Nicole T. Pietz

SEATTLE - Investigators hope a new reward will mean new leads as they try to solve the murder of a Lynnwood woman.

Nicole Pietz disappeared January 29, 2006 - just a few days short of her 33rd birthday.

Pietz was last seen at her Lynnwood home. A week later, her strangled body was found on the side of a Burien road and her Volkswagen Jetta was discovered in a University District parking lot a few days later.

Almost a year later, there are no arrests and police say they have no suspects.

There has been a falling out between Nicole's husband David and her family.

Nicole's stepfather says last fall, when they arrived at the Pietz home in Lynnwood, David refused to let them in.

"We went to the door and knocked on the door, and Gale says, 'Hi, David, can we come in?' He said no and slammed the door in her face and turned around and walked away," said Rod Schneider.

KING 5 called David Pietz, and he only said this: "Whatever I have to say is not the story. The story is Nicole and the reward."

"We have to put all of this in the hands of the authorities and hope they can arrest whoever the perpetrator was," said Schneider.

Nicole's parents were already offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the murder of Nicole Pietz. Crimestoppers is adding a $1,000 award on to that.

Call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-274-6313. Callers can remain anonymous.