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Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

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You are here: Home / Forensics / In loving memory: Teresa Sue Hilt

In loving memory: Teresa Sue Hilt

August 3, 2013 By Alice

Swinging and smiling TessIn loving memory: Teresa Sue Hilt. Today, Sunday August 4th, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of Teresa‘s murder.

A few days ago, I spoke to her mother. Teresa’s mom is 86 years old now and hurts every day for the loss of her only child. She lost her husband Stanley years ago. He was never able to see the renewed media attention for Teresa’s case.

Mrs. Hilt is very grateful for all that we do to keep Teresa’s case in the media. With a very soft voice she spoke about Teresa as a baby and her coming into the world. Her voice broke when she recalled those moments. It brought back my memories of when I went into labour. I was finally going to meet my baby. Baby Tess liked to play with her kitten. She had many hobbies as a teen. Above all, she wanted to help people and loved to dance!

Teresa was super excited when she had her driver’s license. Mrs. Hilt told me that she had a small Buick and loved to drive around. She would drive you to the market, the dry cleaner, anywhere.

Through her tears, Mrs. Hilt recalled seeing Teresa the Friday before she was murdered. She saw the thesis that Teresa was working on. She remembered that it was more than an inch thick. She left the campus feeling so incredibly proud of her girl.

Then, on Sunday, her world caved in. Teresa was found dead. For a while, time stopped despite the frantic activities to find out what had happened. After the case grew older and colder, the activities ceased, and Teresa’s parents fell into despair.

It was not just the not knowing. It was the cruel combination of missing your only beloved child combined with the fact that slowly Teresa was disappearing from the public view. When people stop talking about a victim or when the press stops publishing their stories, it creates a void. A void that is enhanced by the disposal of that loved one’s furniture from their apartment, by the cancellation of their lease, and with the deletion of their name in registers. With each disposal and deletion, the loved one disappears bit by bit from public memory. Soon it feels as if only the family knows for sure that the victim really existed. But the victim really did exist. We have their grave and tomb to prove that.

I told Mrs. Hilt that I cannot solve this crime for her. However, what I can do is make sure that Teresa is not forgotten. I can keep blogging about Teresa and collaborating with Michall Holmes for his FB tribute page. I can include Teresa’s case in #crimechats and presentations. That meant a lot to Mrs. Hilt. But it doesn’t feel like a lot to me.

The irony is that when you start blogging about cold cases you always wish that you could do more for the victims. But I am not a private investigator or a police officer, and I have no intentions to become either. I am just a cold case consultant and true crime blogger. However, maybe you can do more.

If you have any information that can help the Maryville Police Department to solve the crime please contact Dir. K. Wood at 1-660-562-3209.

Thank you for remembering Teresa with me.

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Filed Under: Forensics, Teresa Sue Hilt, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Crime Scene, Missouri, Rape kits, Teresa Sue Hilt, Unsolved Homicide

Reader Interactions

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  1. Nov 24, 2009 - Nov 24, 2013; my fourth blogoversary! says:
    October 31, 2015 at 10:16 am

    […] up with her hair in her mouth, swallowing it. Aside from that, I cannot shake her mother’s crying voice from my […]

  2. Wonderful Writers Wednesday! says:
    October 18, 2013 at 10:45 am

    […] timelines, mind maps, where the cases come from, etc. We spoke about William Thomas Zeigler and Teresa Sue Hilt, we mentioned forensics, and people’s love for mysteries. None of the people present knew […]

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Dina Fort

Author Notes

On my website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to the professionals.

My posts are about homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more!

My database has hundreds of cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database is free to the public.

All writing suggestions for cases that come in by email are added to my to-do list in the order in which they were received. Please be patient. My to-do list is very long but no case gets dropped and I will get back in touch.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you still cannot find the answer there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

Copyright

If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

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William Thomas Zeigler

Category: ALL POSTS

On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held to request touch DNA testing. On July 18, 2016, Judge Whitehead denied that request.

On November 23, 2016, an appeal was filed with the Florida Supreme Court. On April 21, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court denied the request for touch DNA analysis.

On May 8, 2017 a motion for a rehearing with the US Supreme Court was filed. It was denied November 13, 2017.

In the summer of 2019, the appeal for DNA testing to the Florida Conviction Integrity Unit was denied.

Richard Lapointe

Category: ALL POSTS

In March 2015, the Connecticut State Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Richard lapointe. On Oct 2, 2015, International Wrongful Conviction Day, Richard was set free. The judge ruled that he cannot be retried for the 1987 rape-murder of Mrs. Bernice Martin. Richard Lapointe died on Aug 4, 2020 of Covid19 complications.

In 1987, someone killed Bernice Martin. I hope that she will not become a forgotten file.
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Copyright: Please add a link back if you use my work. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. If you need help with this, just contact me. Thank you, Alice de Sturler

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