On the climbing murder count, a December 17, 1977 issue of The New York Times read: "In the past 20 months, there have been at least 27 unsolved murdersperhaps as many as 41in suburbs and rural areas near here. But when they arrived, nothing was left intact. His outstanding career catapulted him into a political role: He was elected Sheriff of Allegheny County, was named chairman of the County Democratic Committee and was narrowly defeated for a county commissioner scat. The next day, on the afternoon of November 28, 1969, Betsy and her roommate Sharon walked from their dorm to the library. I think he killed the others to muddy intent because he knew he could be connected to 1-2 of the victims. You can see those images in this timesleader.com story. according to a story published on PennLive, Police Commissioner Thomas Carter told PennLive. She was never seen again, and her body has never been found. That claim, Silver Spring Township police Sgt. Cell phone evidence shows Sheldon was texting them and knew their whereabouts. On December 18, 1977, it was reported by The New York Times that 27 confirmed unsolved murders had taken place in and around the greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. We've received your submission. It didnt much matter who you were. / CBS NEWS. However, the majority remain unsolved. One man shoved Jackson against the building, and said, Give it up, while the other man dealt with Danner around the corner of the tavern. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help A 15-year-old McKeesport boy was burned to death. The cold case was referred to the AGs office by Northumberland County President Judge Charles H. Saylor after the former lead investigator resigned. When East Lampeter Police arrived, they saw Mirack clearly deceased, with obvious injuries to her face. On January 7, 1978, John Shelkons, 56, was shotgunned to death in his Baden home, and his wife, Catherine, 48, was severely beaten, but survived the attack when her assailant fled when he heard their daughter returning home early. COLD CASE - Unidentified Male Torso - Paradise Township - Monroe County - $5000 REWARD!! Would think they are interviewing classmates from every one of his years in school, profs, etc. Nothing about burglary or stabbing. The guy said he can provide a receipt. Debbie Capiola, 17, who lived in Findlay Township near the Pittsburgh airport, was found strangled in neighboring Washington County on March 27, 10 days after she had apparently been abducted on her way to school. In May 2020, almost two years to the day that Rachael DelTondo was gunned down, a young man named Tyric Pugh was shot multiple times. His killers have never been captured. COLD CASE - Missing Person, Timothy Lee Green North East Borough, Erie County - $5000 REWARD!! Honestly, DeSales is about 30 minutes from New Jersey (maybe less) so if he did previously offend his potential area could also include New Jersey and/or New York. As a result, gun sales nave increased markedly in some neighborhoods and there has been a run on lock and bolts. But if you look at your analysis there's no actual difference between a serial killer and a mass killer. In one instance, Seruneck recalled he called an employee a bitch when she declined to answer his questions. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Related: 9 Haunting Cases from Unsolved Mysteries That Have Since Been Solved. While Rachael DelTondo and Frank Catroppa were a couple, DelTondo was seen by police parked in this abandoned lot. Thank you very much in advance. Writing from a 2021 perspective, it is easy to feel a bit disheartened knowing that we now have the advancements in technology that may have assisted in bringing justice to the victims. That also accounted for the lack of blood on aisle 51, the doctor had told Simmers, which was also confirmed by the autopsy a few days later. When Surratt passed out after getting drunk and high, the mother escaped and called the police. In each of three recent cases, a man died . It, and the account by Vendel on the death of Danner, prompted Harrisburg police a few weeks after the stories were published to announce that they were reopening the investigation into who killed Danner. Defense attorney Geoffrey McInroy argued that Debra Rodgers, despondent about her work and home life, had committed suicide. He is currently serving multiple life sentences. She wanted to have it come to an end.. DeKok, who was six years younger than Betsy, grew up in Betsys hometown of Holland, Michigan, and attended the same high school that she did. Rachael DelTondo was shot multiple times at the foot of her parents' driveway in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. 2 . Surratt had been in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania during the murder spree. Days later it was anonymously leaked to the public. There was definitely something off about him, like we couldnt tell exactly what it was. The alleged victim is still missing. Guido tagged on a 9-year probation term for the burglary. His efforts to find Millers remains and her killer included the use of well-known forensics experts, and in June 2017 the removal of a concrete wall from the cellar of a Milton duplex after cadaver dogs had a hit. He was arrested without incident. As chief of the Pittsburgh homicide squad. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. It must be noted that I, the author, am from Washington, Pennsylvania, where several murders took place. But justice for Betsy is something all are hoping for. The names of Brenda Lee Ritter, Deborah Capiola, Barbara Lewis, Mary Irene Gency, and Susan Rush were five that came up the most often. She was 33 when she was shot and killed in May 2018. cat or dog had been scratching at the door. Some believe she was murdered by serial killer Ted Bundy, as it was discovered he was at Temple University around the time of the incident. But his academic career took a downhill turn in 1975 after he was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors. One of the state's most infamous crimes occurred in 2017 when four young men were murdered on a farm just outside of New Hope in Bucks County. COLD CASE - Homicide, Victim: Baby Girl Strasburg Township, Lancaster County - $5000 REWARD!! They were also the third incident in six weeks in which a male was shotgunned to death and a female was abducted. