Part One will deal with the facts, Part Two with my analysis. I would like to dedicate this entry to Evie Hartley & the Hartley Family, Jan Wiggert &; The Rasmussens, A.M. Josephson, Sheriff Ivan Wright, Steve Bothun, The Rasmussens & my Grandma Burris. I've spent a better part of a year looking into this case. This entry will probably be continually updated with information. The information that I add will be a few details here and there. I have well over 1GB of information on this case and I always endeavor to be as accurate as possible. I believe I have the basics of the case outlined here.
Shurlock
UnFound Podcast Episode w/CrimeBlogger1983
UPDATE
11/17/2017: I had originally published Part 2 of this entry. The case
analysis. I have since taken it down. I was not happy with it. I have
spent so much time reading and documenting on this case. I haven't
really developed a theory. Part 2 will be down the road since I am
still looking into this case on many levels.
(608)
785-5962
Agency
Case Number-
53-1543
Tony
Delap
delapt@cityoflacrosse.org
PERSONAL
INFO
Date Of Birth: 11/22/1938 in Texas
Disappeared: Saturday,
10/24/1953 from La Cross County, Wisconsin
Height and Weight: 5'7 Around 128 lbs
Blood
Type: A
Parents: Richard
T. Hartley (Dr. Hartley was a Biology Professor at La Crosse State
College,Specialized in Embryology)and Ethel Hartley (Homemaker,
Sometimes spelled Ethyl)) (LaCrosse State University is now the
University of Wisconsin LaCrosse) Both
parents were formerly from Nebraska.
Siblings: Thomas
Gordon Hartley (22). Carolyn Hartley (6) Richard Charles Hartley(Died
of Polio in 1946 while in the Navy. Other reports state 1950)
Nicknamed: Evie
Residence: 1533Johnson St.
Student: Junior
at Central High School
Wearing: A
size 34-36 white broadcloth Ship N Shore blouse with pearl buttons,
Size 16 Heavy Red Denim White Stag Jeans (Heavy Denim Material) with
a side zipper and cuffs rolled up
* Evie
was an Officer at the Presbyterian Youth Program and Westminster
Fellowship at her local Church. Sang in Choir. Her Pastor described
her as “Quiet, Dependable and Devoted”.
* She
was popular with both Boys and Girls in her class. She did NOT have a
serious boyfriend and was described as shy regarding the opposite
sex. (I have a feeling that came from her parents.) Her
classmates stated that she would have liked to date but she wasn't
allowed to. Her father is quoted as saying SHE thought she was too
young. Sure. (Yeah all fathers think their daughters are too
young to date. I have 2 15 year old daughters. And they date. I can
relate to Mr. Hartley.)
* Evie
did wear eyeglasses. Didn't have them on when abducted. She had just
purchased new glasses that very day.
*
Evelyn attended a Presbyterian Youth Camp the prior summer.
* The
Hartleys moved to La Crosse from Charleston Illinois four years
prior.
Her Class Yearbook was dedicated to Evie
Yearbook Pic
(Above-Never seen this photo anywhere online)
Hartley Family
BREAKDOWN
OF CASE
* On
October 24th, 1953 a La Crosse State College Professor named Viggo
Rasmussen hired Evelyn Hartley to babysit his 20 month old daughter
(Janice) so he could attend a College Homecoming Game. (La
Crosse State College vs. River Falls)
(La
Crosse won)
* The
Rasmussen's had a regular babysitter. But she had plans. And they
hired Evie as a replacement. (Regular babysitter being Janice
Lucille Cowley who was also a classmate of Evelyn)
*She
brought 3 to 4 schoolbooks with her as she had planned to study while
the baby slept.
* Viggo
Rasmussen picked up Evelyn at 6:30pm on the 24th.
* The
Rasmussen home was located in the 2415 Hoeschler Dr. (This
was a new house. There were blinds but no curtains on the windows.
The Rasmussens had only moved in a few months prior. And Evie had not
babysat at this house before. In fact Evie had not done any
babysitting in 3 months)
*
Evelyn didn't want to actually babysit after volunteering. But
Evelyn's mom informed her that she said she would do it. And she
needed to. So she did.
