On August 16, 1980, 6 year-old Alicia O'Reilly was found dead in her bed, in the room she shared with her 8-year-old sister. For years the case has gone unsolved, but police are currently following up new leads

Alicia O'Reilly was found dead in her bed in her Avondale home on August 16, 1980.

It a… On August 16, 1980, 6 year-old Alicia O'Reilly was found dead in her bed, in the room she shared with her 8-year-old sister. For years the case has gone unsolved, but police are currently following up new leads

Alicia O'Reilly was found dead in her bed in her Avondale home on August 16, 1980.

It appears she was killed while her eight-year-old sister slept just metres away.

This episode of Crimes NZ is a crime against a young child and is not suitable for younger listeners. If you or someone you know needs mental wellbeing support or advice then call or text 1737 anytime day or night to talk to a trained counsellor.

Despite a lengthy initial investigation, and multiple reviews, her killer has never been found but Auckland police have recently been re-investigating the case.

New Zealand Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage wrote a special report on the case. He says although some physical clues were left at the scene, matching DNA to suspect samples was science fiction in 1980.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details more

In August 1980 six-year-old Alicia O'Reilly was raped and killed in her bed by an intruder. Her sister was sleeping less than a metre away. Forty years on, the offender has never been found and her family are still desperate for answers.