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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 5, 2014 8:09:42 GMT -5
 ST. LOUIS (AP) — More than a quarter century later, the grisly, unsolved slaughter of Joeann Dardeen's son, his pregnant wife and their young son in southern Illinois still haunts her. Bludgeoned with a baseball bat along with her 3-year-old son, 30-year-old Ruby "Elaine" Dardeen gave birth during that 1987 attack in the family's home in the 2,500-resident village of Ina. The killer took no mercy on the newborn either, ending her life as quickly as it began. The household's patriarch, Russell "Keith" Dardeen, turned up dead the next day in a wheat field, his body mutilated. No one has been brought to justice in the Jefferson County case where the most promising lead was Tommy Lynn Sells' claim he carried out the killings — among the as many as 70 he took credit for in various states as a drifter and carnival worker. Authorities ultimately linked him to nearly two dozen murders. But because of questions about the veracity of his supposed confession, the Dardeen murders were not among them. The answer to the question of whether Sells killed the Dardeens or the family's killer is still on the loose is more elusive than ever. That's because Sells, at 49, went to his own death earlier this month in a Texas execution chamber for the 1999 stabbing death of an acquaintance's 13-year-old daughter. Joeann Dardeen doesn't believe Sells was the one who wiped out her son's family. She dismisses Sells' claims that Keith Dardeen happened upon Sells at a gas station and invited him home for a three-way tryst with Dardeen's pregnant wife. Keith Dardeen, the lead singer at a tiny Baptist church where his wife played piano, was too protective of his family to entertain such a thing, his mother says. "Tommy deserved to die for what he did, but I wanted him to stay alive until I know positively he didn't do it," Joeann Dardeen, a 76-year-old from Mount Carmel, Ill., told The Associated Press in a Friday telephone interview. She sent police to check on her son's family at their home, 80 miles southeast of St. Louis, on Nov. 17, 1987, after Keith Dardeen failed to show up for work at a local water plant. Authorities found Elaine Dardeen with her son and her newborn baby all dead and positioned on a waterbed. Hunters found Keith Dardeen's body the next day a mile away. "The brutality of the crime was just extreme, so terrible and egregious," said Gary Duncan, the county's top prosecutor for 17 years until his 2008 retirement. "It was a constellation of really awful facts." Suspects were scarce before Sells got busted in Texas for killing 13-year-old Kaylene Harris by stabbing her 16 times. Sells soon began confessing to killings elsewhere. The Texas investigator who first arrested Sells in Harris' death said Sells often claimed he'd wake up in unfamiliar places and have blood on him. He said his tools of death ranged from guns and knives to an ice pick and his bare hands. In claiming he was to blame for the Dardeen family's demise, Sells accurately described certain details of the massacre, some of which he could have gleaned from media accounts. When quizzed about details never made public about how Elaine Dardeen's body was found, Sells initially replied inaccurately, then blurted out the correct response. It's possible he merely deduced the right answer, Duncan said. Sells also insisted he shot Keith Dardeen in a certain seat of the victim's car, but evidence disproved that. "There was a lot of ambiguity" in his claims, Duncan said. "But there also was nothing about what he said that would make his guilt completely discountable." Sells offered to be escorted back to Illinois to show where he hid key evidence, but, said Duncan, "it became clear Texas was not going to let him leave the state." So the prosecutor was stymied, unwilling to pin Sells with the Ina killings based on a questionable confession and no physical evidence. He could have been the killer, Duncan said, but there's "a fair possibility that the actual killer may still be out there." "It's that kind of case that will haunt everyone involved," he said. "There's just no end to that." Thoughts? This case was aired on AMW on July 17, 1999, if not before or after as well. This is somewhat similar to the Adam Walsh case in that the suspect, Ottis Toole, knew certain details and confessed, but it couldn't be proven he was telling the truth until over a decade after his death. The one problem I have with Sells confession is that supposedly he invited Keith for a threesome. I agree with Joeanne there's no way a family man with a pregnant wife would do