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. Students were milling about.. A county jury convicted her after a two-day trial in 1973 and Smallwood was sentenced to life behind bars. A serial killer, or a string of brutal random killings? She had been raped and killed by blows to the head. The Pennsylvania State Police - Troop E - Meadville Station, continue their investigation into the disappearance of 29-year-old Lonene Ray Rogers. The coroner testified that Danner suffered a fatal wound to the left side of his chest. While the 1970s was an anxious, terror filled time for most of us, it has faded somewhat in memory as the years have gone by. According to search warrants, he showed little emotion when told about Rachael's death. Mounting unsolved caseloads drain resources and result in higher costs for agencies with limited budgets. On that short walk, she was kidnapped, raped and strangled to death, according to an account last week on timesleader.com. Betsy was found beneath a pile of books in aisle 51 of the stacks and a library employee called campus security. Morgan Peters, 30, was killed in 1972 in Metal Township, Franklin County. This story has been shared 100,523 times. Its been decades, but Im hoping it can still be solved. Kohberger, who usually sat alone at the bar observing and watching, stood out for his interactions with employees and patrons, Serulneck said. A person of interest in her murder was convicted in another homicide. This guy may be smarter than average but the undoing of intelligence is narcissism and anger. She was so beautiful and then I read that she had been murdered stabbed to death in the library. Yes! When I got the call that day it was for a medical emergency, Simmers told Dateline. He planned to waive his right to an extradition hearing, which would expedite his move to Idaho, his lawyer, Jason LaBar, the chief public defender in Monroe County, said Saturday. The case remains under review by the Franklin County D.A., 9/19/99 Somerset County Cold Case Solved Kidnapping, SOLVED See below pic.twitter.com/ORTolB5CNq. Law enforcement, however, did not see a correlation between her stabbing and the Bundy murders, Simmers told Dateline. But it was a perfect storm - and we just couldnt solve her case.. His wife, Donna, also 34, was missing; her body was found the next day beside a creek in a wooded area. DATE FOUND: December 26, 2011 LOCATION: Area off of SR 191, approximately 6/10 mile south of Sylvan Cascade Road in Paradise Township, Monroe County. Her body was found in a secluded area in Fallowfield. His return home to Aliquippa in 1977 marked the largest moral panic of the decade, as 27 unsolved murders abruptly occurred. Surratt traveled to Florida where he was successfully detained on July 1st, 1978, after breaking into a home and brutalizing a family of three. The 22-year-old graduate student was stabbed to death in the stacks of the Pattee Library at Penn State on November 28, 1969. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Are you a "motivated dater"? But that she had wanted to just remain friends and rejected further romantic advances from him. The officers placed David in their patrol vehicle and rushed him to Temple University Hospital . And that is in addition to an altercation at a Baltimore hotel room, he said. She told "48 Hours," "That night, I knew it was him." In 1999, state police and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies worked to find the suspect, but unfortunately, no leads were developed. Allegheny County has called on its sheriff, the former head of the city homicide squad, to take over the investigation. Unsolved murder victim. Haefner was one of hundreds interviewed by state police. Simmers told Dateline he was on case for months, thanks to his knowledge of the campus and ability to locate and bring in a student for questioning. September 20, 1977, is the date of yet another brutal murder of a Beaver Township couple. Police said on Saturday they believe he likely acted alone. Related: 29 Unsolved Murders That Will Send Shivers Down Your Spine. Blood quickly entered her lungs which kept her from screaming. Please contact PSP with ANY info you may have! The rash of unsolved murders prompted the Allegheny County Commissioners to compel Sheriff Eugene Coon to return to his specialty of solving homicides. When the news hit, there were 15 other unsolved murders that were piling up at various police departments beginning in 1973. Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. District Attorney David Lozier told "48 Hours" an announcement will be made when they believe they can win a case beyond reasonable doubt. A wooden cutting board was lying next to Miracks head. Simmers told Dateline that through the investigation, witnesses were eventually questioned, but most could only recollect hearing books falling. I have no idea if he has committed any other violent crimes but I thought the sketch of the perpetrator in this attack was interesting. The rash of murders drew national attention to the tri-state area. That move was an appeal to the state Superior Court, according to a full account in this story, written by PennLive reporter Matt Miller. Authorities said in press release that Nelson placed the girl in his vehicle and then drove to a remote area of West Virginia where he assaulted her. Brenda Ritter, 18, of North Strabane Township was raped and strangled on May 18, 1977. Serial killer is speculation unless and until additional victims are linked to him. Simmers, who was the same age as Betsy was when she died, told Dateline there isnt a day that goes by that he doesnt think about Betsy or her case. in a few cases, that suspect has been found guilty and send to jail. In February 2017, after Smallwood had been out of prison for 20 months, a Superior Court panel ruled that Guido had been wrong to grant the new trial. This photo is courtesy of the Cumberland County Historical Society, Carlisle, Pa. News