We walk for Suzette

My name is Amy Still, on March 26, 2023 about 3:30pm my mom, Suzette Nellis, went for an afternoon walk along the bike trail in Oil City PA near her home, as she did almost daily for the 47 years they lived in their home near the trail. It was a beautiful spring day as many people were out walking, running and biking along the trail. A few hours later I received one of the worst phone calls of my life from my dad “I can’t find your mom”. Local police were called and I jumped in my car to make the 4 and a half hour drive back home.

A massive search began almost immediately. People from the community, Oil City police, PA State police, Oil City fire department, search and rescue teams, helicopters, boats, drones and search dogs. There were hundreds of them out all night long, never giving up hope while we sat and prayed. On Monday morning, March 27, after roughly 16 hours of searching we were notified that they had found my mom, who was no longer with us. The worst day of our lives. An autopsy was performed 2 days later where it was discovered she had been sexually assaulted and strangled before being placed in the thick wooded area just minutes from her home.

My mom loved her daily walks and equally loved the bike trail. After her passing, the community was terrified to use the bike trail. Police never stopped working and made an arrest 10 days later.

Our family wants to keep her memory alive by raising funds to purchase cameras to be placed along the bike trail, she would want people to still get out and enjoy it. We also would like to add some sort of a memorial spot with a positive message to spread kindness, like she did. If there are extra funds to be used our family has decided to donate them to other important things to her like Meals on Wheels, her church Good Hope Lutheran and other things she was involved with.

it is important to the Nellis family to make something good come out of our family’s tragedy, my mom would want this.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Jerry, Mike and Amy, our spouses Kathy and Jim, our children Rachael, Mikey, Haley and Jack and Evie, Ole Ma’s precious great granddaughter.