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Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

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You are here: Home / Archives for Illinois

Illinois

The cold case of Maria Ridulph

December 12, 2012 By Alice

Maria Ridulph

On Dec 3, 1957, Maria Ridulph (7) vanished from a small-town street corner in Sycamore, IL, while playing in the snow. Arrested in July 2011 and sentenced in December 2012 for her murder was Jack McCullough, formerly known as John Tessier. McCullough was released from prison on April 15, 2016. Charges against him were dismissed on April […]

Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: Illinois, Jack McCullough, Maria Ridulph, Missing Person, wrongful conviction

Joseph Halpern Part 3 by Silvia Pettem

March 5, 2012 By Alice

Joseph Halpern

Joseph’s nephew had started his search for his uncle, Joseph Halpern, missing since 1933, by contacting the sheriffs’ offices in the four Colorado counties that border Rocky Mountain National Park. The nephew asked about unidentified remains that might be identifiable with DNA comparisons. In 2009, when the NamUs System was inaugurated, the nephew, as a […]

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers, Missing Persons Tagged With: Illinois, Joseph Halpern, Missing Person, Silvia Pettem

Joseph Halpern Part 2 by Silvia Pettem

March 5, 2012 By Alice

Joseph Halpern

For six days in August 1933, park authorities searched drainages and followed all possible trails for the missing 22-year-old hiker, Joseph Halpern. Authorities also checked the registers on Taylor and nearby peaks, but none showed Joseph’s signature––a customary procedure for climbers, once they reach a summit. Perhaps trying to be encouraging, a writer for the […]

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers, Missing Persons Tagged With: Illinois, Joseph Halpern, Missing Person, Silvia Pettem

Joseph Halpern Part 1 by Silvia Pettem

March 5, 2012 By Alice

Joseph Halpern

In the summer of 1933, twenty-two-year-old Cook County, Illinois, resident Joseph Halpern was vacationing in Rocky Mountain National Park with his parents and Samuel Garrick, a college friend. The motorists had driven Joseph’s Ford sedan and had stopped in the Black Hills and at Yellowstone National Park on their way west. Even though the country […]

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers, Missing Persons Tagged With: Illinois, Joseph Halpern, Missing Person, Silvia Pettem

Reversal Juan Rivera Conviction

December 10, 2011 By Alice

Lady Justice

From the New York Times: “In an opinion that harshly criticizes the tactics of the police and prosecutors, an Illinois appellate court on Friday night reversed the conviction of Juan Rivera, who has spent 19 years in jail for the 1992 rape and murder of an 11-year-old baby sitter in a suburb of Chicago. There […]

Filed Under: Forensics, Miscarriages of Justice, Unsolved Tagged With: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, DNA Database, Faulty Evidence, Illinois, Juan Rivera, Miscarriage of Justice, Prosecutorial Misconduct

National Police Week 2011: Tribute to Tatman

May 15, 2011 By Alice

Robert Lawrence Tatman

Champaign, Illinois: On November 25, 1967, police found patrol officer Tatman lying on his back in front of his own squad car, the motor still running, it’s revolving lights still on, and the front door at the driver’s side open. His flashlight was lying on his left side. His hat was on the ground near the […]

Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: Champaign, Illinois, Robert L. Tatman

Illinois abolishes capital punishment

March 9, 2011 By Alice

He finally did it. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn abolished capital punishment. Quinn also commuted the sentences of all 15 inmates remaining on Illinois’ death row. They will now serve life in prison. From the Washington Post: “State lawmakers voted in January to abandon capital punishment, and Quinn spent two months reflecting on the issue, speaking […]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: Capital Punishment, Death Row, Illinois

Update Betty Gene Hull

December 7, 2010 By Alice

Betty Gene Hull

Investigators will check if any materials found at the Betty Gene Hull crime scene can be tested with modern technology for touch DNA. On Christmas Eve, Dec 24th, 1991, Mrs. Betty Gene Hull was found dead. She was 68 years old. When police arrived, it was immediately clear that whoever is responsible for her death was in […]

Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Betty Gene Hull, Champaign, DNA, Illinois, Unsolved Homicide

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Author Notes

On this website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and are in need of renewed media attention. I only do research and leave the 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.

My database has over 325 cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database will always be free to the public to use. You cannot buy ad space on my website, ever.

All writing suggestions 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.

Defrosting Cold Cases is NOT an organization. It is my brainchild.

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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