that. In my opinion, perhaps Sells did the killing but got inside the house in a different way, and for whatever reason wanted to smear the victim in his confession. An unsolved crime website has interesting theories on the case (although they call the case solved when it actually isn't officially). One is that they claim the killer showed remorse since the scene was staged and that the killings were personal since most baby killings are. Their conclusion may be a little controversial, but it is in one of the links below. I personally am not sure what to think. Tommy Lynn Sells knew a lot of details and did correctly answer some details not made public, but it seems after some initial incorrect guessing. Sadly, we may never know who killed the Dardeens officially. But let's hope one day we do. fwbusinesspress.com/fwbp/article/1/4924/News-Categories-Law/Texas-link-to-unsolved-Illinois-murder-haunts-investigators.aspxwww.unsolvedcrimes.com/dardeen.htmlAdmin Note #1: Based on crime location, our advice for anyone with information on this case would be to contact Jefferson County of Illinois Crime Stoppers (please let us know if there is a more appropriate point of contact): m.facebook.com/Jefferson-County-Crime-Stoppers-302349983160780/Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form |
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Post by lincolnsghost on Jul 24, 2017 10:58:51 GMT -5
Bludgeoned with a baseball bat along with her 3-year-old son, 30-year-old Ruby "Elaine" Dardeen gave birth during that 1987 attack in the family's home in the 2,500-resident village of Ina. The killer took no mercy on the newborn either, ending her life as quickly as it began. The household's patriarch, Russell "Keith" Dardeen, turned up dead the next day in a wheat field, his body mutilated. No one has been brought to justice in the Jefferson County case where the most promising lead was Tommy Lynn Sells' claim he carried out the killings — among the as many as 70 he took credit for in various states as a drifter and carnival worker. Authorities ultimately linked him to nearly two dozen murders. But because of questions about the veracity of his supposed confession, the Dardeen murders were not among them. The answer to the question of whether Sells killed the Dardeens or the family's killer is still on the loose is more elusive than ever. That's because Sells, at 49, went to his own death earlier this month in a Texas execution chamber for the 1999 stabbing death of an acquaintance's 13-year-old daughter. Joeann Dardeen doesn't believe Sells was the one who wiped out her son's family. She dismisses Sells' claims that Keith Dardeen happened upon Sells at a gas station and invited him home for a three-way tryst with Dardeen's pregnant wife. Keith Dardeen, the lead singer at a tiny Baptist church where his wife played piano, was too protective of his family to entertain such a thing, his mother says. "Tommy deserved to die for what he did, but I wanted him to stay alive until I know positively he didn't do it," Joeann Dardeen, a 76-year-old from Mount Carmel, Ill., told The Associated Press in a Friday telephone interview. She sent police to check on her son's family at their home, 80 miles southeast of St. Louis, on Nov. 17, 1987, after Keith Dardeen failed to show up for work at a local water plant. Authorities found Elaine Dardeen with her son and her newborn baby all dead and positioned on a waterbed. Hunters found Keith Dardeen's body the next day a mile away. "The brutality of the crime was just extreme, so terrible and egregious," said Gary Duncan, the county's top prosecutor for 17 years until his 2008 retirement. "It was a constellation of really awful facts." Suspects were scarce before Sells got busted in Texas for killing 13-year-old Kaylene Harris by stabbing her 16 times. Sells soon began confessing to killings elsewhere. The Texas investigator who first arrested Sells in Harris' death said Sells often claimed he'd wake up in unfamiliar places and have blood on him. He said his tools of death ranged from guns and knives to an ice pick and his bare hands. In claiming he was to blame for the Dardeen family's demise, Sells accurately described certain details of the massacre, some of which he could have gleaned from media accounts. When quizzed about details never made public about how Elaine Dardeen's body was found, Sells initially replied inaccurately, then blurted out the correct response. It's possible he merely deduced the right answer, Duncan said. Sells also insisted he shot Keith Dardeen in a certain seat of the victim's car, but evidence disproved that. "There was a lot of ambiguity" in his claims, Duncan