Embedded Files
The following case files record the insights of D.A.W. detectives investigating and reflecting upon some of the mysteries of Indiana.
Contents:
Horse Thief Detectives of Indiana
Beth SwiftSmall Town, Big Evil
Austin J. BethelMissing Person: Dawnita Wilkerson
Micah KellerThe Mysterious Murder of Dr. Helene Knabe
Samuel Patrick Russell
The Unsolved Double Homicide of Delphi, Indiana
An Unsolved Rural Town Mystery
Issac SalinasCasefile: Delphi Murders
Max LundyDelphi Murders: Personal Reflection
Keifer Carmean
The Night That Haunts The Community, Even 43 Years Later
Zain RazaI-70 Murder Spree
Jacob PriceThe Murder of Jill Behrman
Porter High
Horse Thief Detectives of Indiana
Horse Thief Detectives of Indiana
Beth Swift
Wabash College Archivist
https://blog.wabash.edu/dearoldwabash/author/swiftb/
Horse Thief Detectives on the job.pdfSmall Town, Big Evil
Austin J. Bethel
Small Town, Big Evil
Austin J. Bethel
“Death has come to your little town, Sheriff.”
—Loomis, Halloween (1978)
Posey County is the southernmost county in Indiana. It consists of a handful of small towns and villages, each with unique stories and histories. The county's prime location on the intersection of both the Ohio and Wabash Rivers led to the immense and rapid growth of both industry and agriculture (Things 1). Being a native to the county, it is a place where everyone knows your name so-to-speak. The communities and towns within the county are very close-knit, and besides the occasional drug bust, there is limited to no crime. However, in the words of Robert Frost, “Nothing gold can stay.”
One of the most gruesome criminal cases in the county’s history occurred on July 9th, 2014. On this date, 30-year-old Joelle Lockwood went missing; he remain so for nearly three months. Lockwood would even appear on the NBC series Missing in America in August of the same year. However, on September 6th, 2014, Lockwood was fortunately discovered by the ex-husband of one of her captors (Trost 1). Unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding her disappearance would come to shake the whole county to its core. Authorities discovered that Lockwood was being held captive during her nearly three-month hiatus by the couple of 37-year-old Ricky House and 44-year-old Kendra Tooley. Lockwood's captors trapped her in their small, double-wide trailer where her living conditions can only be described as heinous. Lockwood was forced to wear a dog leash, carry out household chores, and often locked inside a small wooden cage like an animal. She was bound with bungee cords and zip ties and raped repeatedly by the pair when not being locked away. The Posey County Sheriff at the time, Greg Oeth, would be the first to enter the residence following the arrest. Once inside, all Oeth could utter was, "Never say you've seen it all, because there's something that's going to top something else" (24 Charges 1).
However, this would not be the first gruesome case to come across the desk of the now-former Sheriff Oeth during his prolific career in Indiana law enforcement. Before his role as Posey County Sheriff, Oeth served as a crime scene investigator for the Indiana State Police. In 1991, during his years as an investigator, one murder mystery was nearly impossible to solve.
The case was that of Arthur Denton. Arthur was a 78-year-old who enjoyed gardening and playing bridge with his friends. Friends of Arthur describe him as an "unassuming, quiet man," which made his violent death very difficult to comprehend (One 1). Denton, a former state legislator and the former prosecuting attorney in Evansville, Indiana, was stabbed and bludgeoned to death in his Posey County home on August 18th, 1991. Denton served as the deputy prosecuting attorney three times: 1944-45, 1948-49, and 1952-59. Thus, authorities found it highly unlikely that anyone he prosecuted waited nearly 40 years to seek revenge on him. The murder weapon was never found, and all police had to go on was the account of Denton's new second wife, Wilma "Doodles" Denton (39-years-old). Mrs. Denton explained to authorities that she was in the basement of their rural home during the time of the attack. She explained she was down there to make a telephone call at 12:15 AM when she heard what sounded like multiple individuals enter the home. Wilma then informed police that one man came downstairs dressed in all black, wearing a ski mask and black leather gloves. The man then slapped her one time in the face, forced her into a chair, and restrained her with duct-tape. While constrained, Wilma claimed to hear a struggle upstairs. After two hours, she was then able to free an arm and release herself from the chair, and call 911 (One 2).
When searching for a motive, police considered robbery, but they could not find anything missing or out of place. Mrs. Denton claimed there was $12,000 cash missing, but neighbors and friends of Arthur said it would be significantly out of character for him to stow that much money away simply lying around his home. Mrs. Denton cooperated with authorities at the crime scene throughout the investigation process. However, two weeks after the murder, she sought counsel and refused to be interviewed (One 2). Thus, investigators had little contact with her after the original crime scene investigation.
Arthur and Wilma’s relationship puzzled many. Not only was there the oddity of their 39 year age difference, but there was also the peculiarity of the rapidness of their elopement. Arthur and Wilma married only three months after the death of Arthur’s first wife on August 14th, 1990, Eunice, who died suddenly suffering from complications from a ruptured colon. The marriage between Arthur and Wilma would be her fourth marriage to date. In January of 1991, Arthur modified his will naming Wilma the sole heir to his estate that was valued at $317,000 at the time, including the $73,000 home in which Wilma remained several years after the murder before remarrying (One 4).
The case became even more perplexing following the murder. Two weeks after Arthur's death, authorities were called back to the residence in order to investigate two break-ins. In both cases, nothing was missing, and there was no sign of forced entry. Additionally, one of the persons of interest for the case, Wilma's brother, William Scales, committed suicide via drug overdose on September 8th, 1991, nearly a month after the gruesome murder. In February of the same year, a grand jury was assembled to hear the testimony of Denton's case. Twenty-five individuals, consisting of neighbors, friends, and relatives, took the stand and testified for a week straight on events surrounding the case (One 5). However, Wilma, with her counsel, refused to testify.
In search of further details, I contacted former Sheriff Oeth on his role in the Denton case. Though spearheaded by the Posey County Sheriff's department, Oeth was a member of the Indiana State Police force as a crime scene investigator. Thus, his conversation and insights served as a valuable, primary source on the case surrounding Arthur Denton's death. According to Oeth, they arrived on the scene after receiving the call from Mrs. Denton regarding multiple intruders. He confirmed that Mrs. Denton did have slight markings on her face that pertained to the slap and redness on her arms that matched her description of being tied to the wooden chair to which she was duct-taped. However, he did mention her injuries were minute because she never required an ambulance or any other form of medical assistance following the original crime scene investigation. Oeth informed me of further details into the relationship of Arthur and Wilma. They met while Wilma was working as cleaning staff at Denton’s law office in Evansville, Indiana. He also mentioned that neighbors and friends of Denton would often come forward and notify authorities of various oddities surrounding the two’s relationship.
As for the crime scene itself, Oeth provided many vital details that I was unable to find on the internet. He informed me that Arthur was found dead in a hallway extending from the great room/living room on the home's first floor. He had suffered a bludgeoned wound to the chest and was stabbed multiple times. Though an actual murder weapon was never discovered, cutlery from the house was taken as evidence due to Arthur's stab wounds. Interestingly, as with everything else in the home, no traces of foreign agents were discovered: there were no footprints or DNA samples found in the home that did not belong to either Arthur or Wilma. He also noted there was no sign of forced entry, and there was no sign of a struggle in the house, not a hair out of place.
As for possible leads, excluding Wilma due to her seeking counsel and pleading the fifth, the police had approximately three persons of interest for the case. Wilma’s twin brothers, William and Carl Scales. Oeth recalled an Uncle of Wilma’s also being a person of interest, but I could not find any record of his name. Unfortunately for authorities, all of the suspects began to meet dire ends during the investigation process. William Scales would commit suicide via drug overdose, while the other two would die of natural causes. Of course, there was no reason to look further into these persons due to the lack of evidence and their untimely deaths, so the authorities had no leg to stand on as far as pursuing any foolproof leads.
When asked about any other strange circumstances surrounding the case, Oeth recalled: Wilma remarried in 1998, to Dr. Rodney Brown, who was 32-years her elder and a respected dentist in the area. Dr. Brown knew many members of law enforcement at the time of the Denton murder seven years prior due to his work in dental forensic identification. Interestingly enough, during the time of the case, Oeth remembers Dr. Brown being overly interested in the details and progress of the investigation, often asking for specifics pertaining to the case. Oeth remembers authorities denying him access to these details and Brown being very angry for not being keyed into the particulars. Ironically, soon after, Dr. Brown would attempt to run for Posey County coroner, which would have provided him access to Denton's file. He lost the race. Another unfortunate outcome of the investigation was that the lead detective at the time, Sheriff York, would suffer a heart attack while splitting wood at this home. Therefore, due to all persons of interest suffering untimely ends, lack of any incriminating evidence, and the lead detective passing away, the Denton case soon grew cold. No charges were ever brought, and the case remains open to this day (Bethel & Oeth).
According to her obituary, Wilma "Doodles" Scales Denton Brown passed at the age of 62 on July 10th, 2014 (Wilma 1). Interestingly enough, there is no mention of Arthur being included in her predecessors of death. Her late husband and inquisitive dentist, Dr. Brown, passed on January 2nd, 2021, at the age of 94. Yet, Wilma would not be included in his predecessors in death (Dr. Rodney 1).
