NEW IBERIA, La. (AP) — Investigators have turned up a new lead in the December 2004 beating death of a 62-year-old businesswoman.

Private investigator John Abdella, who was hired by Carrie Billeaud’s family, said Friday that her wallet had been found about a week earlier.

‘‘The wallet is in fairly good shape, and we’re hoping to get some DNA and some fingerprints off of it,’’ Abdella said Friday.

Billeaud, a widow, was beaten to death in a building behind Billeaud’s Pool Supply.

Abdella said Iberia Parish sheriff’s deputies helped recover the wallet, which was sent to the state crime lab.

Capt. Wendell Raborn, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said the case had gone cold by early 2006. Shortly after taking office in July 2008, Sheriff Louis Ackal created a Cold Case Investigations division and assigned several agents to work on the Billeaud killing.

The wallet is the first major break in years, Raborn said.

A case can seem to be at a dead end when ‘‘all of a sudden a piece of evidence pops up,’’ he said. ‘‘You’re definitely excited about it because it leads you in new directions.’’

Neither he nor Abdella would say where the wallet was found.

‘‘There’s a reason for that,’’ Abdella said. ‘‘This is a murder investigation, and it’s a very active investigation. We’re really excited about it. We have a lot of high hopes right now about solving this murder.’’

The family is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Billeaud’s daughter, Catherine Billeaud, said the family is very encouraged by the new development.

‘‘You would think, after four and a half years, that nothing would come up like this,’’ she said.

‘‘We’re hoping this will help them pursue any leads they do have. We just wait patiently. We’ve learned how to have patience.’’