* This
is from the La Crosse Tribune Article 10/24/17
Fifteen-year-old Evelyn Hartley had never baby-sat for the Rasmusens, and when she arrived at the family’s home in the 2400 block of Hoeschler Drive, she was armed with a big bouquet of flowers. Lina saw her set them on the kitchen table. That was the last time she saw Evelyn. (Lina being Rozalyn)
Rasmussen
Home-As
you can see there is no indoor garage at the time. So if a burglar(s)
happened to notice Evelyn inside. He would prob assume since there
was no car out in the driveway that she was home alone. He could've
verified it by staking the house out even for a short time. Or he
didn't see Evelyn at the time and tried entering the house.
* Rasmussen's
left their house at 6:45 pm. (Mr.
and Mrs. Rasmussen (Madeline) along with their 7 year old daughter
Rozalyn.) This
was the last time she was seen.
* Evie's
mother Ethel was described as having a nervous feeling about the
night as early as 7pm.
* Evie
was instructed to put Janice down to bed at 7pm.
* At
7:15 she was instructed to place a blanket over Janice.
* She
was suppose to call her parent's at 8:30 pm that night. She never
did. (It was semi-common practice for Evelyn to call her
parents at 8:30pm whenever she babysat.)
* Mr.
Hartley tried calling the Rasmussen home several times and never
received an answer. (He even double checked the number in the
phone book.)
* Mr.
Hartley then proceeded to drive over to the Rasmussen home. He
arrived at 9:20pm.
* He
knocked on both doors and rang the doorbell. No answer. The doors
were locked.
* Through
one of the windows he noticed one of Evelyn's shoes and glasses on
the living room floor.
*He
then walked around the house and noticed a basement window open. He
then accessed the house through the basement window.
*Upon
entering the basement he noticed one of Evelyn's shoes at the top of
the basement stairs. There was also a stool placed near the window in
the basement.
* He
then ran upstairs and found the other shoe on the floor along with
her new glasses (broken) and her textbooks scattered about. Furniture
was disarranged. There was also blood on the living room floor.
* He
then found the baby Janice asleep in her room unharmed. Still
uncovered. (So we can assume that whatever happened occurred
on or before 7:15pm.)
*Mr.
Hartley had a neighbor Frank Linder (From across the
street) phone the police at 9:49 pm. Mr. Hartley spoke to
authorities after Frank Linder dialed the number. (Source:
LaCrosse Tribune 10/24/1954)
* Police
Officers Don Schoenfeld and Ken Johnson arrived minutes later.
* Willard
Sill was one of the original detectives on the case.
* Sill
believes the prowler(s) saw Evie prior to breaking in.
*
Other newspaper accounts state other officials believe that Hartley's
abduction was part of a botched burglary attempt. (Source: La Crosse
Tribune 10/24/54)
* 3
other windows had pry marks on them.
* An
attempted forced entry was found on a neighbors house.
* Footprints
from a Size 11 Shoe were found in the dirt by the window as well as
in the living room.
* Blood
was found on the inside and outside areas of the window.
*A
puddle of blood that measured 18 inches across was found outside the
basement window. The blood had Human Hair in it.
* Blood
was found on the side of the Rasmussen home. A Bloody Hand Print.
* Blood
was also found around the corner at a neighbors home at 2310 Coulee Dr. It was smeared on the side of the garage. (Eugene Downer
home)
* Blood
was also found at 2311 Coulee Dr. The blood was found seeped into a
window well. The Police believe that Evelyn may have been rested
there for a brief period of time. When Ethel Hartley saw the blood at
this address. She stated she knew her daughter was no longer alive.
* There
has been speculation that the blood amount left at all the locations
was not enough to be fatal. And the Police believe that the blood
left was from her nose. As if the perpetrator slapped or punched
Evelyn in the nose. Causing a hemorrhage.
* A
neighbor reported hearing screams at 7:15pm that night.
(Elvin
and Helen Saterback)
* Elvin
stated there were either 2 or 3 screams. With the last one muffled or
choked off in the middle. He assumed it was neighborhood children
being punished and didn't think much of it. He assumed that the
reasons one was muffled was that one of the parents took the child in
the house and the door was slammed.
