PBSO has 'credible lead' in 35-year-old cold case of Christy Luna

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says it has received the best and most credible lead to date in the 35-year-old cold case of a missing child.

8-year-old Marjorie "Christy" Luna disappeared from her Greenacres neighborhood in 1984.

In a previous effort to solve the mystery, the sheriff's office put together a documentary on the case. That prompted the tip, according to PBSO Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

A dig site has been set up behind a home along Swain Boulevard in Greenacres, near where Christy disappeared. The sheriff said PBSO has enlisted the help of anthropologists with Florida Gulf Coast University for the excavation.

"We believe that this is another dot, connecting all the dots to hopefully solve this case and bring some closure here," said Sheriff Bradshaw at a news conference on Monday.

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Christy's mother Jennie Johnson appeared at the news conference.

"It has been 35 years, 2 months and 9 days today," said Johnson. "I think we are going to bring Christy home. We are going to bring Christy home. Just putting that positive out there cause God's with us and we are bringing Christy home."

Nilda Velasquez lived in the Greenacres community three decades ago, and saw Christy on the day she disappeared.

"It was crazy," said Velasquez. "We were playing with fireworks, she went in the store, she waved. And then she went out of the store, she waved, and that was it."

Velasquez said she learned about the new excavation last week and was stunned by the break in the case.

"When I found out about it on Friday, I was an emotional wreck. All I did was cry, cry, cry, cry," said Velasquez.

As events unfold, Sheriff Bradshaw said more details would be released.

If you have any information about what happened to Christy, call Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-TIPS.