said. "But there also was nothing about what he said that would make his guilt completely discountable." Sells offered to be escorted back to Illinois to show where he hid key evidence, but, said Duncan, "it became clear Texas was not going to let him leave the state." So the prosecutor was stymied, unwilling to pin Sells with the Ina killings based on a questionable confession and no physical evidence. He could have been the killer, Duncan said, but there's "a fair possibility that the actual killer may still be out there." "It's that kind of case that will haunt everyone involved," he said. "There's just no end to that." Thoughts? This case was aired on AMW on July 17, 1999, if not before or after as well. This is somewhat similar to the Adam Walsh case in that the suspect, Ottis Toole, knew certain details and confessed, but it couldn't be proven he was telling the truth until over a decade after his death. The one problem I have with Sells confession is that supposedly he invited Keith for a threesome. I agree with Joeanne there's no way a family man with a pregnant wife would do that. In my opinion, perhaps Sells did the killing but got inside the house in a different way, and for whatever reason wanted to smear the victim in his confession. An unsolved crime website has interesting theories on the case (although they call the case solved when it actually isn't officially). One is that they claim the killer showed remorse since the scene was staged and that the killings were personal since most baby killings are. Their conclusion may be a little controversial, but it is in one of the links below. I personally am not sure what to think. Tommy Lynn Sells knew a lot of details and did correctly answer some details not made public, but it seems after some initial incorrect guessing. Sadly, we may never know who killed the Dardeens officially. But let's hope one day we do. fwbusinesspress.com/fwbp/article/1/4924/News-Categories-Law/Texas-link-to-unsolved-Illinois-murder-haunts-investigators.aspxwww.unsolvedcrimes.com/dardeen.htmlAdmin Note #1: Based on crime location, our advice for anyone with information on this case would be to contact Jefferson County of Illinois Crime Stoppers (please let us know if there is a more appropriate point of contact): m.facebook.com/Jefferson-County-Crime-Stoppers-302349983160780/Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form |
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Post by Scumhunter on Jul 24, 2017 11:09:20 GMT -5
Bludgeoned with a baseball bat along with her 3-year-old son, 30-year-old Ruby "Elaine" Dardeen gave birth during that 1987 attack in the family's home in the 2,500-resident village of Ina. The killer took no mercy on the newborn either, ending her life as quickly as it began. The household's patriarch, Russell "Keith" Dardeen, turned up dead the next day in a wheat field, his body mutilated. No one has been brought to justice in the Jefferson County case where the most promising lead was Tommy Lynn Sells' claim he carried out the killings — among the as many as 70 he took credit for in various states as a drifter and carnival worker. Authorities ultimately linked him to nearly two dozen murders. But because of questions about the veracity of his supposed confession, the Dardeen murders were not among them. The answer to the question of whether Sells killed the Dardeens or the family's killer is still on the loose is more elusive than ever. That's because Sells, at 49, went to his own death earlier this month in a Texas execution chamber for the 1999 stabbing death of an acquaintance's 13-year-old daughter. Joeann Dardeen doesn't believe Sells was the one who wiped out her son's family. She dismisses Sells' claims that Keith Dardeen happened upon Sells at a gas station and invited him home for a three-way tryst with Dardeen's pregnant wife. Keith Dardeen, the lead singer at a tiny Baptist church where his wife played piano, was too protective of his family to entertain such a thing, his mother says. "Tommy deserved to die for what he did, but I wanted him to stay alive until I know positively he didn't do it," Joeann Dardeen, a 76-year-old from Mount Carmel, Ill., told The Associated Press in a Friday telephone interview. She sent police to check on her son's family at their home, 80 miles southeast of St. Louis, on Nov. 17, 1987, after Keith Dardeen failed to show up for work at a local water plant. Authorities found Elaine Dardeen with her son and her newborn baby all dead and positioned on a waterbed. Hunters found Keith Dardeen's body the next day a mile away. "The brutality of the crime was just extreme, so terrible and egregious," said Gary