Mary Christine Thick was a 33 year old music teacher at Franklin Township, N.J. high school for four years. Thick lived with her husband and their 12 year old son in neighboring city, Princeton. Her coworkers considered her a person with wonderful qualities. She involved parents, students, and locals of both cities in school and community activities. On January 11, 1983, Thick had attended a meeting off campus. After the meeting Thick drove back to the school to leave lesson plans for a substitute music teacher.  She parked in a lighted parking lot about 30 feet from a side entrance to the school. Inside the building, approximately 85 adults were studying to earn their high school diplomas.   In a gym, about 40 women were exercising while in another gym two dozen men were playing a volleyball game. Several in the building thought they heard firecrackers. Not hearing or seeing anything suspicious, they continued with their activities. Thick was found with one shot to the back and her purse was stolen. The purse contained no cash. On January 12, 1983 while working the case the police were called away to a suicide of a man who was wanted for purse snatching and robbery. After further investigation it was discovered that a teenager was believed to have killed Thick.

To help honor Mary Christine Thick