Indiana State Police Detective Kevin Smith said he received a needed tip on the cold case murder of Laurel Jean Mitchell (See related), but more information is still needed.

As reported last week, Detective Smith is investigating the 1975 murder of Laurel Jean Mitchell and was seeking information on a group of young singers who may have performed at the Cokesbury Inn at Epworth Forest the night Mitchell was killed.

Mitchell was 17 years old when, according to police information gathered from a series of interviews, she was last seen at 10 p.m. on Aug. 6, 1975, after leaving her job at a restaurant in Epworth Forest and she began walking westbound on Epworth Forest Drive to Adventureland, a one time thriving amusement park. The next day, her body was found in the Elkhart River in rural Noble County. Mitchell had been sexually assaulted and killed less than 20 miles from her home.

Thanks to the media’s help, the group of four or five girls and boys believed to be from the Delphi, Ind., area has been identified as “Celebrate the Son.” Now, Detective Smith is looking for specific members of that group to interview. Any past members or anyone with information on past members should contact him directly at 260-403-2841. Police say the group may be able to provide additional information on Mitchell’s case.

Detective Smith said he received information about the group from a North Webster resident last week that was never noted in Mitchell’s case file. While the information is considered new, the detective said the case has never been closed. Periodically, the file is looked at by new detectives who may see something that needs further investigation or that could uncover new information that could be beneficial to solving the case.

Again, anyone with information on members of the Celebrate the Son group that performed in Epworth Forest in August 1975, should call Detective Smith directly at 260-403-2841.