Duncan, the county's top prosecutor for 17 years until his 2008 retirement. "It was a constellation of really awful facts." Suspects were scarce before Sells got busted in Texas for killing 13-year-old Kaylene Harris by stabbing her 16 times. Sells soon began confessing to killings elsewhere. The Texas investigator who first arrested Sells in Harris' death said Sells often claimed he'd wake up in unfamiliar places and have blood on him. He said his tools of death ranged from guns and knives to an ice pick and his bare hands. In claiming he was to blame for the Dardeen family's demise, Sells accurately described certain details of the massacre, some of which he could have gleaned from media accounts. When quizzed about details never made public about how Elaine Dardeen's body was found, Sells initially replied inaccurately, then blurted out the correct response. It's possible he merely deduced the right answer, Duncan said. Sells also insisted he shot Keith Dardeen in a certain seat of the victim's car, but evidence disproved that. "There was a lot of ambiguity" in his claims, Duncan said. "But there also was nothing about what he said that would make his guilt completely discountable." Sells offered to be escorted back to Illinois to show where he hid key evidence, but, said Duncan, "it became clear Texas was not going to let him leave the state." So the prosecutor was stymied, unwilling to pin Sells with the Ina killings based on a questionable confession and no physical evidence. He could have been the killer, Duncan said, but there's "a fair possibility that the actual killer may still be out there." "It's that kind of case that will haunt everyone involved," he said. "There's just no end to that." Thoughts? This case was aired on AMW on July 17, 1999, if not before or after as well. This is somewhat similar to the Adam Walsh case in that the suspect, Ottis Toole, knew certain details and confessed, but it couldn't be proven he was telling the truth until over a decade after his death. The one problem I have with Sells confession is that supposedly he invited Keith for a threesome. I agree with Joeanne there's no way a family man with a pregnant wife would do that. In my opinion, perhaps Sells did the killing but got inside the house in a different way, and for whatever reason wanted to smear the victim in his confession. An unsolved crime website has interesting theories on the case (although they call the case solved when it actually isn't officially). One is that they claim the killer showed remorse since the scene was staged and that the killings were personal since most baby killings are. Their conclusion may be a little controversial, but it is in one of the links below. I personally am not sure what to think. Tommy Lynn Sells knew a lot of details and did correctly answer some details not made public, but it seems after some initial incorrect guessing. Sadly, we may never know who killed the Dardeens officially. But let's hope one day we do. fwbusinesspress.com/fwbp/article/1/4924/News-Categories-Law/Texas-link-to-unsolved-Illinois-murder-haunts-investigators.aspxwww.unsolvedcrimes.com/dardeen.htmlAdmin Note #1: Based on crime location, our advice for anyone with information on this case would be to contact Jefferson County of Illinois Crime Stoppers (please let us know if there is a more appropriate point of contact): m.facebook.com/Jefferson-County-Crime-Stoppers-302349983160780/Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-formHello lincolsghost, welcome to the forum! I see you quoted the post but there's no comment. Try hitting the reply button on the op or reply button below and that should work if you're trying to comment. |
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Post by Scumhunter on Dec 16, 2017 6:36:37 GMT -5
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Post by Maddog on Feb 23, 2018 22:08:19 GMT -5
Here's the thing: I have my doubts that Sells committed these murders. I will acknowledge that there is some very minor circumstantial evidence linking him to the case:
1) Sells was known to commit very violent offenses, including the murder of children (Peter and his newborn sister were both killed).
2) A small amount of marijuana was found at the trailer (keep in mind, none of the victims had it in their system), and it is well known that Sells did abuse marijuana on a regular basis (especially from an early age).
3) On the AMW broadcast in 1999, IL State Police acknowledged that a suspicious person was seen in town at the time of the killings: A male, about 5'7", with a beard and military fatigues. This description isn't too far off: Sells was 5'9", and usually had a beard.