* Helen
described the scream as a "Stop" or "Getaway from me"
scream.
* Helen
also stated she saw an Old Sedan that was a Dark Tan in color.
* The
same size 11 footprint was in other yards in the neighborhood.
Leading Detectives and LE to speculate that the suspect(s) was
prowling and came upon Evie. That she wasn't targeted.
* The
initial search for Evie lasted until around 1am (Early hours of the
25th) that night. And was called off until the next day.
* No
roadblocks were utilized that night. (Seriously?)
* The
Rasmussens were allowed to return to their house after that. Officer
Schoenfeld stated that the areas where evidence was left was
preserved until the next morning.
* The
next morning nearly a thousand supporters converged on the Rasmussen
home to assist in the search for Evie. The Police Department issued a
statement earlier requesting volunteers to assist in the search.
* There
was evidence that she was dragged down to the basement and lifted up
and out the same basement window the perpetrator presumably entered
the house by. The basement window according to police was 14
inches wide. (That was just one of the theories. This one
makes no sense imo.)
* There
was also evidence suggesting the suspect(s) left out the front door
as well. The front door was described as a "self locking door".
*
If she was lifted through the window its likely there were more than
one perpetrator. Likely 2. This is also validated by a neighbor Ed
Hofer ("Mister X") who nearly collided with a two toned
1941 or 42 two toned Buick speeding westward from the neighborhood.
Mr. Hofer noticed 2 men and a woman. A man driving. And a man in the
backseat with a woman. Mr. Hofer noticed the same 3 (presumably)
minutes earlier staggering down the street where the blood was later
found.
* Ed
Hofer was referred to as Mr. X in reports and articles for many years
after the abduction to protect his identity.
ED
HOFER'S AKA "MR. X" STORY
(La
Crosse LE disputed the claim Ed Hofer stated he saw the same car
since and recognized the driver.(Second Page)
* LE
believes she was placed in a car and taken away. Possibly south near
the Goose Island area. (According
to Schoenfeld there were reported screams in that area that night.)
* Nothing
of value was taken from the house. So that discounts robbery as a
motive. Unless they didn't know Evie was in the house and came upon
her by accident.
* Bloodhounds
were utilized numerous times to track Evelyn's scent. They always led
to the street. Which is why LE believes she was put into a vehicle.
* Apparently
a peeping tom had been operating on the south side of the town for
over a year at the time.
* On
the 27th Mr. Hartley made a public plea for his daughter's return.
* Later
that week a search was undertaken to search every car in the county.
Gas Station operators would check the cars when they came to get gas.
If the owner refused. They were reported. If the car was good. A
sticker was placed on it saying "My Car Is OK". (SMH
REALLY????)
*Evelyn's
father requested, took, and passed a lie detector test to eliminate
him from suspicion.
MORE
OF "MR. X" STORY
(Sorry
even when you zoom in its hard to read)
THE
CAR
* The stains in the car turned out not to be blood.
* The
County eventually hired A.M. "Joe" Josephson as the La
Crosse County Criminal Investigator. (A new position was created) And
he was to specifically work the Hartley case. Josephson was a 33 year
old former Army Criminologist. And an expert with the polygraph.
* In
May 1954, (Under the direction of A.M. Josephson) mass lie detector
tests were conducted on La Crosse area high school boys in an attempt
to find more information about Hartley's disappearance. Authorities
planned to test 1,750 students and faculty, but the lie detector
testing was controversial and was halted after around 300 were
tested.
* Josephson
worked the Hartley case for years and eventually came up with an
outline of the suspects.
Suspected
path of abductor(s)
OUTLINE
OF SUSPECTS
1) There
were 2 of them
2) From
the Chicago Area, And at the time were working near the La Crosse
area.
3) Kidnappers
were Steeplejacks at one point
4) Larger
one wore size 11 shoes and operated a whizzer motorbike.
5) Smaller
one was 5'6 to 5'7 and around 130-140 lbs.