A small, close-knit community like Posey County rarely houses anything as heinous as the two cases above. It is a place where everyone knows everyone, and if one does not, then chances are you share common acquaintances. However, as both of these cases go to illustrate, evil can rear its ugly head even in the most docile communities. As Agatha Christie once said, "There is evil everywhere under the sun." (Christie 14).
Works Cited
Bethel, Austin J, and Greg R Oeth. “Former Posey County Sheriff Speaks on Denton Cold Case.” 28 Apr. 2021.
Christie. EVIL UNDER THE SUN. Pocket Books, 1982.
“Dr. Rodney F. Brown Obituary.” Evansville Obituaries , Evansville Courier and Press, 4 Jan. 2021, obits.courierpress.com/obituaries/courierpress/obituary.aspx?n=rodney-f-brown&pid=197420437&fhid=14467.
“One Year Later, Death of Former State Legislator Remains.” Nwitimes.com, 17 Aug. 1992, www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/one-year-later-death-of-former-state-legislator-remains/article_ffdb1814-e65d-5d5b-849b-dfdedab492b1.html#tncms-source=login.
September 9, 2014 at 2:00 AM CDT - Updated July 27 at 6:35 AM, et al. 24 Charges Total Filed against Suspects in Joelle Lockwood Case, 15 Sept. 2014, www.14news.com/story/26477263/24-charges-total-filed-against-suspects-in-joelle-lockwood-case/.
“Things to See and Do in Posey County, Indiana.” Visit Posey County, 8 Mar. 2018, visitposeycounty.com/historic/about/.
Trost, Rachael. “Man Sentenced for Kidnapping and Holding Joelle Lockwood Captive for Two Months.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 15 Oct. 2015, www.nbcnews.com/feature/missing-in-america/man-sentenced-kidnapping-holding-joelle-lockwood-captive-two-months-n445106.
“Wilma Brown Obituary.” Evansville Obituaries , Evansville Courier and Press , 18 July 2014, obits.courierpress.com/obituaries/courierpress/obituary.aspx?n=wilma-brown&pid=171764744&fhid=14467.
Missing Person: Dawnita Wilkerson
Missing Person: Dawnita Wilkerson
Micah Keller
"One day you're crying, and the next day you're just mad… It's very hard.
We've all been sad and frustrated and everything else you can imagine,
but we just keep going and doing what we have to do to try and find her" (Doyle, 1).
This is the new reality for the family members of 44-year-old Dawnita Wilkerson. She disappeared in June of 2020, last seen by surveillance cameras at a local Evansville motel on the morning of June 21st. Alarmingly, there have been no suspects or persons of interest officially named, although family members have their suspicions. Dawnita, a mother of 6, is loved deeply by her family and friends. They will stop at nothing to ensure that she is found and the perpetrator is brought to justice.
Evansville, Indiana, is a mid-major city with a population of roughly 120,000 people living within city limits and 300,000 residing in the greater metropolitan area. It is a bustling industrially-based city situated on the high traffic Ohio river, which serves as an outlet to the global economy. The city has a low cost of living. Family and friends are essential here; a stroll through one of the local supermarkets will likely lead to conversations about the local high school, or collegiate sports teams, or a day out boating on the water. Situated in Vanderburgh County— located at the southwestern tip of Indiana— Evansville serves as the county's capital. It is by no means an extremely wealthy city with a median household income of around $43,000, pushing 19.5% of the population below the poverty line. Marginalized communities are disproportionally affected as 34% of Black residents and 45.5% of Hispanic residents fall below the poverty line. Despite its challenges, the citizens are mostly happy, showing a deep love for the community. People are concerned about the wellbeing of their neighbors and friends, regularly checking up. But the Evansville crime index stands well above the U.S. average. Evansville attempts to combat this issue by employing over twice the Indiana average number of law enforcement per capita at 2.36 per 1000 residents. Despite the city's attempt to solve the issue, the case of Dawnita Wilkerson is a tragic example of foul play(City Data, 1).
Dawnita Wilkerson, a mother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend, went missing in June of 2020. Dawnita is a Black woman of average height, standing at 5'3, weighing 145 pounds. She has dark brown eyes and dark, curly hair. Born March 14th, 1976, in Evansville, Indiana, she is a lifelong resident of the metropolitan area. Dawnita is a woman of faith, having a number of religious tattoos, including praying hands on her upper right shoulder, and a cross on her upper left shoulder, as well as a heart on her lower back. She had recently enrolled in classes to finish her GED. The family describes Dawnita Wilkerson as a "talker." Dawnita's aunt says that she is always in close contact with her family; whether it be a message on Facebook or a daily phone call, she was always in touch. She called her mother at 5 a.m. every morning to check in and let her know what her plans were for the day (Doyle, 1). Talking on the phone was one of her favorite ways to pass the time. Dawnita is a mother of 6, ages 15 to 22. The youngest siblings are twins who are particularly close with Dawnita. Coming from and having a large family, Wilkerson has plenty of people to contact daily. She is a person with a good sense of humor and a "Heart of Gold" (Doyle, 1). Her daughter describes her as a relaxed, fun-loving person going on to state, "She's just really laid back," and "As long as she was with friends having fun, she was good(Seibert, 1)." Dawnita was last known to be staying near the 1400 block of Taylor Avenue. She is a talker, a woman of faith and family. On Father's Day 2020, when Dawnita did not call, family members knew something was wrong.
Dawnita Wilkerson was 44 years of age when she went missing on June 21st, 2020, reported the next day, June 22nd, 2020. She was last at 8:16 a.m. seen by surveillance cameras leaving a local Evansville motel. Authorities state that Wilkerson left the motel in a silver Chevrolet Suburban. The vehicle has a sunroof and dark tinted windows. Next, the Suburban headed west through southwestern Indiana into rural southern Illinois. Officials are searching for the vehicle with a special interest in Evansville, Indiana; Carbondale, Illinois; and Marion, Illinois. The owner of the vehicle has been identified but has refused to cooperate with the investigation. Wilkerson and the vehicle owner have connections to the two Illinois cities. Police have released the surveillance photos of Wilkerson and the silver Suburban. Leads for the case have not been prominent. Most had come to a screeching halt when the people involved failed to cooperate with police and the investigation. Despite its challenges, the family and investigators have refused to give up on the case; the FBI is also involved, posting Wilkerson on the national missing person database and providing the Evansville police department with 100 posters that provide information and visuals regarding the case(Associated Press 1).
In the few days before her disappearance, Wilkerson had mentioned two men to friends and family. One of these men, being an on and off ex-boyfriend of hers, sent Dawnita threatening messages. The subjects have not been named as they have not been charged or listed as suspects by police. Dawnita's aunt, Nora Martin, recalls Wilkerson sharing screenshots of messages coming from the two men stating things along the lines of "I'm going to get you" and "I'll kill you, and they'll never find your body" (Elias, 1). A friend of Wilkerson, who— due to safety concerns— wished not to be named, also recalls seeing the messages that call Wilkerson derogatory names and threaten the safety of her and her children. The family friend claims to have spoken to Wilkerson over the phone on the morning of June 21st, Wilkerson told the friend that she was with the two men mentioned previously. The friend said, "When she called me, she said she was afraid for her life" (Elias, 1). The family has stated that the on-again-off-again boyfriend had made past threats to Wilkerson, and they had violent altercations on a number of occasions. An unnamed family member claims the ex-boyfriend had been jailed a number of times for beating her (Elias, 1). These altercations are known to the Evansville police department, and Wilkerson has filed at least one protective order against the man. In an effort to further distance herself from the unnamed man, Wilkerson had recently changed her phone number in the weeks leading up to the disappearance. The man discovered her new number, and family members had heard them arguing over the phone before she disappeared. This man's history with the courts does not end with Wilkerson; records show four convictions for domestic violence or battery spanning from 1987 to 2009. Four different women filed for protective orders against him in the state of Illinois. A family member of Wilkerson said that Dawnita told them days before the disappearance "that if something happens to her that [the unnamed man and a family member] did it" (Elias, 1). Wilkerson asked family members the day of the disappearance if they know anyone with a gun, as she feared for her life. The owner of the 2004 Chevy suburban— that Wilkerson was last is one of the men she feared— would harm her. Police have identified this man, but he "was not cooperating with the investigation" (Elias, 1).
Despite the challenges with the investigation and the search for Dawnita, family and friends have refused to stop looking. They have gone to extreme lengths to raise awareness for their loved one's case, hosting many fundraisers, community awareness events, and starting a Gofundme page in her honor. The family states that they "will leave no stone unturned" (Doyle, 1). The family hosted an event called "Show Up For Dawnita" at Garvin Park in Evansville back in August of 2020. Hundreds of people attended the event, where there were food trucks, raffles, and donations, all benefitting the cause. Proceeds from their numerous fundraising efforts have been used to purchase billboards in the city of Evansville. They have printed hundreds, if not thousands, of fliers to spread awareness (Doyle, 1). This case has gone unsolved mainly due to a lack of concrete incriminating evidence and lack of cooperation. The family of Dawnita is strong and determined to bring her home, no matter the cost or time commitment. They have searched far and wide and have spread awareness to places across the country, stopping at nothing to bring her home.