However, there is a lot of evidence pointing away from Sells, as well:
1) We know that Keith Dardeen was very protective of his family, and he wanted to leave the area due to an escalation in the amount of violent crime around Ina. There was one young woman who needed assistance and asked to use his trailer telephone on one occasion and he wouldn't let her in. Why on Earth is he going to allow Tommy Sells, who he probably didn't know either, in, as well? I don't think Sells was smart enough to coax his way into the trailer, even though it was for sale.
2) Sells' I.Q. was 80. Keep in mind, the killer(s) took the initiative to leave no evidence of any kind behind except for the bat (but which was void of any fingerprints at all). The killer(s) apparently cleaned the scene thoroughly. I don't think Sells was capable of covering his tracks like that. Not only that, but the police have said there was no forced entry into the Dardeen Trailer. This doesn't add up, because Sells would generally sneak into various murder scenes.
3) Sells' story of how he met Keith doesn't add up, either. Based on the foregoing, I doubt Keith invited him to his home for a sexual tryst with his wife. Keith was very security conscious and wouldn't do something like that. He claimed in two of those stories that Keith invited him home, and I have serious doubts as to that. Sure, Sells was responsible for a lot of deaths, but I'm certain he wasn't going to forget details of a crime as violent as this one, especially where he killed an entire family.
The bottom line is this: I think Sells is just too convenient of a suspect. I think the Dardeens were targeted because someone was really mad at them. Police have ruled out rape and robbery (nothing of value was taken, so say police). I don't think drugs are another possibility because if there was a debt owed or something of that nature, there wouldn't have been overkill of this magnitude. The killer likely would have just killed them and left.
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Post by Scumhunter on Feb 24, 2018 0:43:46 GMT -5
As mentioned in my OP I was torn on Tommy Lynn Sells. He is geographically a convenient suspect. But there is a lot of circumstances pointing to it being someone else. Actually based on what you said I don't think it was Sells anymore either. You are very convincing as this is the second time I changed my mind after reading a response of yours. (Well I went from on the fence to nah it's not him but close enough lol).
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Post by Maddog on Feb 24, 2018 3:00:21 GMT -5
Here's the thing: I think the marijuana was deliberately left behind to throw off the cops. I remember seeing a retired cold case detective from Texas once evaluate a brutal murder which took place in a trailer in Iowa (it was actually a double murder). The victims were badly mutilated. He said he had serious doubts the murders were drug related, because the double-crossed dealer is just going to shoot the person who ripped them off and flee.
I have read that detectives found that Keith had accumulated numerous sports pages which had been marked on (thus, possible gambling debts), but I doubt a person owed those debts is going to kill an entire family.
The only thing that makes sense to me is if there is a serial killer other than Sells, or if someone targeted the family out of extreme anger (While the Dardeens seemed like model citizens, Keith did have trouble with a co-worker, who was cleared - so it's entirely possible he rubbed someone the wrong way).
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Post by Maddog on Oct 13, 2019 23:51:38 GMT -5
I would like to get other forum members’ take on this case. I read an article on this case this past week. Here’s what I am baffled by: was this the work of a serial killer(s)? Or was this the work of someone else who was very angry at the family?
I don’t believe Tommy Lynn Sells was the killer (see my earlier post). Some evidence points to this being the work of serial killer(s):
1) One of the murder weapons, a baseball bat, was wiped clean of prints - suggesting the killer(s) had familiarity with disposing evidence;
2) The killer(s) engaged in very risky behavior (example: the killer(s) parked Keith’s vehicle right near a police station);
3) It appears the killer(s) planted some evidence at the trailer (I.e. the marijuana - we know the victims were negative for drugs during the autopsy) to throw the police off.
