Jerilynn Tapoof

On a summer day in Ogden, Utah, the flow of the Ogden River brought a grim discovery to light. On June 24, 2000, the body of a woman was found floating in the water near the intersection of 20th Street and Wall Avenue. She was soon identified as 35-year-old Jerilynn Tapoof, a female born on August 9, 1964. Her death was not an accident or a suicide; investigators with the Ogden Police Department quickly determined they were dealing with a homicide.

Very little has been shared publicly about who Jerilynn was as a person. Official sources note that she had a transient lifestyle at the time of her death, splitting her time between the communities of Ogden and Salt Lake City. The most poignant detail known about her life is that she was a grandmother. This fact, found in the later obituary of her grandson, offers a heartbreaking glimpse of the family ties that were severed by her violent death. She had a family and a future that was stolen from her, leaving behind loved ones to wonder what could have been.

The investigation into Jerilynn’s murder, assigned case number 2000-12145, began immediately. Detectives with the Ogden Police Department pursued numerous leads in the initial days, weeks, and months. However, despite their efforts, the case grew cold. The trail of evidence and witness accounts did not lead to a definitive suspect, and no arrests were ever made. The specific details of how Jerilynn was killed have not been released to the public, a common practice in unsolved cases to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Over the years, Jerilynn's case has been passed to a new generation of investigators. It is now listed as an unsolved homicide with both the Ogden Police Department and the Weber Metro Cold Case Task Force. This joint task force is dedicated to re-examining long-unsolved crimes, hoping that new technologies, fresh perspectives, or a person’s long-held secret might finally break a case open. Detectives continue to seek information from the public, believing that someone, somewhere, holds the key to understanding what happened to Jerilynn in her final hours.

The Ogden River, where Jerilynn was found, is a central feature of the city, a place of recreation and natural beauty that was, for a time, transformed into a crime scene. For more than two decades, the question of who was responsible for her death has lingered over the community and, most profoundly, within her family. The passage of time has not diminished their need for answers or the desire of law enforcement to deliver justice.

As of today, Jerilynn Tapoof's murder remains an active and open cold case. Investigators have not identified a suspect, and the circumstances that led to her body being left in the river are still a mystery. The Weber Metro Cold Case Task Force and the Ogden Police Department continue to ask for the public's help. Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is urged to come forward.