Unsolved Mysteries

Tracey Lynn Kirkpatrick would be 37 today, a wife and mother, perhaps, and maybe an attorney. Instead, she is mourned by her parents, her family and friends. Twenty years after her murder, she is also never far from the minds of the Frederick police investigators, who have worked since March 15, 1989, to solve the mystery of her violent death. The Kirkpatrick family and Frederick police marked the anniversary of Tracey's killing with a brief vigil last night at the Westridge Shopping Center, where she was stabbed to death at 17. Police hope that fresh attention to the cold case might finally bring them the final clues they need to bring the killer to justice.

There's not a lot on television today, unless you happen to live in Baltimore, appreciate good TV drama and are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe. If so, may I suggest you hit your local wine cellar, pour yourself a glass of amontillado and tune in to Channel 11 at 10 tonight. But be sure the brick wall surrounding you has an opening in it.* "The Simpsons" (6 p.m.-6:30 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45) -- Michelle Pfeiffer's voice guest stars in this repeat, as Homer finds himself attracted to a new co-worker.

Just when you thought the trend in "reality" programs had exhausted itself, along comes "Final Appeal: From the Files of Unsolved Mysteries."It's a spinoff of that hit (Top 20 last season) show, "Unsolved Mysteries," right down to Robert Stack as the host and looking like he's wearing more bad TV makeup to hide wrinkles than Bob Hope and has had more cosmetic surgery than Richard Chamberlain. How old is this guy, anyway? I'm thinking now that maybe he was so good in "The Untouchables" because he actually lived through the 1920s.

Conspiracies, unsolved mysteries, horrible accidents, missing children, America's most wanted criminals and, now, real-life beatings, shootings and violent deaths. When it comes toprime-time entertainment today, these are a few of our favorite things.They are all part of something called reality TV, and it's the hottest programming trend on wheels. It's changing the way some of us see the world and our place in it. It also marks a watershed changing of the guard in terms of who plays gatekeeper over the more graphic TV images that will come to populate the waking thoughts and sleeping dreams of us and our children.

Last week's top 20 television shows, according to A.C. Nielsen Co. figures:.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .Rating1. Designing Women .. .. CBS 13.02. 60 Minutes .. .. .. ..CBS 12.73. Northern Exposure .. .CBS 12.44. In the Heat of the.. Night .. .. .. .. .. .NBC 12.35. Murphy Brown .. .. .. CBS 12.26. Family Matters .. .. .ABC 11.97. Unsolved Mysteries .. NBC 11.38. ABC Sunday Movie:.. The Town Bully .. .. .ABC 11.29. Full House .. .. .. ..ABC 10.99. (tie) 20-20 .. .. .. .ABC 10.911. America's Funniest.

NBC is turning its women loose on Monday night, scheduling four sitcoms with female lead characters in an effort to knock some of the wind out of perennial ratings king "Monday Night Football" on ABC.Playing the traditional role of the ratings champ, NBC yesterday became the first of the five networks to announce its fall lineup. The schedule includes eight new series (bringing back TV veterans Kirstie Alley, Tony Danza and Fred Savage) and a handful of old shows in new places. It doesn't include eight canceled series, chief among them the veteran "Unsolved Mysteries."

It has been eight years since my friend Wendell Munson disappeared. He has not been seen by his friends and family since February 13, 1984. Most of you remember him as the longtime Ellicott City Middle School teacher who vanished under mysterious circumstances. His disappearance was the subject of an article by Michael James in this paper on May 27, 1990.If you recall, Munson was to be a witness the week of his disappearance at the trial of chop shop operator Dennis L. Watson. Watson had sold a 1973 Datsun 240Z to Munson, who was unaware that the car was stolen.

Admitted con man and ex-fugitive Salvatore P. Spinnato finally showed up in Baltimore County Circuit Court yesterday -- eight months late for his trial on charges that he kidnapped, assaulted and falsely imprisoned his ex-wife's boyfriend.Spinnato, arrested two weeks ago in Texas, appeared in jeans, leg chains and tasseled loafers as judges in separate hearings revoked his bail and rescheduled his trial for next month.His original trial -- scheduled for Jan. 21 -- was put off when Spinnato "absconded from the state," said prosecutor Mickey J. Norman.

Nancy G. Mitchell says managing the Beach Motor Motel, an inn on the shores of Lake Ontario in Canada, with her husband, Joseph, consumes nearly all of their time.So, it was just "by chance" Wednesday night that they turned on the television set to catch the final minutes of "Unsolved Mysteries," which was airing information on two fugitives from Maryland."The moment we saw their pictures, we knew we had them in Room 12," Mrs. Mitchell said yesterday. "They registered here three weeks ago as Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith."