LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A family continues to try and solve a mystery.
This month marks 24 years since Lydia Perkins was last seen in Lexington. Her brother, Justin, says the feeling gets worse as he gets older.
"It's almost like it's unreal," Justin says. "I was so young back then, I don't think I really grasped the seriousness of everything."
Justin was 12 when his then-14-year-old sister was last seen. As he gets older, the pain gets deeper.
"I'm 36 and my mom is older now," Justin says. "I will press any issue. I want to find out what happened to my sister."
Lydia was at her boyfriend's house earlier in the day in October of 1997. She was last seen walking home. She hasn't been heard from or seen since.
"You see other people's relationships with their brothers and sisters," Justin says. "It's always something you envy because you were robbed of that."
Even younger, Justin says the pain of missing his sister consumed him.
"I remember laying at times," he says. "Couldn't sleep. It would be on your mind."
It's still on his mind today.
"There are things I struggle with in life that I typically go through alone because I don't have my sister to call," Justin said. "I will never give up. I will never quit trying no matter how hard it is. One day I will find the truth."
In ways, Justin says it's harder now. He has kids of his own, but kids without their Aunt Lydia.
"I think all the time how she'd be with my daughters," Justin said. "She'd be the wild aunt taking them to get jacked up on sugar and bringing them home and laughing about it."
The family will keep going ad looking for answers to this unfinished story.
"I will continue to search for the truth for my sister and justice for my sister for the rest of my life," Justin said.
Lexington police say there is no new information in the case. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Lexington Police by calling (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling (859) 253-2020, online at bluegrasscrimestoppers.com, or through the P3 tips app available at p3tips.com.
