City's only slaying of 2001 still a mystery

GAINESVILLE - One year after a passer-by found the body of a 37-year-old woman in an empty lot the only homicide in Gainesville last year police say the investigation has dried up. <br> <br> Authorities have received no tips in the past month, Gainesville police Sgt. Carol Martin said. And police have been unable to find three people seen with the victim, Crystal Star Barnett, in her final hours. <br> <br> ``We&#39;re frustrated because we can&#39;t solve it yet,&#39;&#39; Martin said. ``Anybody who may have heard or seen anything, or may have heard someone talk about it, we&#39;ll be glad to meet with them anywhere.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Barnett was returning to a cousin&#39;s house after picking up beverages in the early morning of April 1, 2001. She was killed by blunt force to the back of the head, and her body was found just blocks from her destination. A bicycle she had been riding was found nearby. <br> <br> Investigators have talked to more than 100 people about the slaying, but the interviews have yielded few valuable clues. Forensic evidence from the scene has provided no answers. <br> <br> Members of Barnett&#39;s family were unavailable for comment or declined to talk about the case with The Times of Gainesville. <br> <br> The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has helped try to solve the mystery, and a profiler reviewed the case a month ago, Police Chief Frank Hooper said. Gov. Roy Barnes&#39; office has posted a $5,000 reward. <br> <br> Police believe some people may not want to talk about the crime because they believe talking will endanger them, Martin said. <br> <br> ``That hampers us,&#39;&#39; she said. ``We can only do so much. We need the public&#39;s help. We just need people talking to us so we can put it all together. It doesn&#39;t matter if we have to talk to 1,000 people that&#39;s what we will do to get this solved.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Soon after the crime, eight investigators and other officers fanned out to track down clues. Now a lone investigator follows up on leads when they come in. <br> <br> ``You get your hopes up whenever something new comes in,&#39;&#39; Martin said. ``When it breaks down to nothing, you bottom out. It&#39;s an up and down, up and down. You think you have something that will finally solve it. Then it just doesn&#39;t go anywhere.&#39;&#39;