never stops. In fact, some of the incidents took place in Washington County, 23 miles south of the city, and Beaver County, approximately 30 miles north. Pennsylvania State Police say these renderings depict the man who raped and murdered Marise Ann Chiverella in 1964, from left, at ages 25, 40 and 60 years old. Her body has yet to be found. There was a wide radius that this killeror killerscovered over the course of the late-1970s. In fact I think if you look at most serial killers the root cause of killing is almost always this reason. Her pants and underwear were near her body, appearing to have been ripped off her while her shirt and jacket were pushed upwards, according to court document. Famous Murders In Pennsylvania April 27, 2022 Daniella DiRienzo Have there been any other famous murders in Pennsylvania? Several months ago, Kohberger visited the Seven Sirens Brewing Company several times, harassing the women who worked there, owner Jordan Serulneck, 34, told NBC News. Simmers told Dateline there are many theories floating around about what could have happened to Betsy. I think he is a mass killer. These girls seemed pretty smart and witty to me and far from shy. On Friday near Scranton, Mr. Kohberger was apprehended by Pennsylvania state police and FBI officers. She was bound, and died from being suffocated. We have many On January 13, 1973, the 49-year-old victim was found deceased in Trout Creek, Slatington Borough, in northern Lehigh County. It was late at night and she was with high school student Sheldon Jeter Jr. Rachael told the officers they were friends and just talking, but police also say she told them she didn't want her fianc to know. Their mothers body was found in the woods near their home later in the day. A plea agreement in 2018 guaranteed that Letitia Smallwood won't be going back to prison 45 years after she was convicted of setting a fire in Carlisle that killed two people. FACIAL RECOGNITION PERFORMED ON HUMAN REMAINS FOUND ON JANUARY 12, 2017 - WE NEED YOUR HELP! Rabihan Seiders was reported missing in April 2012 by her daughter, Valeria Kulbova, who told police she suspected that Rabihans husband, Hap Seiders, may have done something to her mother.. After the missing persons report was filed, police attempted to track Rabihan Seiders by looking at cellphone records and her email account. Police were hesitant to reveal the little evidence they did have. Kohberger stayed for just one beer and then he never returned, Serulneck said. Steven Johnson, 26, and Paula Wagner, 23, died as a result of that blaze. Almost 36 years later, It took a Perry County jury more than 4 hours to decide that Carl Rodgers, 63, was not responsible for her death. He told Dateline that he normally dealt with drug busts and crowd control during the anti-Vietnam War protests on campus, so this call was something he had never experienced. Anthony Voci, homicide supervisor for the Philadelphia District Attorneys office, credited new forensic technology and state police investigators. Bryan Kohberger, accused of brutally murdering four University of Idaho students, allegedly frightened women staffers at a Pennsylvania brewery near his hometown, according to a report. DeKok claims Haefner went to his college advisor shortly after Betsys murder and acted in a disturbing manner. Then Cumberland County District Attorney Skip Ebert announced earlier this month that Hap Seiders has been charged with homicide related to his wifes disappearance. The North East Police Department continue searching for 61-year-old Timothy Green of 57 West Main Street, in North East. When people are angry, they make mistakes. Many true crime and horror enthusiasts are familiar with the major names in serial killer history. These are three of the 18 unsolved homicides troubling police agencies in the district since 1973. But it did one other thing, even more gratifying for those involved in the look back and Danner and that basketball rivalry. In 2015, the Allentown Police Department created a cold case team to help crack 15 unsolved murder and missing persons cases. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. She had been sexually assaulted and had also been strangled with the leg of her blue jeans. Jackson said he heard a gunshot, then handed his money and drugs to the gunman who came around the corner, literally with a smoking gun, Vendels story said. Just find it hard to believe that you can go from zero to a quad killing without some type of progression. State police Lt. Devon Brutosky said during a March 20, 2019, news conference that bodily fluids recovered from the young girls body were sent to Parabon NanoLabs in Virginia. Thats why we keep trying. It's frustrating, Keibler said in an interview with Lancaster Online back in 2010. He was born May ALIQUIPPA, Pa. A man linked to Rachael DelTondo, . State police Lt. Devon Brutosky. Investigators went ahead with this comparison, and on May 14, 2018, Parabon informed them there was a significant match found in the database that appeared to be a relation to the killer. The police closed in to apprehend him, but he managed to escape. Gun sales soared, hardware stores couldnt keep locks on the shelves, teens traveled in packs for safety, and women were afraid to go out alone. David DeKok, author of Murder in the Stacks: Penn State, Betsy Aardsma, and the Killer Who Got Away, told Dateline that the answer to him is clear Richard Haefner, another Penn State graduate student, murdered Betsy. It also weaves in the history of the civil rights and anti-war movements at the university, including the 1970 student riots. Seiders is charges with criminal homicide related to the 2012 disappearance of his wife, Rabihan. Richard Hyde, a 34-year-old elementary school principal, was killed by a shotgun blast in his Moon Township home. He recalled three police calls to the Silver Spring Township home, the last of which resulted in an assault charge against Hap Seiders, who was accused of punching his wife in the back of the head repeatedly. , or a string of brutal random killings Green North East Borough, Erie County - $ 5000!... 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