Works Cited
Associated Press. “Police Release New Timeline for Missing Indiana Mother of 6.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 1 Mar. 2021, www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana/articles/2021-03-01/police-release-new-timeline-for-missing-indiana-mother-of-6.
City Data. “Evansville, Indiana.” Evansville, Indiana (IN) Profile: Population, Maps, Real Estate, Averages, Homes, Statistics, Relocation, Travel, Jobs, Hospitals, Schools, Crime, Moving, Houses, News, Sex Offenders, City Data, www.city-data.com/city/Evansville-Indiana.html.
Doyle, Michael. “Missing Evansville Woman Dawnita Wilkerson's Family: 'We'll Leave No Stone Unturned'.” Evansville Courier & Press, Evansville Courier & Press, 15 Aug. 2020, www.courierpress.com/story/news/local/2020/08/15/missing-dawnita-wilkersons-family-well-leave-no-stone-unturned/5588549002/.
Elias, Christina. “Friends, Family Say Dawnita Wilkerson 'Was Afraid for Her Life' in Days before Disappearance.” Evansville Courier & Press, Evansville Courier & Press, 25 Feb. 2021, www.courierpress.com/story/news/crime/2021/02/25/dawnita-wilkerson-was-afraid-her-life-before-disappearance-friends-say/6807783002/.
Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). “Family Asking for Help Locating Missing Loved One.” Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW), Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW), 17 July 2020, www.tristatehomepage.com/news/family-asking-for-help-locating-missing-loved-one/.
Seibert, Isaiah. “Family of Missing Evansville Woman Dawnita Wilkerson Looking for Answers.” Evansville Courier & Press, Evansville Courier & Press, 20 July 2020, www.courierpress.com/story/news/local/2020/07/20/family-missing-evansville-woman-dawnita-wilkerson-looking-answers/5456380002/.
The Mysterious Murder of Dr. Helene Knabe
Samuel Patrick Russell
The Mysterious Murder of Dr. Helene Knabe
Samuel Patrick Russell
Indianapolis, Indiana
October 23, 1911
It was a brisk October morning and Katherine McPherson was on her way to work for her employer, Dr. Knabe. Dr. Knabe worked hard to get to America, and to establish herself professionally. She overcame the male-dominated hegemonic structures to become “the first woman to become assistant pathologist of the Indiana State Laboratory of Hygiene” (Mitchell 1). McPherson was spending her morning calling her boss Dr. Knabe with no response. Her concern increased, “so McPherson commenced a room-to-room search” (McQueen 9). Tragically, McPherson found her boss dead, soaked in blood. It was a horrendous scene as Dr. Knabe’s throat was slashed from ear to ear, nearly decapitating her (Mitchell 1). Naturally, McPherson was in shock and this leads her to make an odd mistake. Stricken with grief, she invited friends and family members of Dr. Knabe immediately to the crime scene. At this point, police had not been notified. This effectively contaminates the entire crime scene and adds many more suspects to the equation. Finally, McPherson had calmed herself down, and with the help of friends and family, she notified the police. McQueen summarizes the following steps in the investigation in his book Murder & Mayhem in Indiana:
More than an hour after discovering the body, McPherson finally notified the authorities.
When detectives arrived, they noticed that the doctor’s nightdress was in disarray. Her throat was cut so deeply from ear to ear that she had nearly been decapitated. The furniture in the rest of the apartment was in order, so whatever had happened to Dr. Knabe occurred in her bedroom with great swiftness. But one item was known to be missing: a surgical instrument called a microtome, loaned to Knabe by Dr. C.E. Ferguson. The theory quickly gained ground that it was the murder weapon (McQueen 9).
There was no sign of forced entry as the windows were still filled with cobwebs and “furniture was undisturbed” (McQueen 9). Furthermore, the door could have only been opened from the inside or with a key. Only the assistant, McPherson, had a key to Dr. Knabe’s room. Because of this, some of the public, detectives, and Dr. Carrie Gregory suggested that Dr. Knabe took her own life. Some discounted this theory because there was no weapon left in the room, but theorists grabbed onto one thing: McPherson’s mistake. Instead of instantly calling the police, she called friends and family of the victim. This mistake put a lot of people in the room, people who care for the image of the late doctor and may not want the public to know about a suicide. People all over the country weighed in, and “even Detective William Burns, known as America’s Sherlock Holmes, publicly stated that based solely on the evidence in the newspapers, he believed she killed herself” (Kobrowski 1). Although eventually, this theory was written off as a mere conspiracy, two main pieces of evidence helped to rebut the suicide theory. The first was that Dr. Knabe’s wound was so deep and damaging that the coroner said it must’ve been “a muscular man who wielded the knife” (New York Times 1). The other reason was that Knabe was found with a laceration on her forearm, showing that she was struggling. All the authorities had was a bloody body and some theories, but what they were missing a murder weapon and a suspect.
First, the police questioned and suspected the other residents of the building. The building had just two other apartments. One belonged to an African American janitor, Jefferson Haynes who lived with his daughter above Dr. Knabe. The other was the home of a housekeeper, Mrs. Fannie Winston, who lived in the basement of the building. Jefferson reported he heard both screams and a thud around 1:00 am. Jefferson was suspected and detained by police, although investigators had no evidence at all (Taylor 1). Then, the case began to get more interesting when witnesses in the neighborhood starting coming forward with more evidence. The next to provide a clue was a local barkeeper named Joseph Carr. Carr told the police that “he had been walking home around 1:00 a.m. on the night of the murder” and “as he approached the building, he heard two screams, the second more muffled than the first” (McQueen 9). This confirmed Haynes's story, and he was let free. The investigators still had little clues, and no suspects to go on.
Then, “a drunken young Navy sailor named Seth Nichols” confessed to the murder of Dr. Knabe (McQueen 11). Finally, detectives, friends and family felt that closure was fast approaching. Nichols confessed because of his guilty conscious. He said he killed Dr. Knabe because he was paid $1,500 by a mysterious figure he only knew as “Knight.” But as Nichols told detectives more and more about the murder, his story began to fall apart. He only knew basic information about the case. Additionally, it became clear that Nichols was not even in Indianapolis at the correct time, when his captain of the USS Dixie provided records that proved Nichols had been aboard the day of Knabe’s murder (McQueen 12). Nichols was actually severely depressed about the recent death of his wife, and saw confessing to the murder as a path to ending his life. The murder of Dr. Knabe remained unsolved.
After Nichols's false confession, the trail went cold. Friends and family of Knabe did everything in their power to find justice. They hired countless private investigators, but still no leads (Kobrowski 1). Eventually, they looked to Knabe’s former lover Dr. William B. Craig. Craig had a long professional and personal relationship with Dr. Knabe dating all the way back to 1905. The evidence seemed damning as “the night before Dr. Knabe died, Dr. Craig’s housekeeper overheard them arguing and she heard Dr. Knabe say, “but you can continue to practice and so can I!” (Kobrowski 1). Additionally, the Police had found a letter in which Dr. Knabe told a friend she was getting married. All evidence points to her marrying Dr. Craig. Even more damning, “Dr. Knabe confided to a friend she was getting married to a man with an “ungovernable temper” (Kobrowski 1). Finally after all of this came to light, on December 31, 1912 Craig was indicted by a grand jury on murder charges.
But when the investigation moved to trail, it became clear that Dr. Knabe would not get the justice she deserved. There was a good amount of circumstantial evidence to demonstrate Dr. Craig’s motive. For example, it was clear that their relationship was coming to an end. Additionally, “the prosecution contended that Dr. Craig had been seeing another woman who lived in Avon, Indiana” (McQueen 12). Furthermore, Craig’s housekeeper claims that he came home from Dr. Knabe’s apartment and immediately washed up and changed his clothes. The issue was that there was nothing to put Dr. Craig at the scene of the crime at the time of the reported screams. The closest evidence to that fact came from the mouth of Harry Haskett. He claimed he had witnessed Dr. Craig fleeing Dr. Knabe’s apartment. The issue was that Haskett saw Craig leaving the Delaware Apartments at 11:00 pm, two hours before Haynes and Carr overheard the screams. Because of this discrepancy, the jury and judge agreed to rule Dr. Craig as not-guilty. Over a hundred years later, we still do not know who killed Dr. Knabe.
Works Cited
“FIND WOMAN DOCTOR SLAIN IN HER HOME; Dr. Helen Knabe, Ex-State Bacteriologist, Almost Decapitated in Indianapolis.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Oct. 1911, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/10/25/104840450.html?pageNumber=7.
Kobrowski, Author Nicole. “Nicole Kobrowski.” The Indiana Historical Bureau, 30 July 2018, blog.history.in.gov/author/nicole-k/.
Mitchell, Dawn. “Retro Indy: Grisly 1911 Murder of Doctor Still Unsolved.” The Indianapolis Star, 24 Oct. 2017, www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2014/10/14/helene-knabe-murder-unsolved/17243979/.
