Christmas Ornaments to Benefit Michelle Young's Daughter

Raleigh, N.C. — A group of friends of Michelle Young are doing what they can to benefit the slain 29-year-old's daughter.

Carol Nelson, who was Young's supervisor in Progress Energy's tax department in Raleigh, and others will sell ladybug Christmas ornaments in Young's memory during First Friday in downtown Raleigh. According to Young's mother, she loved ladybugs.

The money will go into a scholarship fund for Young's daughter, Cassidy.

"Obviously, this is for the benefit of Cassidy, but we are hoping that it will keep Michelle's case alive and eventually, hopefully bring her killer to justice," said Kim Linder, the organizer of a grassroots campaign, dubbed "the Magnet Militia," that has helped keep the case in the public eye.

Young was found beaten to death in her Wake County home on Nov. 3, 2006. At the time, she was pregnant. Cassidy, then 2, was by her side, unharmed. There's been no arrest, and authorities have not named any suspects in the case.

"There's a big sense of frustration, but we also want the investigators to do what they have to do to have a good case against whoever did this," Nelson said.

Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby said investigators work on the case every day and recently searched Young's vacant home again, more than a year after the homicide, because new investigators added to the case had never seen the crime scene in person.

"Whatever happens, we hope that having new investigators in it will help us develop new leads," Willoughby said.

"We got to a point we needed more fresh eyes," Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said. "We needed people we could sit around our war room table with and say, 'Have we done this? Have we done that?'"

Those who loved Young said an active investigation gives them hope.

"I do think the case will eventually be solved," Nelson said, "and we're hopeful it's sooner rather than later."

The ornaments will be sold Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in front of the Virtual Art Exchange in Raleigh's City Market.

Personal notes can be written to Michelle Young's family on the backs of the ornaments. They will be hung on a Christmas tree at Progress Energy.

A memorial fund has also been set up. Contributions can be made at any Bank of America or sent to The Michelle Young Memorial Fund, Bank of America, 1335 E. Broad St., Fuquay-Varina, N.C. 27526.

Cassidy Young is staying with her father, Jason Young, and his family in western North Carolina. He was there when his wife's body was found.