WSVN — Virginia Levitt was the youngest of seven kids, a little girl they nicknamed Ginger.
Maureen: "She was very special to the whole family, just beautiful and young and vibrant."
She grew into a beautiful, wonderful person but did not always have wonderful luck.
Maureen: "She was engaged in Hawaii, and, unfortunately, her fiancee was killed there."
That was in 1985. To comfort her, Maureen convinced her sister to move to Fort Lauderdale, hoping she could make a fresh start, but, instead, Ginger began using drugs and her life got worse.
Maureen: "My sister was vulnerable to that at the time, and I think that, you know, it was an unfortunate influence on her that maybe lead to her demise."
Maureen is concealing her identity because, 23 years later, she still fears the people her sister was hanging around with at that time, in particular, her sister's boyfriend.
Maureen: "She wound up in an abusive relationship. I did have to pick her up from the emergency room, from the abuse by the boyfriend. He beat her up."
Ginger ended the relationship, but tragically, a few days later, someone ended her life, murdering her in her own apartment.
Maureen: "I just know that she was killed in a very cruel way, and there were things that were done to her that were unconscionable, so I don't have a word for the monster that took my sister away."
Detective John Curcio: "The investigation wasn't able to determine the amount of days the victim was diseased."
Detective John Curcio was a Fort Lauderdale cold case detective.
Detective John Curcio: "It is my personal belief that the victim either knew her killer or actually brought him to the apartment. I don't think she was randomly selected."
Police say, based on the condition inside her apartment, Ginger struggled and fought for her life.
Detective John Curcio: "When she was found, it appeared that a sexual assault could have occurred."
At the time, detectives questioned everyone Ginger knew, even the ex-boyfriend Maureen fears.
Detective John Curcio: "They spoke of boyfriends that used to come to her apartment, those people were all tracked down. They seem to have legitimate alibis."
Without a main suspect, the case went cold, but now, 23 years later, detectives have new tools that weren't available at the time.
Detective Curcio found male DNA in the evidence from the case and hopes it will lead him to a suspect and a break in the case.
Detective John Curcio: "I've been doing cold case homicide for many years, and all these cases are one phone call away from being solved."
Maureen says that's a call she's been waiting on for two decades because the pain of losing her young sister never goes away.
Maureen: "Ginger was vulnerable, and she could be anybody's daughter or sister. If she were here today, she will be my best friend."
A best friend, a sister taken away by a violent murderer.
Maureen would love to know the name of that person. So would Fort Lauderdale police. If you have any clues to the killing of Ginger Levitt in July 1985, Fort Lauderdale cold case detectives would appreciate a call. Remember, if you call Out For Justice with a tip, you can always remain anonymous.
And if you have a loved one or a friend that was murdered, if you feel they have been forgotten, give us a call. We can show that people are still out for justice.
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Out for Justice MIAMI-DADE: 305-598-HELPBROWARD: 954-796-HELP