Post by theczar on Sept 27, 2013 14:00:32 GMT -5
Police are looking for a person responsible for the murders of a couple back in 1985, as well as possibly the murders of another couple that year. This case was profiled multiple times on Unsolved Mysteries, but I'm not sure if it was on AMW back in the early 90's.
Mike Riemer, his girlfriend Diana Robertson, and their 2 year-old daughter Crystal, went into the woods in December 1985 to look for a Christmas tree. Mike, a trapper, was also going to check his traps he'd laid around the forest. The couple was never seen again. Later that day, Crystal was seen wandering outside a K-Mart. A few days later, after a newspaper showed her face, Diana's mother identified her and picked her up. All she said was "Mommy is in the trees." There was no trace of Diana or Mike.
Two months later, a man walking his dog stumbled across Mike's truck. Not far from the truck was Diana's body. She had been stabbed 17 times and a tube sock had been tied around her neck. There was bloodstains in Mike's truck, as well as a note that read "I love you Diana." The FBI could not confirm who wrote it, although Diana's mother believes it was Mike's handwriting. There was no sign of Mike. A search commenced around the area to see if Mike's remains were close by, but they found nothing. Some authorities believed this case was connected to a double homicide that occurred 4 months prior to Diana and Mike going missing. Ruth Cooper and Stephen Harkins were camping about 15 miles from where Diana's body would eventually be found. Harkins was found dead in his sleeping bag; he'd been shot in the head. Coopers body was found a few months later about a mile and a half from where they were camping; she too had been shot in the head. Cooper also had a tube sock tied around her neck, in the same knot as the one on Diana.
Two theories emerged. One was that an unknown serial killer was stalking and killed the couples. The other was that Mike Riemer had murdered Diana and possible the other couple. Mike and Diana's relationship was rocky; he was said to be abusive, and shortly before their disappearances, Diana had a order of protection against him after he slammed her face to the floor. Despite that, they decided to give their relationship another go. Diana's family believed that he was possibly responsible, and that Diana claimed he had threatened to kill her and that he could get away with it. Mike's father, however, showed that when they found his truck, his jacket was still in the car. Given that temperatures were freezing at the time, Mike would not kill Diana, drop Crystal off at the K-Mart, come back to where Diana's body was, and then leave on foot without his jacket. His father believed he was killed first.
For 25 years, there were no leads on this case. Then, in March 2011, a hiker was traveling on an old logging road, not far from where Diana's body was found. On the trail, he came across a human skull. Tests showed it was Mike Riemer's. Due to the passage of time, it was impossible to determine the cause of death, although I remember reading somewhere where they ruled out suicide.
What do you guys think? There are some people who still believe Riemer is responsible, or that the murders are not related. I personally believe they are related, and that it's a separate killer. Those who accuse Riemer point to both the letter in the car, and that Crystal was dropped off, showing some possible concern for the child's well-being. First, they never proved when the letter was written, or even if it was Mike's handwriting. If it was, it could've been an old card from months ago. Second, I would think that dropping off a 2 year-old alone at some random location does not show concern for her. The killer may not have been able to kill her themselves, but they certainly didn't care about dropping her off somewhere where anything could've happened to her. There is this guy who blogs who believes that Joseph Henry Burgess may be responsible for the murders. It does certainly fit his criteria.
Thoughts?
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