Murder & Mayhem in Indiana, by Keven McQueen, The History Press, 2014, pp. 8–13.
Taylor, Stephen. “Bacteria, Blood & Bad Dreams: The Unsolved Murder of Helen Knabe - Historic Indianapolis: All Things Indianapolis History.” Historic Indianapolis | All Things Indianapolis History, 12 June 2017, historicindianapolis.com/bacteria-blood-bad-dreams-the-unsolved-murder-of-helen-knabe/#:~:text=Helen%20Knabe%E2%80%99s%20death%20remains%20one%20of%20the%20great,was%20called%20in%20her%20days%2C%20Das%20Deutsche%20Haus%3F.
The Unsolved Double Homicide
of Delphi, Indiana
The Unsolved Double Homicide
of Delphi, Indiana
An Unsolved Rural Town Mystery
An Unsolved Rural Town Mystery
Issac Salinas
A small rural town like Delphi, Indiana, is a place called home for many, like Abigail Williams and Liberty German. This year 2021, should be full of college choices, graduation, cap and gowns, and a final year of high school at Delphi Community High School. Instead, the families of Abby and Liberty are waiting, holding onto hope that justice will be served and the person responsible for the deaths of Abigail and Liberty will be put away. The day was February 13, 2017, the two girls went missing. The girls were dropped off near the Old Monon High Bridge to walk the trails and take pictures, but they encountered a man on that bridge. One day later, on February 14, 2017, the bodies were found near the Old Monon High Bridge.
The girls had a set a pick up time with family members. When they did not arrive, people began to worry. Loved ones began canvasing the area for Libby and Abby but could not locate them. “Sheriff Leazenby told Rtv6 that evening that they had no reason to believe the girls were in danger” (Cox 2021). The crews looking for the girls figured they had gotten lost and couldn’t find their way back.
I recall my girlfriend wanting to be in the search crew, but I tried to discourage her because the situation seemed dangerous. Rumors they were dead circulated. I could not believe it. Was the killer still in Delphi? Tensions were high in the town of Delphi, with its 2,900 population. The following day, “authorities deemed their deaths homicides” (Evans 2017). At 12:45 p.m. on February 14, 2017 “the Delphi Fire Chief announced that they had found Libby and Abby, calling the discovery 'not good'” (Cox 2019). After the girls were found, I remember hearing people talk about how their bodies were mutilated, the scene was horrific, and as soon as I heard these things, I realized how gruesome and horrible this crime was. I felt pain for my community and saw what these homicides had done to my friends and neighbors. I remember seeing the family of Liberty German specifically cry and weep for their lost family member that meant so much to them.
This crime is still unsolved to this day.
On February 15, 2017, the “Indiana State Police department released a photo of the man they believe was on the Delphi Historic Trail around the time that Abigail Williams and Liberty German were there” (Cox 2019). The day after the police used a search warrant to investigate a house near Bicycle Bridge Road, but no arrests were made. After this the man in the photo was the prime suspect and I specifically remember everyone in town making accusations, delivering tips, and trying to figure out who this man in the blue jacket was. He was seen on the Old Monon Bridge before Abby and Libby were found. Soon after the bodies were found I remember going into town and seeing so many law enforcement agencies and vehicles all over the place. They had roads blocked off and buildings setup for them to use in the investigation to find the killer. “As the investigation intensified, the public got a first look at the killer and even heard his voice” (Eaton 2021), the famous words he said were “down the hill.” I remember hearing from news sources about how the killer told the girls to walk down the hill and then it was suspected he did criminal activity. The reason police were able to get this tape was because Libby heroically recorded a video, which “shows the suspect walking along the bridge behind Abby Libby and Abby” (Cox 2021). “Police indicated that additional evidence from the phone had been secured, but that they did not release it so as not to “compromise any future trial” (Wikipedia 2021) and I remember people in Delphi desperately wanting to know what that extra evidence was, assuming it could solve the mystery. The town of Delphi then began to put orange lights in their porches and homes to pay tribute to the girls; it was called “Light up Delphi” by news sources. From February 27, 2017- March 1,2017 a total of $200,000 from local businesses, the community of Delphi, Pat McAfee, and Jim Irsay was raised in reward for the capture of the killer. By March 9, 2017 “Indiana State Police say the reward has grown to over $220,000 and they are looking into over 11,000 tips in the case” (Cox 2019). For me it was crazy to hear from the community that close to $200,000 was raised for the girls, when I heard this, I felt like the case was going in a direction where it would be potentially solved. I saw on local news stations that the police then went and searched the owner of the property where the girls were killed. Again, no arrests were made.
In September 25, 2017 “Indiana State Police were contacted by a sheriff’s department in Colorado about similarities in their case against Daniel Nations and the Delphi murders” (Cox 2019) and right afterwards he was declared as a person of interest. When this happened, I remember hearing in the community everyone talk about how this had to be the guy. Soon after law enforcement became interested in Daniel, they went to Colorado to do an interview and to collect evidence to see if there was really a connection between Daniel and the murders in Delphi.
One year later “Indiana State Police have not cleared Daniel Nations, but they say he is “not someone we care a whole lot about at this time” (Cox 2019). Investigators were constantly mentioning how the person who was responsible for the murder of Abby and Libby could be hiding in plain sight and that was one of the things that scared me the most. I have a girlfriend, mother, and three sisters, and this horrific crime made me worry for the sake of all women in Delphi. Knowing that the guy who murdered these two girls was potentially still roaming our town is troubling.
Many people didn’t return to the bridge for a long time, some were interested because of the crime that happened and tried to show up at the location, but I remember fences being put up blocking people from entering the bridge. There was also a major push for security in the area surrounding the homicide of Abby and Libby and soon after the deaths of the girls, cameras were installed in the surrounding area for surveillance. Previously this bridge was just an old wooden bridge rising high in the air—no technology.
Four years after the girls were murdered, there has still been no arrest. During the four-year span of the search for the killer, I noticed the community was curious for more information. I even wondered myself, how is there not any evidence or something to find this man? How is he getting away with this crime? Many people, including previous 18-year Carroll County Prosecutor Robert Ives, feel like there needs to be more evidence leaked to help solve the case. Robert explains, “All I can say is there is more information to be released, which should be no surprise to anybody” (Eaton 2021). The people of Delphi just want information.
Works Cited
Cox, Katie. “The Delphi Murders: Four Years Later Libby & Abby's Killer Is Still out There.” WRTV, WRTV, 14 Feb. 2021, www.wrtv.com/news/delphi/the-delphi-murders-four-years-later-and-still-no-arrests.
Cox, Katie. “DELPHI TIMELINE: The Search for Libby & Abby's Killer.” WRTV, WRTV, 13 Feb. 2019, www.wrtv.com/delphi-timeline-the-search-for-libby-abbys-killer?_ga=2.29394431.1909684253.1619567646-393288956.1618582610.
Eaton, Lindsey. “Delphi Murders: Deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German Remain Unsolved 4 Years Later.” WTTV CBS4Indy, WTTV CBS4Indy, 12 Feb. 2021, cbs4indy.com/news/indycrime/delphi-murders-deaths-of-abby-williams-and-libby-german-remain-unsolved-4-years-later/.
Evans, Jack. "Family of teen slain in Delphi double-murder speaks for first time". Indiana Daily Student: Indiana University, March 9, 2017 Thursday. advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5N27-0M01-JBSN-3120-00000-00&context=1516831. Accessed April 28, 2021.
Wikipedia. “Murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Apr. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Abigail_Williams_and_Liberty_German.
Casefile: Delphi Murders
Max Lundy
Casefile: Delphi Murders
Max Lundy
Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, went for a walk on the Delphi Historic Trails on the afternoon of February 13, 2017. They never made it to their prearranged pickup spot. Family, friends and eventually the Sheriff’s department searched until sundown. It was expected that they went off the trail and could not find a way back. Searchers found their bodies the next morning in a wooded area not far from the Monon High Bridge less than one mile from their drop off point (Adams and Cox). Located twenty minutes northeast of Lafayette, the town of Delphi is not very large, with only about 3000 residents. Over the past four years, the murders of these children have remained a mystery. Not a lot of information has been disclosed to the public, and the public is not sure if the police even have any leads or real information. The FBI has been minimally involved. The little evidence that has been leaked provides some hope that the killer will be found. There have been no arrests in the case.
Police officials and prosecutors have remained tightlipped about the investigation, repeatedly saying that they need to withhold certain key details to maintain the integrity of the case. To explain this, Sgt. Kim Riley of the Indiana State Police said in an interview with IndyStar in 2020, “When we have the person we want, we want to know what they know about the case . . . That's why we've held back on the information that we've given out." People are not happy with the small amount of information that has been released. The first piece of evidence came out a day after the girls were found; police released a grainy image of the suspect taken from video on Libby's smartphone. A week later, they released audio of a man's voice saying, "down the hill" (Adams). This seemed to be a great start to the investigation, but not much came of it. Later came the longer version of the same smartphone video released in 2019 showing the gait of the man as he was walking on the bridge, as well as a longer version of the audio, where he can be heard saying, "Guys down the hill.”
