CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — For the first time in nearly three decades, the children of Bobbie Jo Doster are speaking publicly about their mother’s unsolved murder, on what would have been her 54th birthday.
They hope sharing their story will renew interest in the case and finally lead investigators to her killer.
A cherished photo from the 1990s is one of the few memories Amber Johnson still has of her mother.
Her sister, Laura Prymock, said the fragments they do remember are filled with warmth.
“I remember her running down the hills… she was always fun and playful,” Prymock said. “Don’t have many memories outside of that.”
Laura was 10, Amber was 8, and their younger brother, Allen Johnson, was just 6 when their mother was killed.
Cabarrus County investigators say Doster was last seen on Christmas Eve 1998, leaving an apartment complex on Corban Avenue SE in Concord with an unidentified man.
Four days later, her body was discovered in a wooded area off Pleasant Grove Church Road in Kannapolis.
Allen remembers the moment their father told them the devastating news, and seeing the story on Channel 9.
Despite extensive investigation, no one has ever been charged in Doster’s murder.
Amber Johnson has taken an active role in pushing the case forward. Earlier this year, she obtained her mother’s autopsy report from the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office.
The report revealed disturbing details: Doster was found with her pants down, paper bags over her hands, cocaine in her system, and used condoms nearby.
It also showed she was approximately 20 weeks pregnant with a baby boy, a fact her children never knew.
The autopsy also confirms that investigators collected clothing, nail clippings, and a sexual assault kit, evidence the family hopes can now be re‑examined using modern forensic technology.
“They did an outstanding job with the collection of evidence,” Prymock said. “I feel 100% confident something is there.”
The siblings believe someone knows what happened that night.
“Somebody can come forward and say, ‘I was scared back then, but this is what happened,’” Amber said. “Because somebody knows.”
In a statement, the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office said:
“Although the case is classified as a cold case, homicide investigations are never considered closed. The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to following up on all viable leads.
Our Criminal Investigations Division oversees cold cases, and as technology advances, previously collected evidence is periodically reviewed to determine whether it may benefit from newly developed forensic testing or investigative techniques.
We appreciate the continued interest and support from the community. Anyone with information related to this case or any criminal investigation is encouraged to contact the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office. Even small details may prove valuable as technology and investigative methods evolve.”
Investigators urge anyone with information, no matter how minor it may seem, to contact the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office.
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