Only known relative of victim in cold case murder searching for answers

By Bridget Chavez

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    CLARK COUNTY, Washington (KPTV) — When Sandra Morden first disappeared in the 1970s from her father’s home in Clark County, Washington, her family never expected that her remains would be found near a creek in Amboy, Washington a few years later. And, that she wouldn’t be identified until 2019.

Deputies believe that Sandra was just 16 years old when she disappeared from her dad’s house.

“He came home and she was gone and so first he called my mom and my grandmother at the time was still alive also,” Leslie Brophy, Sandra’s cousin, said. “He called us and the search started.”

Brophy is the only known relative of Sandra’s. Brophy said at one point Sandra came to live in Tucson, Arizona with her and her mom.

“I never, death never entered my mind I never thought oh she’s dead I thought I mean I just always believed that she was out there somewhere,” Brophy said.

Brophy discovered what happened to Sandra in 2019 after deputies were able to finally identify her remains.

“It was really sad on a lot of levels because I mean it was definitely closure but at the same time it took the wind out of my sails,” she said.

Brophy is still searching for answers and hopes that someone will come forward with information that could help find her cousin’s killer.

“It opened up a whole new world, a world of why, how who and I mean how could it have taken that long?” Brophy said. “Was it somebody that you know you wonder is it a serial killer or was it an isolated incident?”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

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