Despite the video, there was no great description of the suspect and even changed the sketch of the man. According to the FBI, he “is thought to be a white man who weighs between 180 and 200 pounds and stands between 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 5 feet, 8 inches tall. He has been described as wearing blue jeans, a blue jacket or coat and a hoodie”. As far as tendencies go, he is expected to live in the area still or visit frequently, similar to that of a serial killer. He could be tied with similar incidents or even have been arrested or killed somewhere else. As aforementioned, there have been two police sketches released in the case. Indiana State Police released an image done by an FBI sketch artist on July 17, 2017 that showed an older-looking man with a goatee, wearing a cap and a hoodie. On April 22, 2019, State Police released a new sketch of the suspect, where the suspect is clean-shaven and looks to be much younger than the earlier sketch. Police say the new sketch took precedence over the old one and added that the killer is now thought to be between 18 and 40, but may appear younger than his true age. The new sketch is in response to the newest video evidence of the man walking across the bridge (Adams).
There have been a few suspects pursued in this case. On July 23, 2019, Paul Etter was wanted for the kidnapping and rape of a 26-year-old woman on June 22 in Tippecanoe County. Just five days later, he was surrounded by police, and after a five-hour stand-off, he died by suicide. Daniel J Nations and Thomas Bruce were both suspects that got let off after some time of suspicion. On January 8, 2019, Charles Eldridge was arrested in Union City, Indiana, on charges of child molestation and child solicitation. Police in Randolph County alerted the FBI to a potential link between Eldridge and the Delphi murders because of his strong resemblance to the suspect sketch (Wikipedia). However, this was before the updated composite had been released. Now in just the past week there have been reports of a new suspect. James Chadwell II is a forty-two-year-old man who was recently arrested for the alleged kidnapping of a nine-year-old girl in Lafayette just 20 miles from the location of the Delphi murders. While we do not know about Williams's and German’s conditions after their death, this young girl from Lafayette was said to have been raped and assaulted by Chadwell. Even though she did not die she was in a poor condition when found in his basement. Chadwell is pleading not guilty to his charges (Shapiro). He is now expected to also be investigated for the Delphi murders. No evidence has directly pointed to Chadwell himself, but the media and others want to make sure they stop at nothing to get justice for the young girls who have died. Inside Edition talked with two family members of Chadwell. His brother told them that Chadwell is a monster and when asked about the murder he responded: “Do I think that he's capable of that kind of crime? Absolutely, absolutely. He's shown numerous times not only to his friends, but his family as well that he has that kind of evil streak to him." His stepfather even told them that they should keep him in jail for life this time. Both of his family members that they spoke to believe that he is potentially dangerous to society (Inside Edition). The case has not been solved because the crime was committed in such an isolated area, so it took a while for them to find the girls. The evidence that has been put out for the public is good, but the quality of the video has made it hard to define a suspect.
The family members have not given up on getting justice for their daughters. Even four years after the incident they maintain hope for finding who did this. As previously stated, there is a current investigation into one man, about which the family is optimistic. Their faith lies with the law enforcement. Even though there has not been much released to the public, the family knows that the officers are doing everything in their power to find the murderer. Libby German’s grandmother told WTHR, “Be patient. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day… There are so many cases out there that have gone on for years. I know they are moving forward. I know they know more today than they did yesterday. I just want to make sure it’s a good solid case. I don’t want them to rush it. I want it to be right and people need to understand that this isn’t a 60-minute TV show” (Cox). These wise words from this woman are true. Not everything will be solved right away. As much as we want it to be easy and done like the TV shows sometimes it just takes time.
To honor them, family members initially thought about raising money for new bleachers or a scoreboard at a softball field where the girls played. Their idea grew into the L&A Park Foundation, a nonprofit created to oversee the construction of a $1 million park, including three ball fields, an amphitheater, and playgrounds. "We continue to actively investigate all tips and leads we receive by phone and email," the news release said. "This type of violent crime cannot and will not go unanswered” (Adams). No new official evidence, but an augmented reality smartphone app called CrimeDoor released a video based on evidence from the crime scene that gives users a closeup view of computer-generated images of the girls standing on the Monon High Bridge, as the killer slowly approaches them across the abandoned, weather-beaten rail trestle. Liberty German’s older sister, Kelsi, is studying to be a forensic scientist but not bringing down her sister’s killer. She wants to help others that have been put in a similar situation as her family (Harris). Over the years there has been a built-up support for these families with many offering all the tips they can to the authorities. People put together a reward fund for those that help find who did this. It quickly reached upwards of $200,000 with donations coming from Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay and man of many talents Pat McAfee (Evans). Since the newest suspect has been announced there was a new anonymous donation causing the pool to reach $325,000 (Harris).
If you are from the area or obtain any knowledge on the case, contact the Delphi homicide tip line at:
844-459-5786
or
abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com
Works Cited
Adams, Dwight. “Delphi Murders: What We Know and Don't Know 4 Years after Abby and Libby Were Killed.” The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Star, 12 Feb. 2021, www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2021/02/11/delphi-murders-4-years-later-what-we-know-deaths-abby-and-libby/4454409001/.
Cox, Katie. “The Delphi Murders: Four Years Later Libby & Abby's Killer Is Still out There.” WRTV, WRTV, 14 Feb. 2021, www.wrtv.com/news/delphi/the-delphi-murders-four-years-later-and-still-no-arrests.
Evans, Jack. “Family of Teen Slain in Delphi Double-Murder Speaks for First Time.” Indiana Daily Student, 9 Mar. 2017, www.idsnews.com/article/2017/03/family-of-teen-slain-in-delphi-double-murder-speaks-for-first-time.
“Family of Man Being Investigated in Delphi Case Speaks Out.” Inside Edition, Inside Edition, 30 Apr. 2021, www.insideedition.com/brother-of-james-chadwell-man-being-investigated-in-connection-with-delphi-murders-says-he-is-evil.
Harris, Chris. “Sister of Delphi Murder Victim Says 'Every Day I Pray for Answers,' as Killer Remains at Large.” People.com, 9 Apr. 2021, people.com/crime/delphi-murder-case-people-magazine-investigates-kelsi-german-pray-for-answers/.
“Murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 May 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Abigail_Williams_and_Liberty_German.
Shapiro, Emily. ABC News, ABC News Network, 28 Apr. 2021, abcnews.go.com/US/delphi-murders-connected-nearby-kidnapping-case-sheriff/story?id=77364836.
Delphi Murders: Personal Reflection
Delphi Murders: Personal Reflection
Keifer Carmean
Photo by Aleksandr Saenko from Unsplash
In 2017 the bodies of Libby German and Abby Williams were found in Delphi, Indiana after they had gone missing not too long before. In 2017 I was only 15 years old, the same age as the two girls. Delphi is not very far away from Crawfordsville. The investigation is ongoing with little to no leads. Where is this killer today? Are they still in Indiana?
On February 14th, 2017, the girls were found just off of the Monon High Bridge Trail that they had been walking on just the previous day. In the debriefing of the murders, it was said that at 1:35 p.m. on February 13th, the day before the bodies were found, Abby Williams and Libby German got dropped off to walk on the Monon High Bridge over Deer Creek in Deer Creek Township. The last time that anything was heard from the girls was at 2:07 p.m. when Libby posted a picture of Abby on the bridge. Libby's father was supposed to pick the girls up at 3:15 p.m., but the girls never showed, so they were reported missing at 5:30 p.m. on February 13th. The families of the two girls did not call the police at first. They searched for them on their own and then eventually brought the authorities in. In the beginning, no foul play was expected until noon the next day when the bodies were found a half-mile away from the Monon High Bridge on the bank of Deer creek.
Where did the investigation go after this horrific crime that happened in such a small Indiana town? It has now been just over four years since the murder of these girls happened, and they are still investigating. "In 2019, Indiana State Police released an updated sketch of the suspect. The composite looked nothing like a previous sketch, which had been the face of the investigation for two years" (abc7chicago.com). This is one of the reasons that the case still is unsolved because, for two years, they thought they had the face of the suspect, but then they change it to someone completely different. The FBI and the Indiana State Police have been investigating and doing everything they can to find the suspect. In a podcast called "Crime Junkie" on Spotify, there is an episode titled "WANTED: Killer on the High Bridge." This podcast goes into great detail on the crime and breaks down what happened. In the investigation process, Crime Junkie stated that the entire community was out looking for these girls, but no one could find them. The cause of death for the girls was never released to anyone, so to this day, no one knows precisely what happened. One lead that came out not too long after the crime was committed was an audio clip that came from one of the girl's phones of the man and said three short words, "Down the hill." According to Crime Junkie, since the crime, there have been over 26,000 tips that have led to nothing. Originally in the investigation, there were 300 different interviews of people that could have been the one that murdered the girls, and out of all those people, there was only one that was ever named a person of interest, and that was Daniel Nations. Nations were originally from Indiana but were arrested in Colorado for threatening people with an ax, and then he matches almost entirely with the sketch of the Delphi Murderer. This case eventually became a national case and was everywhere, and this is how the FBI got involved. "Investigators revealed they have reason to believe that the suspect might well be hiding in plain sight, and that the person is almost certainly familiar with the area of Delphi, whether it be from living or working there or for another reason" (Wikipedia.org). To this day, there are still no concrete leads as to who it is that committed the murder or where they are.
