, but she declined to give us any more details.
Her husband called police when Jenna didn't come home from work. Investigators think someone killed Nielsen around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. They believe Nielsen didn't know her attacker. She was partially clothed and lying face down. There was also a lot of blood at the scene.
Investigators searched homeless camps along a stretch of railroad tracks behind the store and have also been reviewing surveillance video.
Nielsen's relatives desperately want answers. They described the way Nielsen was murdered as cruel. Green said, "It's a shock. I mean it's totally unnecessary for what that person did, and it's really hard dealing with that part of it."
Nielsen grew up in West Jordan. In August, Nielsen and her husband followed her dad to North Carolina. She has two young boys and was eight months pregnant. Family members are now making funeral arrangements. They plan to bury Nielsen here in Utah. Her mother, who lives in St. George, is flying out to North Carolina tomorrow.
Relatives say Nielsen was working an overnight shift to make extra money so she eventually could stay at home with her kids.
If you would like to help the family, a memorial fund has been set up at America First Credit Union under Jenna Nielsen's name.
