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Police reopen nearly 30-year-old case of Gastonia teen's suicide

GASTONIA, N.C. — Nearly 30 years after police ruled the death of a Gastonia teenager a suicide, a handwritten confession has prompted them to re-open the case as a possible murder.

Police found the body of 17-year-old Chris Farmer on railroad tracks in 1985.

Now a man serving 30-year federal sentence for carjacking and kidnapping has confessed to killing him.

Jerry Case claims he shot Farmer, and then placed his body on the tracks where a train hit him.

Farmer's parents are hoping for justice.

Police said finding witnesses to support the confession will be hard and they said Case has a history of false confessions.