Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods

Hollywood dreams: The murder of Juliana Redding

Juliana

Juliana Redding
Juliana Redding

Delving deeper into her background, investigators learned that Juliana Redding had attended Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, where she had graduated in 2005, according to a spokesperson for the school. She participated in track and field, soccer, was a member of the recycling club, and was on the student council. She also participated in drama, and was a member of the school's golf team for four years. The golf team was number one in the state Juliana's senior year.

According to her school counselor, Sister Helen Rau, Juliana earned above-average grades. Her teacher found her charming and respectful, well-liked by students and faculty alike. Rau described her as "a breath of fresh air," particularly when it came to the enthusiasm she exuded toward her education.

"She had a spirit of openness and a love of life, and it spilled over to others," Rau said.

News of Juliana's untimely and violent death reached the school quickly, leaving many who knew her in stunned disbelief.

"The faculty certainly remembers her, and they're absolutely in shock," said Kay Sullivan, Salpointe's Director of Development.

"We've gone through some bad times in the past, but something like this really rocked the whole community," said Mike Urbanski, Juliana's track coach at Salpointe. "She's like all of our students. She went out to make her way in the world, then this tragic thing happened to her...However it plays out, the fact that maybe there will be some justice down the road—I think that will make a difference to a lot of people here."

Friends described her as beautiful and bubbly, and said that she came from a good family. An acquaintance who had known her from the dog park where she walked Brutus described her as a "good, sweet person... beautiful on the outside, but just stunningly gorgeous on the inside as well."

Many people were aware of her ambition to make it in the movies, and believed she had what it takes. No one in her hometown or in Santa Monica knew of anyone who might have a motive to kill her, and, as one day followed another with no breaks in the case, the case seemed insoluble. The case would consume thousands of man-hours before detectives began to suspect they understood what had happened.

 

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