On August 28, 1980, Helen Terry was found stabbed to death in her apartment on Wyndham Drive in Sacramento, where she lived with her one-year-old son. At the time, her son was believed to be the biological child of Robert Terry, though Robert denied paternity and was involved in a paternity suit filed by Helen for child support. Helen’s son was alone in the apartment when she was discovered.

Despite extensive investigative efforts, the initial investigation did not yield sufficient evidence to identify or charge a suspect. In 2016, a Sacramento Police Department Investigator reopened the case as part of the department’s cold case initiative. Evidence from the scene was processed by the crime lab, uncovering DNA that pointed to Robert Terry as the suspect. However, at that time, there was still insufficient evidence to proceed with charges.

This year, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case, Science, and Technology Unit resumed the investigation, collaborating with the Sacramento Police Department to reexamine the case. Through advanced investigative methods, new information was uncovered that provided the necessary evidence to charge Robert Terry with Helen’s murder. On Friday, September 27, 2024, Robert Terry was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on homicide charges. The case has been officially filed by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.  

The Sacramento Police Department remains committed to seeking justice for victims of violent crime, no matter how much time has passed. We would like to thank everyone involved in this ongoing investigation for their diligence and perseverance in solving this case.

The Sacramento Police Department encourages any witnesses with information regarding this investigation to contact the dispatch center at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.  Anonymous tips can also be submitted using the free “P3 Tips” smartphone app.