BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) -
This weekend, the Birmingham Ballet prepares to pay tribute to Virginia Simpson, a woman found murdered in her bed in 1977. But as the company began researching Simpson's death, they discovered some of the information had disappeared.
Simpson was 56 years old when she was found brutally murdered inside her mansion on Redmont Road in Birmingham. Jerry Levin was news director at Channel 6 in 1977 and remembers covering Simpson's death.
"It was like a southern gothic murder mystery tale. Here was this bigger than life size woman, suddenly she turns up murdered in this big house on Red Mountain with coal mine tunnels underneath so it had all the elements of something you would see on ‘Murder She Wrote' or something like that," said Levin.
Simpson had a son and three daughters. Her son was arrested and charged with Simpson's death, but never convicted. Birmingham Ballet director, Cindy Free, says they've been trying to locate family members and get information about this story, but their attempts have failed.
They also discovered another mystery.
"We actually had someone come to Birmingham and they went to the libraries and looked for info and a lot of the info that was supposed to be there was gone. It's strange. We don't know why but maybe it has to do with why the case is unsolved," said Free.
Free said the family has supported the idea of honoring Simpson. She can understand how the production might turn up some difficult memories.
"There's a possibility that maybe some of the things that surfaced as part of the investigation maybe somebody doesn't want these things to be known," said Free.
Free said the ballet doesn't try to answer the question "Who did it?" It simply looks at the possibilities of what led to her death. Free said some of the family members have confirmed they will attend the performance Saturday night.
For more information about the show, you can log onto www.birminghamballet.com
Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.
Virginia Simpson. Source: WBRC video
Members of the Birmingham Ballet rehearse earlier this month. Source: Clare Huddleston
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