"Several open leads" in Coralrose Fullwood murder case

By: Janie Porter

North Port, Florida – Despite solid DNA evidence, there are still no suspects in the year-long investigation into 6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood’s murder, North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis said Monday.

On September 17, 2006, a neighbor found the kindergartner’s body two blocks from her home. Investigators say she was sexually assaulted before she was killed.

“We’ve got a lot of pieces in the mosaic. We just need a few more to put the whole picture together,” Lewis explained at a news conference Monday.

Profilers say DNA evidence found at the crime scene and on Coralrose’s body point to a killer who knew the area and, at the very least, was an acquaintance of Coralrose. Profilers say there was probably more than one person involved in the murder and at least one of them, DNA shows, was a white male.

In the last year, Lewis says, investigators have conducted more than 1,000 interviews and looked into about 500 leads.

“Several of those leads are still open,” he added. And, he stressed, this case is far from cold, citing 15 new interviews last week alone.

“Every day, there is a group of investigators that comes to work with one mission. That is to solve this crime and put the people responsible for the murder of this beautiful six-year-old girl in jail for the rest of their lives.”

Investigators have solid DNA evidence, but have yet to match it to anyone, including Coralrose’s father.

Dale Fullwood was charged with two counts of child pornography possession after police found two videos on his computer that showed a child being sexually assaulted. In July, he was sentenced to a year in jail.

“We have never cleared [Dale] Fullwood, nor have we identified Mr. Fullwood as a suspect. I’d like to leave it at that,” Lewis said.

He added that Fullwood’s DNA does not match the DNA found at the murder scene.

Still, investigators are hoping new leads come out of North Fort Myers, where Fullwood used to work. One of two billboards is being erected there, asking people with information in the case to call a tip line. Lewis says Fullwood used to work at Master Sports Café, a sports bar on Cleveland Avenue in North Fort Myers, which has since closed.

Investigators want to speak with anyone who may have frequented that bar – or bars in the area – last summer.

The other billboard is in North Port near I-75.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the North Port Police Department at: 941-426-3111. You can also call 1-800-780-TIPS.

Chief Lewis also invites all parents to visit the website for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It contains information on how to keep your children safe, including the identification tools you should have for your child.