The State College Police Department has received an anonymous letter that may provide new leads in the murder of a Penn State student that has gone unsolved for 16 years.

Dana Bailey was found dead in her Allen Street apartment in 1987 with multiple stab wounds to the heart and lungs. She was a 21-year-old senior majoring in health planning and administration. Although police found evidence of a forced entry through the kitchen window, nothing was stolen from the apartment.

Several factors made the case difficult to solve. There were no witnesses to the crime because Bailey was alone, and no one was home in neighboring apartments. Also, Bailey was not found until the day after her estimated time of death, putting police at a disadvantage when they collected evidence and interviewed people in the area.

Evidence that was sent to an FBI crime laboratory in Washington, D.C., yielded no significant results.

Police received the letter shortly before Christmas and are asking the author of the letter to come forward to discuss its contents.

Though he could not divulge details of the letter, Detective Ralph Ralston said there is not enough information in the letter alone to make an arrest. Ralston said it is important for the letter's author to contact police so all of the information he or she may have can be disclosed. The author can remain anonymous to the media after coming forward, Ralston said.

He added that police have no idea where the letter came from. However, he speculated that it might be from someone the killer confessed to or talked with about the case. This person might now feel guilty about having the information and want to share it, Ralston said.

This is not the first tip police have received in the case. In 1991 and 1992, police investigated tips from several people, but no arrests were made based on the information.

Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar said he did not know if the letter would be more helpful than previous tips. Tips sometimes lead to an arrest and conviction, Gricar said.

He said it is rare for crimes to be solved so long after they are committed, but it is not unprecedented.

"The more time that passes, the more difficult it is to find the person or persons responsible," Gricar said.

Ralston said police are still reviewing evidence to determine if anything else can be sent to the FBI for review. He said improvements in technology since 1987 could be helpful in the case.

There is no statute of limitations on murder, so a suspect can be prosecuted regardless of how many years have passed.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said he hopes the letter leads to new developments in the case. He said a conviction would give closure to Bailey's friends and family.

Mahon also said the recent tip is helpful because it will bring publicity back to the case. "It's important that people don't forget that such a terrible thing happened," he said.