This case, in particular, was one that had an effect on me, unlike other cases that I had heard about. At the time of this happening in 2017, the two girls were thirteen and fourteen years old. I was fourteen. Delphi is not very far away from my hometown, so when I heard about murders, it got me thinking about the world that I live in. I have family that lives in the Delphi area. These two girls were doing something that I would do with my friends all the time, and it gave us all a wake-up call to think that something like this could happen to us. This took a toll on the fun that I was having with my friends outside of school because there was a threat that this murder was still on the loose. The fact that something so severe and so horrendous could happen in such a small town where things like this don't happen intrigued me. I started thinking more carefully about the mystery, crimes, and my future plans.
In this particular case, there are so many unanswered questions: Who did it? Why did they do it? Where are they? The case is still unsolved to this day because they don't have much evidence to base the search off of or any persons of interest. This case is fascinating to me because of how it has been four years, and they still have no idea who did it. The best evidence is a video clips of a man saying, "down the hill."
There have been four suspects that have come up throughout the investigation process, but none of them have been confirmed guilty. The four persons of interest were Paul Etter, Daniel J. Nations, Thomas Bruce, and Charles Eldridge, according to Wikipedia.org. Etter was wanted for kidnapping a 26-year-old woman, and when the cops found him, he committed suicide. As I have talked about before, Nations was a registered sex offender from Indiana who was arrested in Colorado for threatening people with an ax. Bruce had the same stature as the Delphi killer and was charged with many crimes in St. Louis, which is what made him a suspect. According to Wikipedia.org, Eldridge was charged with child molestation and solicitation, and he became a person of interest due to his resemblance to the sketch of the murderer, but this was before the new sketch came out. These have been the only solid leads in the case, but none of them have followed through.
The Delphi murders are a tragic event in a very small town in Indiana. The case is still open, and authorities are still trying to solve it. There are still many unanswered questions. But hopefully justice will be served, and the Delphi Murderer will be imprisoned. This case has affected so many people across Indiana and across the United States to find who it is that could do something this terrible to two innocent girls. How will the culprit be caught? Where have they been hiding all this time, or are they in our everyday lives? The lives of these two girls live on to this day in the community of Delphi and all over Indiana. The crime and mystery that lives on in this community are very present after seeing all the information about the murders.
Works Cited
McAdams, Alexis. "Delphi, Indiana Murders: Police, FBI Continue Search for SUSPECT 4 Years after Killing of Teen Girls." 15 Feb. 2021. Web. 02 May 2021.
"Murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 May 2021. Web. 02 May 2021.
"LIBERTY GERMAN." FBI. FBI, 21 Feb. 2017. Web. 02 May 2021.
Crandall, Kayla. "3 Years Unsolved: A Look Back at the Delphi Murder Case." WPTA21. 11 Feb. 2020. Web. 02 May 2021.
"Crime Junkie Podcast." Crime Junkie Podcast. 25 Mar. 2021. Web. 02 May 2021.
The Night That Haunts The Community, Even 43 Years Later
The Night That Haunts The Community, Even 43 Years Later
Zain Raza
“We screwed up the investigation from the beginning” — Buddy Ellwanger
Burger Chef was a restaurant that was founded in 1957 by two brothers in Indianapolis, Indiana. Just ten years in the business Burger Chef climbed the fast-food ranking to soon become the second-largest burger chain.
November 17, 1978, was like any other fall day, with a little drizzle and average temperature. Ruth Shelton, 17; Daniel Davis, 16; and Mark Flemmonds, 16; and Jayne Friedt (assistant manager), 20 were working the night shift at a burger chef restaurant which was located at 5725 Crawfordsville Road in the Speedway. The restaurant had closed and everybody was doing their regular cleanup.
Later that evening, somewhere around 11:00 pm to midnight, a delivery man who also worked at burger chef (off duty at that time) was supposed to meet one of the employees. When he arrived, he found that the doors were unlocked and the building was empty. This was strange, so the delivery man called the Speedway police.
When the police arrived, they found no signs of struggle and observed that somewhere around $500 to $2000 were missing from the cash register. The police brushed the whole situation off saying that the teenagers had taken off to party along with the money. It was only later when the situation was put through scrutiny that questions started to pop up. Mainly why would the girls leave their purses? Why would nobody take their coats? Indiana State Police Detective Sargent Bill Vann said, "The scene was never really processed as a crime scene." This was a critical mistake made by the police which they continue to regret to this day. That night the situation was put to rest by calling the manager and having him lock up the building. The next day, the day-shift employees finished any work that was left from the previous night, gave the restaurant a good clean up and business went on as usual.
When there was still no sign of the kids that mourning, the families had begun to worry and the police started to take the case more seriously. The police immediately went back to the restaurant and tried to reconstruct the scene. However, any forensic evidence would have been effaced by the clean-up done that morning to prepare for business. On searching the nearby areas, the police found Jayne Freidt's car. It was recorded that the driver's side door was locked, but the passenger side door was not.
Two days after their disappearance, some hikers stumbled upon the bodies of all four kids in Johnson County, a wooded area located 20 miles from the restaurant. All of them were found in different areas of the field. Davis and Shelton were shot with a .38 caliber gun. Friedt had been stabbed multiple times using a hunting knife. Mark Flemmonds was brutally beaten, possibly with a chain but it is unsure as to whether he died from his injuries alone. According to some evidence, it is possible that Mark drowned in his blood and if Mark had been found one day earlier the police might have a living witness.
The day the bodies were discovered, Burger Chef decided to hold a press conference. They announced that they would give $25,000 for any valuable information. Steak n’ Shake added $1000 to the reward. There were multiple reports from anonymous sources that the police were very casual in the handling of the case and as a result committed series of mistakes. One source claimed that the Indiana State Police Department officers moved the body before the arrival of forensic scientists. Another source claimed that the officers had not sealed the crime scene and many department vehicles, which were all over the field, may have destroyed valuable evidence. Speedway police also admitted that they had staged the photos after they failed to take any during their initial look at the crime scene. Charles Gantz, Johnson County Prosecutor, told the officers not to give statements to the media at the time.
When the case started to gain attention among the community a 16-year-old girl came forward and said that she saw two men in a car outside the Burger Chef right around the time of closing. The police had clay models made to assist with the investigation.
The most confusing part of the case was to understand the intentions of the criminals because several of the victims were still wearing their watches and a few even had a bit of money still left in their pockets. This, together with the money bags that were found rashly discarded outside the restaurant, seemed to imply that the crime was something other than a mere robbery. Investigating authorities believed that the intentions of the criminals were originally robbery but were later changed to murder because one of the employees recognized one of the perpetrators. That employee was most likely Jayne Freidt because she was hired just a few months back and she previously worked at Plainfield restaurant. This generated a lead that one of the criminals was probably a regular at the Plainfield restaurant.
Over the years, there were numerous suspects. One person who became a center of investigation for some time was a man at a bar in Greenwood overheard bragging about his involvement in the murders. He was put through a polygraph test but he passed. However, he provided the names of people involved in the robbery. Ken York was one of the leading investigators who used this lead to track down a man in Franklin, Indiana. When this man was threatened with a lineup, he shaved his beard. This was very unusual because it is said that this man had never shaved his beard in five years. However, due to lack of evidence, he was let go
In March of 1979. The police turned their attention to Roger Dale Stafford, who was previously arrested for murdering fast-food workers in Oklahoma. Later he was cleared as well.
In 1981, the brother of Friedt was on the suspect list due to his involvement in drugs, but was later let go.
In 1983, Marion County Sheriff's Sargent Leonard Fields said that an inmate, Donald Forrester, claimed that a man he had served time with confessed that he was responsible for the killings. It is reported that he was willing to give details to avoid transfer to Indiana state prison. Fields said the inmate told authorities an "enforcer" for a drug dealer and two other men walked into a Burger Chef restaurant to demand payment of a drug debt from an employee but then another employee had recognized one of the criminals. It was then that one of the perpetrators turned violent. Investigators thought they made a big leap in solving the case. Donald claimed he had shot the two boys. He further narrated some events which were very accurate to the actual events and many of them were not made public at the time. Soon after Donald's ex-wife was also called for questioning. She did not deny the allegations made against her ex-husband and further helped the investigators find invaluable evidence. Then suddenly one day Donald retracted his confession and stopped cooperating with the investigators. Fields said, "The information that he gave us has been substantiated up to a point, however, it's still not conclusive.” Soon after the investigations dried up. Donald foster was never charged and he died in prison at the age of 55.
In 1980, Ken York, an officer from Indiana state police, requested a prosecutor from Johnson county to arrest two suspects but he was refused. He believed that the bearded man had something to do with the murder. A few years later Ken said that he believes murders of the kids have been questioned and let go.
