Ten years ago, on July 29, 2002, 14 year old Erica Smith left her parent's home in Ashburn, Virginia and was never seen alive again.
Her body was discovered eleven days later, buried in a shallow grave not far from Redskins Park.
Erica's parents, William and Pam Smith, say there's not a day that goes by when they don't pray their nightmare will end.
They really believe that someone out there could solve Erica's murder with a phone call.
Ten years later, they hope this is the year, that call comes in.
"As a mother, there's not a day that goes by that I don't pray that whoever did this to Erica is caught," Pam Smith says.
All detectives know is that Erica got a call from someone and told her little brother, who was ten at the time, that she was going to a friend's house. She was never seen again.
"She left our home and we believe someone picked her up that day," William Smith says. "That person is likely the perpetrator of this horrible crime."
Her parents believe the key to solving this case lies with one of Erica's old friends, who may know something about that mysterious phone call and the person on the other end of the line.
"Believe me, it's not too late to come forward ,"William Smith says.
There's a candlelight vigil for Erica at the Crossroads United Methodist Church on Friday, August 3rd at 7:30 pm. The church is located at 43454 Crossroads Drive in Ashburn, Virginia.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Department's First Annual Child Awareness Day featuring Erica Smith will take place on Saturday, August 4th from 2pm -6 pm at the Junction Plaza Shopping Center.
