Arizona man faces murder charge in 1982 death of teen

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- An anonymous letter has led to the arrest of an Arizona man in the stabbing death of a Southwest Missouri girl, who disappeared 20 years ago while walking home from a grocery store.

Joel William Moore was charged Monday with second-degree murder in the killing of 15-year-old Tammy Smith of Springfield. He was arrested by Arizona authorities and Springfield police without incident, authorities said Tuesday.

Smith was last seen alive around midnight on July 12, 1982, walking home from a Springfield store. The girl initially was reported as a runaway. Her body was found exactly one month later in a garage behind a vacant home. An autopsy showed she had suffered multiple stab wounds.

Springfield police began focusing on the 44-year-old Moore after they received an anonymous letter March 28. The letter indicated Moore and another person, who was not identified, were working at a Springfield auto body shop not far from where the girl was last seen. It said the two quit shortly after media reports surfaced of the girl's disappearance, and Moore left the state.

The unidentified person later admitted arriving at the shop in July 1982 and finding Smith in the shower with no pulse and a neck wound, authorities said. Moore -- who also used the name "Jody" -- also had scratches on his face, a cut on his hand and blood on his clothing, the person told police.

The person also admitted helping Moore move the body to the garage.

Authorities were not pursuing charges against the unidentified person, but Springfield police spokesman Cpl. Kirk Manlove said the investigation was continuing.

Manlove would not say whether Moore knew Smith.