Indiana State Trooper Jim Cramer was among the first people who responded to the emergency radio call on 18th November and had poured years of his career into this case. He had visited the murder scene a countless number of times hoping to gain a new lead. He said “Promising leads have sprung up in the public eye and behind the scenes, only to fade away for lack of proof or credibility”. Cramer also said that it would be a disservice to the kids to accept some flimsy answer.
It has been nearly 43 years since that dreadful night but still, the case remains unsolved. However, the community still feels the loss of those 4 bright young kids. Just recently in 2018, a memorial was organized by Alex Wisemiller at Leonard Park. the community came together to plant a quartet of red oak trees, one for each victim. Each tree had a plaque with names and some personal information about the victims. During the ceremony, the family of Jayne Friedt left behind her Burger Chef uniform necktie. Alex said. “They were just kids; they were at the beginning of their lives and they had so much going for them…... Now people can learn more about who they are and the impact they made on so many people even today."
Works Cited
“Authorities Reported a Possible Lead in the Still Unsolved.” UPI. N.p., 19 Nov. 1983. Web. 14 Apr. 2021.
BEAST. “Burger Chef’s History Brings a Smile to My Face, What about You? • Burger Beast.” Burgerbeast.com. N.p., 16 Dec. 2020. Web. 14 Apr. 2021.
Business Insider India. “The 17 Scariest Crimes to Ever Hit the World of Fast Food.” Business Insider India. N.p., 7 Dec. 2019. Web. 14 Apr. 2021.
Cain, Áine. “On an Autumn Night in 1978, 4 Fast-Food Workers Vanished from Their Shift. 41 Years Later, Police Still Don’t Know Who Killed Them.” Insider. N.p., 12 Mar. 2020. Web. 12 Apr. 2021.
Rehagen, Tony. “Next in Line: The Burger Chef Murders.” Indianapolismonthly.com. N.p., 12 Nov. 2018. Web. 14 Apr. 2021.
Shapiro, Emily. “‘I Hope... before My Time on Earth Is Gone That I Have Those Answers’: Victim’s Sister on 1978 Unsolved Quadruple Killing.” ABC News. N.p., 14 Nov. 2018. Web. 12 Apr. 2021.
“Speedway memorial honors Burger Chef murder victims” Fox59.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2021.
Stein, Frankie. “Fast Food and Death: The Cold Case of Four Burger Chef Murders.” Filmdaily.co. N.p., 23 May 2020. Web. 14 Apr. 2021.
Young, Julie. The Burger Chef Murders in Indiana. History Press Library Editions, 2019. Print.
I-70 Murder Spree
I-70 Murder Spree
Jacob Price
Interstate 70, more commonly referred to as I-70, is a massive highway spanning over 2000 miles and runs between Baltimore, Maryland, and Cove Fort, Utah. There’s nothing particularly of importance to note about the highway nor any social or historical relevance like that of Route 66. However, in 1992 there were six seemingly random murders occurring over a 679 mile stretch in Indianapolis, Indiana; Terre Haute, Indiana; Wichita, Kansas; St. Charles, Missouri; and Raytown, Missouri. The one connection that authorities made between the murders was that they all took place in a shopping center shortly off Interstate 70. The investigation is still open as the perpetrator has yet to be found, but this has been declared a cold case. Police recently began releasing information to the public in hopes of gathering more leads, but no information has been forthcoming as of yet. This series of murders is a perfect case study detailing the importance of evidence in criminal investigations.
The first murder by the Interstate 70 killer took place on April 8th, 1992 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Robin Fuldauer was the manager of a Payless Shoe Store in a shopping center and on this day she was murdered while covering a shift for another coworker. Detective Mike Crooke, who was the first to arrive on the scene of the crime, said the killer was charming (Pesavento). The murder was able to get Ms. Fuldauer to lead him to the back of the store. Crooke would later receive a call and found her dead in the back of the Payless Shoes Store where Robin Fuldauer was shot twice in the back of the head execution-style. Jeff Meyrose, an eyewitness was quoted as saying “he was either on drugs or he had mental problems” (Huff). Before entering Payless, Meyrose said that the suspect had a long bag with him and had been circling the building for at least 30 minutes while “talking to himself, giggling.” (Huff) The murderer is said to have likely escaped on Interstate 465 which connects to Interstate 70 after driving just a couple miles south.
The second and third murders took place just a few days after Robin Fuldauer’s death on April 11th, 1992 in Wichita, Kansas. Patricia Smith, a worker at La’ Bride d’Elegance, and Patricia Magers, the owner of La’ Bride d’Elegance, were both murdered while waiting for a late customer to arrive to pick up his cummerbund. The murderer arrived before the late customer and again was able to lead both of the workers to the back of the store where they were both shot in the back of the head execution-style. While leaving the murderer took cash from the register and ran into the customer who was supposed to arrive late. The murderer tried to lead the man to the back of the store, likely to murder him as well, but the customer refused and fled the scene where he would later call the police. The customer was then able to provide the police with enough evidence for a composite sketch.
The fourth murder took place sixteen days after the murder of Patricia Smith and Patricia Magers on April 27th, 1992 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Michael McCown was working at his store named after his mother, Sylvia’s Ceramic, stocking shelves when he was murdered. McCown was shot in the back of the head execution-style while he was stocking those same shelves. This murder is very interesting as Michael is the only man to have been a part of the I-70 slayer’s victims. However, Michael had very long hair and kept it in a ponytail, so police believe he was likely mistaken for a woman by the murderer. His sister believes that the murder was no accident and that the murderer probably believed that Sylvia’s Ceramics would be operated by a woman (Vrchoticky). Being desperate for another murder, and with McCown being the only one at the shop, it would have to be enough for the Interstate 70 killer.
The fifth murder took place a week later after the murder of Michael McCown on May 4th, 1992 in St. Charles, Missouri. Nancy Kitzmiller was working alone at Boot Village, a small shoe store inside of a shopping center when she was murdered. Shortly into her shift, customers found her in a back office where she had been shot in the head execution-style. Upon arrival, the police found cash missing from the register as well.
The sixth and possibly final murder took place just three days later after Kitzmiller was murdered on May 7th, 1992 in Raytown, Missouri. Sarah Blessing was by herself at work in her gift shop, Store of Many Colors, when she was murdered. A nearby video store owner, Tim Hickman, said he saw a man cross through the parking lot and store to enter Blessing’s store. A few minutes later Hickman heard a loud bang which he perceived to be a gunshot and went over to check. As Hickman was approaching the front door of his store, he saw the same man rounding the corner of Blessing’s store. When he went inside, Hickmann saw Sarah Blessing’s legs hanging out of the office in the back of the store. When police arrived on the scene, they found her in a pool of blood where she had been shot in the back of the head execution-style.
At first glance, most of these murders might seem like random killings to the average person and not at all like they would be connected. However, FBI ballistics tests confirmed that all six victims were killed by the same weapon. The weapon was a .22 caliber semi-automatic and either an Intratec Scorpion or an Erma Werke Model ET 22. At the time of these murders, revolvers were losing popularity and the move to magazine-based semi-automatic handguns began. The Intratec Scorpion is much more compact and lighter therefore easier to conceal compared to Erma Werke ET 22 which has an 11.75-inch barrel. In my opinion, the Intratec Scorpion would have been ideal for these killings. The Scorpion was also very cheap to purchase at the time, but the Erma Werke Model ET 22 could have also been the murder weapon. As I mentioned previously, the Model ET 22 had an 11.75-inch barrel and is extremely rare so it is more of a collector’s item than a gun that would have actually seen use. With it being a collector’s item, it may have been passed down a generation or two so there could be little know gun purchase history for police to run through. Police still have not ruled out any other .22 caliber guns, but they are very certain it was one of the two. Police also were able to match shell casings from the murders in Terre Haute, Indianapolis, and St. Charles Missouri further proving the murder weapon to be of the .22 caliber variety.
Another massive connection is the type of women the I-70 killer murdered. All of his victims were relatively young and had long dark or brunette hair. This even makes sense when you consider the one man he murdered because McCown wore a ponytail that day. It appears he had some kind of hate towards some woman in his life or just a disdain for women in general and decided to go on a killing spree. Each of the stores the killer visited he robbed as well, which adds a bit of nuance to the case. However, none of these stores would be high dollar stores and therefore robbery being the main goal of each of these visits unlikely. The way each of the victims was murdered, execution-style, also does not lean towards it being any kind of robbery or armed robbery.
The final and main connection is the I-70 highway. All of the stores in which the murders took place were in shopping plazas near the interstate or just a few miles off the interstate. The murders in Wichita were quite a distance away from Interstate 70, about 94 miles, but a pretty much straight shot off the highway. There also appears to be no clear motive to this serial killer so it is obviously within the realm of possibility.
The suspect of the I-70 murders is said to be a middle-aged white male at the time of the murders. The killer had medium height, between 5’ 8” and 5’ 10”. The suspect also had reddish hair with his most noticeable trait being a lazy eye. The killer is also what I would describe as a tweaker or split personality. He was charming enough to be able to get all of the workers to the back of the store before he would kill them. He is also seen pacing outside many of the buildings talking to himself before committing his crimes.
