Orlando Police try to solve 40-year-old murder mystery

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando Police detectives are following a trail of blood 40 years later.

William Gale McCarty, 30, went to work at an office building near downtown Orlando and never returned home.

On November 14, 1982, police got a call to show up at the building near the corner of West Gore and South Orange Street. 

Inside the nondescript building was a very detailed murder mystery.  An employee found bloodstains on the walls and carpet of a fourth-floor hallway. It led to a locked office. Inside was McCarty’s body, near two cups of water. 

It wasn’t the only scene.

"Blood went down the hallway towards the bathroom, on the bathroom door was a bloody hand print," explained Det. Mike Fields, "and inside the bathroom was a secondary scene where it looks like the killer tried to clean up."

The killer appeared to wash his hands after the murder. 

McCarty was found naked, having been stabbed 20 times.

"Twenty times does tell a story.  I'm just not sure what it tells us," Det. Fields added.

A ring was found in the hallway believed to belong to McCarty.

"It insinuates that there may have been a consensual encounter of some type," said Det. Fields. 

McCarty’s niece, Pam Pile, still remembers the moment the family got the phone call from the police. 

"We were all just tore up, we were crying, throwing fits. It’s hard to express how you feel when something like that happens, especially one of your favorite uncles," said Pile. 

McCarty was known as Gale to his family.  His niece said there was a man living with Gale and she believes he may know something about the murder. That roommate of sorts came to the funeral, and that caught the family’s attention.

"Had got him a brand-new car, well we knew he didn’t have any money," said Pile.

At Gale’s home, $1,800 was missing. 

"For some reason, that money was gone," said Pile, adding she believes he was killed for the money.

Police also came across a person of interest at the time of the killing.

"There was a male who was caught and arrested and had some items of interest that may have a nexus between the victim and the suspect," said Det. Fields.

That man was arrested for loitering and prowling but not murder. Back in 1982, DNA was not used by police yet. Police are now trying to see if any of the evidence has a usable amount of DNA, 40 years later.

"I want them to know you took a person out of my life that I love, and I miss, and I want him back," said Piles.

Police are hoping someone can help make a connection and help them solve this mystery. Crimeline is offering a $5,000 reward for any info that leads to an arrest.

Get the most up-to-date forecast, sign up for weather alerts, and view live interactive radar for Orlando and Central Florida.

Watch FOX 35 News for the latest launch updates.