It's 20 years ago today that Jacky Meridith was murdered but time's done nothing to ease the pain for her friends and family. No-one has ever been brought to justice over the killing of the 32-year-old, who was bludgeoned to death in her home as her young daughter slept nearby.

It's something that remains raw for her close friends Barbara Neish and Susannah Conn, who marked the anniversary by telling The Royal Gazette of their hope that Bermuda will never forget her.

Mrs. Meridith was a British national who met her Bermudian husband, Mike Meridith, while living on the Island in the 1980s. She was murdered in the early hours of November 13, 1989, at the home they shared in Greenview Lane, Smith's. Their two-year-old daughter, Jessica, was asleep in the next room.

Mike Meridith was arrested 14 hours later, quizzed by the Police for 60 hours, then released. However, he was named by an inquest jury in March 1990 as his wife's alleged killer. That prompted the Police to re-arrest him the following week and charge him with premeditated murder. The inquest verdict was quashed two months later but the indictment still stood and Mr. Meridith was subsequently put on trial at the Supreme Court, represented by the late barrister Julian Hall.

During the 11-day trial, the jury heard prosecutor Stephen Harrison admit there was no direct evidence such as "an eyewitness, a fingerprint in blood on the weapon" to show who hit Mrs. Meridith several times over the head with a heavy object. Neither, he said, was there an obvious motive such as rape, robbery or theft.

Mr. Meridith, who declined to take the stand to give evidence, was acquitted by a unanimous verdict after less than three hours of deliberations on November 21, 1990.

Mr. Hall declared afterwards that he'd never doubted his client's innocence and urged the Police not to close the case, saying: "I firmly believe there is a killer at large. This needs to be investigated."

Yet two years later, Police described the investigation into the murder as "non-active" and said no officers were assigned to it. They have a policy of not re-investigating such cases when they've been before the courts, unless fresh evidence comes to light.

"They've confirmed that's the case with the Meridith inquiry, even though a new cold-case murder team was launched this week.

However, Ms Neish, from Paget, is determined that her friend be remembered on this, the 20th anniversary of her death. "I want her mother and her family to know that Bermuda has not forgotten her. Unfortunately, it has seemed that way since the ending of the ordeal an unresolved case that was, simply, put away and forgotten," she said.

"Throughout the passing years we all hoped for that eureka moment when the missing piece of evidence would surface, be remembered or found. Of course, the realisation was there too no one was still looking.

"This is not a television series where someone takes the box from the shelf and with new eyes and technology, finds what was missed 20 years ago.

"Jacky's daughter was only two at the time, now she is 22. Jacky's mother is in her senior years and I know her broken heart has never healed. The brutal murder of a friend is something that changes your life. I can attest to that.

"My main concern is her mother knowing that Bermuda cares and will always care that the murder of her daughter, although remaining unsolved these 20 years, is still an open case and not one filed away and forgotten. It is my thought that no unresolved case should ever be. Memories float through my mind all the time. Jacky was such a happy and fun girl who loved her friends and wanted their company always. I drive South Shore and my heart still jumps and aches when I pass the drive to her house."

Another close friend, Susannah Conn, from London, said: "Murder is something that happens to other people's families. Something you see on the news and think it's terrible.

"But when it happens to someone you know it just blows you away. Your trust in other people, the Police, the justice system, is gone. You see humanity in a different light.

"It just changes you forever. We know how Jacky died but we don't know why. What made someone so angry to do that to her while she was asleep? She was a good person."

Ms Conn, who has written a heartfelt letter (featured on today's letters page) commemorating her friend, added: "Her death is something I live with every day and she's never far from my mind. Someone stole her life and robbed her daughter, her family and friends."

She and Mrs. Meridith's family believe the Police have lost crucial items of evidence and paperwork relating to the case over the years. However, she said: "Like so many unsolved murder cases, maybe the evidence needs to be reviewed using the new advances in forensics. Why has this not been done?"

Mr. Meridith, who was known as a folk singer at the Hog Penny pub, moved to Florida with Jessica in December 1990 and later remarried. He could not be reached for comment for this article. However, he told RG Magazine in 1996 that he believed the Police investigation halted when he was arrested the day after the murder.

"From then on, they devoted all their resources to trying to pin it on me and I fully blame the Police for letting the murderer go because they didn't try to find him," he complained. "They just tried to get as much as they could on me and, of course, it never materialised because there was nothing."

Invited to comment, a Police spokesman said: "The Meridith case has already been adjudicated before a court of law where a person was charged and acquitted. The Bermuda Police Service is not aware of any fresh evidence in that case. However, anyone who believes they have such evidence that would tend to implicate another individual is strongly encouraged to contact the Serious Crime Unit on 295-0011 or call the confidential Crime Stoppers hotline on 800-8477. They can also submit an anonymous tip via the Crime Stoppers Bermuda website at www.crimestoppers.bm.

Mrs. Meridith's mother, Anita Kennedy, did not wish to comment.