As the serial killer behind each of these horrific murders remains at large, the ongoing mystery of the I-70 killings continues to anger the police and the victim’s family. The nonexistent DNA at the crime scenes as well as the lack of eyewitnesses have led police to let this case run cold. This case shows that evidence, or lack thereof, is incredibly important in establishing motives, narrowing down suspects, and, eventually, finding the killer. Hopefully, sometime in the future, new innovative ways to gather and analyze evidence reveal themselves to make sure that no criminal escapes justice.
Works Cited
Bull, Haley. “Investigators Remain Hopeful That They’ll Find the so-Called ‘I-70 Killer.’” Fox 59. N.p., 23 May 2017. Web. 4 May 2021.
Huff, Steve. “On the Ice-Cold Trail of the I-70 Killer.” InsideHook. N.p., 18 Apr. 2018. Web. 4 May 2021.
Leiker, Amy Renee. “1992 Murders at Bridal Shop Unsolved but Not Forgotten by Women’s Families.” Kansas.com. N.p., 22 Mar. 2014. Web. 4 May 2021.
Pesavento, Lily. “Searching for Answers: A Look at the Unsolved I-70 Killer Case.” MyWabashValley.com. N.p., 26 May 2019. Web. 4 May 2021.
“The Mystery of the I-70 Serial Killer - Unsolved Mysteries.” Unsolved.com. N.p., 10 May 2017. Web. 4 May 2021.
Vrchoticky, Nicholas. “The Untold Truth of the I-70 Killer.” Grunge.com. Grunge, 6 Apr. 2021. Web. 4 May 2021.
The Murder of Jill Behrman
The Murder of Jill Behrman
Porter High
It was a normal morning on May 31st, 2000. Indiana University freshman student Jill Behrman woke up and opened her laptop to start on some schoolwork. She had a planned lunch date with her dad and grandparents, so she wanted to get some extra work done ahead of time. She logged off her computer at 9:32 am. Then she got up and stretched, then set off on her normal bike ride around Bloomington that she had done before in the past. One of the downsides Jill thought about college is not having enough time to work on yourself and stay in shape. Jill was not having that. Summer was coming up and she wanted to be ready for the beaches.
Her father and grandparents called Jill when they arrived at their lunch spot, but she didn’t answer. They figured she was on her way and didn’t want to drive distracted. So, they went ahead and got a table for four and sat down. They talked about Jill and how her grandparents were excited to see their granddaughter hard at work in college. After a little bit they tried to call her again with no success. Her father guessed she had gotten busy with an assignment and forgotten to tell them. They all understood how college life could be and continued lunch, to which she never arrived. As they left, they did however have some worry because Jill would have usually told them what was going on.
It was now noon and Jill wasn’t at her campus job where she worked at the Student Recreation Center. They sent her an email and called her to remind her that she was supposed to be at work, but they got no response. She was supposed to have a noon to 3:00 pm shift, but never showed up. That is when her parents got worried. To hear that she had missed her lunch date with her dad and grandparents, and not shown up for work at the Student Recreation Center with no word from her at all, brought up great concern which is what got Law Enforcement involved.
What had happened that morning? Jill had set off on her bike ride around Bloomington taking her normal route. Then she was nowhere to be found or heard from. The authorities, with help from volunteers, searched for any signs of Jill. They ended up finding nothing. The investigators are baffled at the fact that she just ends up missing with no traces. It had been days since she went missing and they still had nothing. That was until June 2nd when a man called the police saying he had found Jill’s bike at the intersection of North Maple Grove Road and West Maple Grove Road. This was about 10.5 miles away from her home, and it wasn’t on her normal bike route. Maybe this was the news they needed to find out what happened. After this discovery, her mother made the statement, “She’s not with the bike and the bike is somewhere she would not have ridden.” This complicates things further. investigators through around the questions: Why wasn’t she found near the bike? Why was her bike found somewhere where she would not have ridden? They had found nothing in the area that helped them. All they had was a bike somewhere unexpected and left them with no trail to follow to find Behrman. To attempt to get help from the public, a reward was posted for $25,000 to anyone who could help find her. Then later raised to $50,000, and again to $100,000. Posting the rewards got them nothing. Speculations were being thrown around of what could have happened. Was she hit by a car and moved from the scene? Was it a kidnapping? After 2 long years of nothing, they finally got something. In 2002 a woman called saying that she knew what happened. To investigators this was huge. Will they finally have the answers they need to put the case and the family to rest? The woman who called was Wendy Owings, claiming that she and a man, Uriah J. Clouse, were driving in a car when they struck Jill Behrman while she was riding her bike on that morning. She said that they were driving and Behrman appeared in front of them while riding her bike. Clouse had already had issues with authorities, in order to cover up the accident Clouse took her body and dumped her bike somewhere else. He stabbed Behrman in the chest and wrapped her in plastic and tied it with bungee cords. Then he threw her body in Salt Creek. This statement baffled investigators but gave some closure to what happened. Then the unexpected happened. Owings rescinded her confession and said that it was made up. The FBI did name Clouse, while he was in Brown County Jail, as a suspect in Behrman’s disappearance. He then denied all involvement with Behrman. The investigation was again set on path with no leads.
The next lead they had was on a man named John R. Myers II. Investigators did get a tip from Myers in 2001. It bared no fruit at the time. In 2001, approximately a year after Behrman had disappeared, Myers called the police with a tip. He said that he had discovered a human bone and a pair of women’s panties caught in a tree while he was fishing. He told them that it might be related to the case of Behrman. Investigators went out and searched the area for clues and hints. Nothing was found, but this wouldn’t be the last time John R. Myers II would be part of the Jill Behrman case. Later, the police got some information that Myers was arrested and sent to jail on an unrelated charger. One day, while Myers was in jail he came up to a correctional officer and told him that he was getting letters and notes in his foods trays that had information about Behrman’s disappearance. After investigators got news of this, they went after Myers. They began going to Myers for the information. That’s when Myers began to feed them the clues and leads that he was getting in his lunch trays. Investigators had no idea why he was getting this information, but they took it nonetheless since they had nothing else to work with. Investigators ended up following the so-called “leads”. Which sent them to far off places such as gravel pits and fields. In the end, the investigators left empty handed from these leads, and this just sent them back to square one. That is until 2003, when another report came in.
In 2003, authorities received a phone call from a hunter stating he had found something suspicious in the woods. At first, he noticed there were bones, but after looking closer he realized they were human bones. He told authorities he had found human bones that were tucked down inside a wooded area in these hunting grounds, and that he believed that it could be related to the missing case of Jill Behrman. At the news of this, investigators came out and looked around. They found an incomplete skeleton that had no signs of soft tissue or clothing left. They did further forensics and determined there was no blunt force trauma or knife cuts. While they were looking at the remains and the area around them closely. They discovered something eye opening. They noticed a portion of the skull missing and one of the investigators found some small bone fragments scattered about. Then they found the one piece of evidence they needed to make a conclusion. Upon looking deeper at the scene and searching the ground around the remains, they found little metal pellets and wadding that belonged to a 12-gauge shotgun shell. This led them to believe that Behrman was shot and killed. The court ruled that her cause of death was “a contact shotgun wound to the back of the head” and that there were “scattered skull fragments and the presence of lead pellets” and “soil stains consistent with body decomposition” lead them to believe that she was killed, and her body had rested there where it was found. Also, with further forensics an IU pathologist revealed that she was likely raped as well.
Now all eyes turned to Myers. Investigators and the FBI charged Myers with the kidnapping and killing of Jill Behrman. He had their attention ever since she went missing. All the details about him added up. He lived in Ellettsville which was approximately a mile from where Behrman’s bike was discovered. People in the area reported seeing a white van on the day Behrman disappeared, and Myers had access to a white van from his work. Later, investigators concluded that Myers had killed Behrman over his girlfriend breaking up with him and that he was angry. Myers was convicted in October 2006 and sentenced to 65 years in prison. The case is closed. Right?
September 30, 2019 the ruling was overturned. The U.S. District Court in Indianapolis overturned the conviction on the basis that Myers’ lawyers provided ineffective counsel. His lawyers failed to object to the testimony that Behrman was raped even though there was no physical evidence and they made false statements to the jury. In doing so, his defense attorneys saved him from imprisonment, but in turn they left this case open without a conviction. It is unknown whether they will be able to find solid evidence against Myers now or who killed Behrman.
Works Cited
Hill, V. R. and C. (2019, October 2). The Jill Behrman murder case and John Myers conviction, explained. The Indianapolis Star. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2019/10/02/jill-behrmans-death-and-john-myers-conviction-what-we-know/3838942002/.
Mitchell, D. (2019, October 2). Timeline of the Jill Behrman murder case. The Indianapolis Star. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2019/10/01/timeline-jill-behrman-murder-case-bloomington-indiana-university-john-myers/3830209002/.
Wthr.com. (2006, October 20). Myers' name surfaced early in Behrman investigation. wthr.com. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/myers-name-surfaced-early-in-behrman-investigation/531-3271b9e0-4985-4eb8-9142-d305e8975aad.
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