Fourteen-year-old Ruth Bradbury lived in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England. On March 29th, 1967, she had gone shopping for her grandmother and was making her way back through Simons Wood, off Wellingtonia Avenue. Suddenly, a shot rang out, and the girl crumpled dead to the ground.
Police launched an investigation, and during their search of the woods, they discovered a number of tin cans that had been shot with a .22, as well as several tree trunks that also had traces of being used for target practice. It was theorized that someone had been target shooting in the woods and had shot Ruth accidentally, fleeing after they realized what they had done.
Had this been the case, it’s likely the culprit wouldn’t have been charged with murder, but nonetheless, no one ever came forward to own up to the crime, and as of June 2024, the tragic shooting death of Ruth Bradbury is still unsolved.
Crime Immemorial 
some accounts are inaccurate…I was a local officer at the time. Ruth was actually riding a horse when she was shot. I vividly remember the huge pool of blood at the crime scene…and the prime suspect never charged. NSY senior detectives led murder enquiries for small counties back then. It was unimpressive, lazy police work.