However, there is also some evidence that this was a crime that was personal:
A) The crime was horrifically violent. So violent, that the FBI profilers could only give suggestions - this case was outside of their general analysis methods. That leads me to suspect that a serial killer(s) may not have been involved;
B) We know Keith was adamant about not letting people into the trailer unless he knew them. This also points away from a possible serial killer, as there wasn’t any forced entry evidence (that I’m aware of anyways);
C) Keith appeared to be the primary target: why was he taken away from the scene? Also, his penis was mutilated. Some people have pointed to cults as a possibility due to the mutilation, but I think a cult would have had more interest in other body parts if they were involved;
Here’s what I am leaning towards (I’m 60-40 on this): I believe Keith was the primary target. The fact that he was found away from the family reinforces this, as well as the fact that he was the only victim to have been mutilated following death. The only motive I could suspect as far as the mutilation goes is if he were having an affair or there was a jilted lover of sorts. I don’t think it’s entirely impossible that a lone female may have committed this crime. That may explain why there was no forced entry at the trailer. Some love triangle crimes have been very violent: The murder of Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman, from what I have heard, stemmed from a love triangle, and we know he was stabbed numerous times.
Is the possibility of a serial killer(s) present in this case? Absolutely. However, since this is such a baffling case, I wanted to get everyone else’s take on whether they think this is the work of a serial killer or someone else. I know other people here have posted that they were torn on Sells being the killer, but I wanted to see what other motives members suspected.
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Post by Scumhunter on Oct 14, 2019 1:22:18 GMT -5
There does seem to be some suggestion that the scene was staged which perhaps indicates a personal motive along with remorse, so I would lean towards a personal motive as well. I'm now even more convinced it wasn't Sells.
As for the killer possibly being a female, I think regardless of gender the killer is likely of small and not muscular stature which would explain why he/she shot Keith, while they used a baseball bat with Ruby. Keith was the threat that needed to be eliminated and would have been more likely to fend off a baseball bat attack. This would possibly lean more towards Ruby being the target, but in my opinion the killer seemed to be a little physically intimidated by Keith.
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Post by Maddog on Oct 14, 2019 22:32:56 GMT -5
There does seem to be some suggestion that the scene was staged which perhaps indicates a personal motive along with remorse, so I would lean towards a personal motive as well. I'm now even more convinced it wasn't Sells. As for the killer possibly being a female, I think regardless of gender the killer is likely of small and not muscular stature which would explain why he/she shot Keith, while they used a baseball bat with Ruby. Keith was the threat that needed to be eliminated and would have been more likely to fend off a baseball bat attack. This would possibly lean more towards Ruby being the target, but in my opinion the killer seemed to be a little physically intimidated by Keith. You know, that was a terrific observation by you that I hadn’t even thought about - that the one physical threat was killed with a pistol and the rest were savagely murdered. The surviving members of the Dardeen family may have really helped more than they realize - the fact that Keith wouldn’t let a woman begging for help into the trailer prior to the murder has shown me that he was completely security conscious, so he’s not going to let in Sells, a serial killer who may have been wondering throughout the area, and by all accounts, who didn’t even know the family. I am inclined to believe it was someone known by the family since reading that article. I have wondered if this person, though, has some sort of law enforcement training. Not because of where Keith’s car was located, but because they took their time and cleaned the scene without really feeling any urgency to leave. That leads me to suspect that they were aware of Keith’s work schedule, too, since we know that Keith’s supervisor was concerned when he didn’t show up and that led to the discovery of the crime. Personally, I think this would be perfect as an FBI “Seeking Information” case. That, and a high reward, may turn over a link that investigators weren’t even aware of (I.e. jilted lover, someone really angry at the family, etc.). If this wasn’t the work of a serial killer, my guess is that the killer or killers have alluded to something related to this crime to others. That’s how cases like the Etan Patz kidnapping were solved. |
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Post by Scumhunter on Oct 14, 2019 22:39:11 GMT -5
I like that idea. I know AMW has covered the case but this still somehow in my opinion has been an underpublicized case.
I would think like even a special on the ID channel or like one of those Dateline or 20/20 type crime shows could help as well.
