Margaret Gilbert was known as an active participant in Panama City’s local flea markets, as both a buyer and a seller of goods. Though little is known about Margaret and her life, her love for flea markets is made clear by the many knick-knacks found inside her home.

Margaret is last seen alive.

Margaret was last seen on the evening of October 21, 1988, leaving a neighborhood gathering and heading back to her home. Her car remained parked in it’s usual spot outside her trailer home in lot #14.

Margaret’s body was found by a concerned neighbor.

On October 24, 1988, Margaret’s remains were discovered in her home by a neighbor who became concerned after no one had seen or heard from her in several days. Margaret had been stabbed several times in the neck and her back, and authorities found no signs of forced entry or anything stolen from the home.

Where the case stands today.

In the Panama City area around this time, violent crime was rising. Just over a week before Margaret’s death, a woman reported being held at knifepoint in her home before being sexually assaulted by an unidentified assailant.

No one has ever been officially named as a suspect or a person of interest in Margaret’s death. The murder weapon had been removed from the home and remains missing today. Today, Margaret’s case remains cold, according to authorities, just as it has for the last 34 years. If you have any information regarding the individual(s) responsible for Margaret’s death, please contact Panhandle Crime Stoppers at (850) 785-TIPS (8477).