6) Over
several months Josephson tracked down receipts and sales records
related to whizzer motorbikes. But never had any worthwhile suspects.
THE
EVIDENCE.
The
Shoes and Jacket had been positively determined to have been in the
Rasmussen home. It had been determined by spectrographic
analysis. (Chicago
Tribune 7/14/57)
The Shoes and the Jacket were shown in more than 30 towns in Wisconsin and Minnesota but nothing came of this. (LaCrosse Tribune 10/24/54)
Several days after Evelyn's disappearance a bloodstained Bra and Panties were found near the underpass of Highway 14. About 2 miles from the Rasmussen home. They were Evelyn's size. Her mother was unable to confirm if they were in fact her daughter's. It should be noted that area was previously searched and the bra and panties were either missed by the search party. Or placed there afterwards. LE believes that they were thrown from a car and blown to their location. A bloodstained pair of men's pants were also found along the same road 4 miles away from where the bra and panties were found. It was later determined that the blood on the panties was menstrual blood. Evelyn according to her father was menstruating at the time. The blood on the pants as well as the panties was Type A blood. Same as Evelyn's. (Source: Wausau Daily Herald 10/31/53) Also, The State Crime Lab stated they found a good palm print in the blood near the Rasmussen home. Tiny Threads of Cloth were found in the print. And shreds of Red Cloth were found in a pool of blood found 10 yards away from the Rasmussen home. Evelyn was wearing Red Slacks at the time of her abduction. (Source: The Daily Chronicle of Dekalb Illinois 10/28/53)
THE
PANTS
THE
SHOES
*
The shoes were manufactured by the Goodrich Rubber Company on or
around June 2nd, 1951.
* On
10/29/53 along U.S. Highway 14, 2 miles North of Coon Valley, LE
finds a pair of Bloody Sneakers. (Pictured above) (Not
enough blood on the shoes to determine the type.)
* They
were size 11, Same size as the prints left at the
scene. And the soles seem to matched the distinctive prints left in
the mud at the scene. As well as the one left in the living room.
* LE
determined that 2 separate people seemed to have wore the shoes.
* There
were wear patterns consistent with a Whizzer Motor Bike.
* The
type of shoe, A Goodrich "Hood Mogul" were not sold in
Wisconsin in 3 years. The last place to carry such a shoe was a
village store in Viroqua.
* The
shoes were also sold in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois.
*
The shoes also had serial numbers inside which LE attempted to
trace.
*
The area where the shoes were found was previously searched. Which
lead LE to believe they were placed there to mislead the
investigation.
*
An African American Hair was said to be inside one of the shoes.
"We
know definitely that the shoes were placed there a short time before
they were found." Captain Leo Kihm
THE
JACKET
A
bloodstained jacket was also found along Highway 14 shortly after
Evelyn was abducted. It was picked up by a local farmer who then
notified the Police of it being in his possession.
*It
was a Blue Denim Small Sized Overall Jacket. Size 36.
*Metallic
Buttons, 1 of 4 buttons missing. 2nd from bottom.
*It
was found around 800 feet North of where the shoes were located.
*It
was laying in sight of the highway and on the same side the shoes
were located on.
*It
was stained with human blood.
*Wear
mark running the entire width of the jacket under arm pits. Possibly
from a safety harness. 1 3/4 inches wide.
*Bast
Fibers, Like the kind used in scrubbing brushes were left inside the
left pocket.
* Metal
Paints Flecks on jacket.
* 3
inch vertical tear near the button holes had been machine sewn with
brown thread.
(Creepy as Hell! WTF is covering his face and why?)
MORE
*Prior to Evelyn's abduction there were 3 unsolved murders in LaCrosse in recent years. (Source:Chicago Daily Tribune: 1/12/54)
*A prowler had been operating on the south side of town for the better part of a year at the time Evelyn was abducted.
