It won't be long before 50 years have passed since Richard Karla of Dolgeville took a late night phone call from his 25-year-old daughter.  Donna Karla Hart, who lived alone about 3 miles north in Salisbury Center, told her father that a man wearing a stocking over his head was trying to break into her home.

Karla sped to his daughter's house and found the front door locked.  That's when he heard gunshots.  He found a side door to the small house open, went inside, and noticed that the front door that had been locked was then open.  He called to his daughter, but no one answered.  It was then when Karla found Donna's dead body in an upstairs bedroom.  She had been shot found times at close range.

State Police believe that when the man broke into the side door of her home, Hart ran upstairs to a spare bedroom and hid in a closet.  The killer quickly found her and fired the shots.  He then ran downstairs and left through the front door as the victim's father entered through the side door.  Karla told troopers that he heard a car speed off in the direction of Dolgeville.

New York State Police have not closed this case.  They have interviewed hundreds of people and checked out many leads, but no arrests have been made.  Hart's estranged husband at the time was working overnight and had an alibi.  However, anyone who might have any information is asked to call (315) 366-6003.

Donna Karla Hart's mother is still living in Dolgeville and is now in her 90's.  She is still hoping to find out who killed her daughter.

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