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Post by Maddog on Oct 15, 2019 0:52:54 GMT -5
I like that idea. I know AMW has covered the case but this still somehow in my opinion has been an underpublicized case. I would think like even a special on the ID channel or like one of those Dateline or 20/20 type crime shows could help as well. I agree. Originally, AMW found that the case was too gruesome and initially refused to air it, but to the producers’ credit, they changed their mind and did air a segment. It was also in the AMW Magazine. Arguably, there have been some very gruesome crimes aired over the years on some of the shows like Dateline and 48 Hours (example: the Austin Yogurt Shop killings - albeit, not as brutal as the Dardeen case). I think more than not, fear may be preventing people from coming forward (and understandably so - this was a horrific case). Emphasizing that people can submit tips anonymously will help. Like I mentioned in my last post: Someone has to have heard something. Not only that, but some of the residents in the area may have noticed someone’s behavior change around that time. I find it hard to believe that a normal person would murder an entire family, including a newborn, and act like nothing happened. |
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Post by Maddog on Nov 1, 2020 22:38:23 GMT -5
AMW Magazine profiled the case, and after a lot of digging, I found the article:
Here is some info we didn't know about originally:
1) Illinois investigators believe Elaine was the target - not Keith. One of the investigators, who is trained as a FBI psychological profiler, says that Keith, Peter, and the newborn infant were killed because they were in the way.
2) Absolutely, positively no physical evidence was left behind by the killer(s). The killer(s) also cleaned up the scene.
3) More than one killer suspected. This makes me doubt that Sells is the killer even more (as far as we know, he did not kill with anyone else). 4) Keith's severed penis was never found. 5) No valuables at all were missing from the trailer. Money, jewelry, and a video camera were in plain view and were untouched. 6) Nearly 1,000 people were interviewed. 7) The killer was likely someone who lived in or around Ina, Illinois in late 1987.
I really have no idea what the motive could be other than the killer or killer(s) really hated Elaine. Keep in mind, sexual assault/rape was ruled out. I wouldn't doubt that Elaine may have had a rivalry of sorts that the police just weren't able to uncover. The one thing I do suspect is that the person(s) responsible have done this before because of how they cleaned the scene. I suspect that Keith's body was mutilated to throw off the police.
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Post by Maddog on May 21, 2021 23:16:23 GMT -5
I found this article and interview from a few years ago. It’s a two-part news story on the case: www.kfvs12.com/2019/11/05/heartland-unsolved-never-forget/?outputType=ampIt sounds like Keith’s mother has been less than pleased with the police and how they have handled this case, but the new detective did digitize the entire case, and he wants to test items for DNA. I have been thinking this case over, and there are really only three possible motives that make sense to me: 1) One of the victims was having an affair (again, I am not accusing the victims of anything untoward: I am just saying that this would account for the extreme anger shown by the killer(s); 2) One of the detectives has been less than tight-lipped that she felt Elaine was the primary target. Although we know there wasn’t a rape, the killer or killers may have gone there to sexually assault Elaine and were surprised; 3) A thrill killing. I seriously doubt these murders were drug-related. The autopsies indicated no drug use by any of the victims, and drug-related murders like these are not typically this violent. One thing that is very clear: this crime was very, very premeditated. This was clearly planned out in advance. I also believe that the killer(s) toyed with the police by parking Keith’s vehicle near the police station. I know the FBI originally said this crime was outside of their analytic methods back in 1987. Does anyone know if they were approached again? |
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Post by Scumhunter on May 21, 2021 23:32:23 GMT -5
I would agree everything about this case considering how brutal it was- screams personal. When I see serial killer or thrill cases where a child is also killed, it's not usually that brutal where they're also blugeoened to death. Maybe they're sexually assaulted unfortunately, but they're not beaten violently with a weapon. For example, Robert Fisher allegedly killed his kids in a brutal manner- but it was believed to be as a "F U shot to Mary". This case would suggest that Ruby's son was also killed for personal reasons.
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