La
Crosse Tribune 8-20-53
*The
day of the abduction there was a Student Council Convention in
LaCrosse. Over 400 Student Council Leaders from 100 Schools all over
Wisconsin and Minnesota.There was an all day session on Friday and
another at noon on Saturday. (And homecoming on top of
that) (Source:Chicago Daily Tribune: 1/12/54)
*A
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Downer were residents of the adjacent home
where bloodstains were found on the outer wall. She stated she heard
no disturbance throughout the evening but had noticed at about 8pm
that a light colored automobile was circling the block. She saw the
car pass her home at least 3 times. She did not notice the occupant
or occupants tho. (Source:Chicago
Tribune 10/26/53)
*
A Bernard J. Lauer was also questioned regarding Evelyn's abduction.
He was described as a 43 year old salesman from Eau Claire. He was
also fat. Reportedly
weighing
235 lbs. He was already being held on a rape charge at the time. He
was in the area at the time selling roofing. His alibi did indeed
check out. (No way his fat ass was getting through that
14 inch window. And you couldn't use butter. Cuz he'd have eaten it.
Just sayin.) (Source: The Commercial Mail: 10/27/53)
*On
10/30/1953 A LaCrosse man was questioned and cleared of any
involvement after he was picked up on a rape complaint. (Accused of
raping a 15 year old girl) News reports didn't name the
person. (Source
Green-Bay Press Gazette 10/31/53) In
that same article they mention John J. Watson although not by name.
*On 10/30/53 The FBI informed LaCrosse County District Attorney John Bosshard that they would not enter the case. Bosshard was informed by an agent heading up the Milwaukee office, a Robert L. Murphy who stated according to Bosshard "Murphy advised me that in his opinion there is no federal offense that present evidence can substantiate and that the FBI is unable to come in and give us assistance." This was an idiotic technicality. From reading they took Bosshard's description of the abduction as a Sex Crime rather than a Kidnapping. A Kidnapping is a Federal Offense and a Sex Crime isn't. Someone really needed to hit Murphy on the head with a tack hammer because this case can be classified as both. Utter Dipshitery. (Source: Marshfield News-Herald 10/31/53)
*In 1954 Sheriff Ivan Wright died of a heart ailment. Which was aggravated due to overwork. His death was blamed on overwork from the Hartley case.
*Even
though Mr. Hartley praised LE's efforts. Many in the surrounding area
felt differently. A neighbor told a Chicago Tribune reporter two
months after the abduction that "What we need here is an
investigation of the investigators in the Hartley case." &
"If you want to get away with murder, Just move to LaCrosse."
(Source
Wisconsin State Journal-11/25/74)
*After the kidnapping more than 3000 Boy Scouts, High School Students, The Civil Air Patrol and Citizens engaged in an air, river, and land search to no avail.
*Authorities considered it first to be a runaway case until they found the blood. LE didn't protect the crime scene either. A crowd formed after LE was called. And they feel they may have lost some evidence as a result of this.
*Police were looking for an automobile that was seen in the area at the time Evelyn was abducted. They had mixed up the license plate numbers and were searching for the wrong vehicle for almost 3 months. (Source:Chicago Tribune:1/21/54)
*At one point the police had a 17 year old suspect who was in the possession of a pair of bloody trousers. He was released on his explanation that it was chicken blood. He was an unemployed laborer and was arrested shortly after Evelyn disappeared. According to articles at the time the suspect then fled to Texas. His name was never mentioned. Police later admitted they lost the trousers. (Source:Chicago Tribune 1/21/54)
*LE investigated a former LaCrosse man that then lived in Superior, Wisconsin. He was at one time considered a suspect but was eventually cleared. The man was named Gerald W. Adams. He was still held on Moral Charges at the time. (Source:The Lincoln Star: 10/25/54)
*A Vernon F. Kahler was also investigated. A reported Fairmount, Minnesota farmer. He was cleared of any involvement. (Source: LaCrosse Tribune 10/30/54)
*A rumor has it that Evelyn is buried under Highway 33 which was paved a few days after her disappearance.
* LaCrosse County had a higher number of convicted sex deviants per capita than any other county in Wisconsin.
* Approximately 75 Sex Offenders were questioned and all cleared.
* Over the years LE questioned a South Dakota Farm Worker, A Duluth Minnesota Mechanic, A Fond Du Lac Laborer, And a Minnesota Steeplejack (Roy Mattson). None were arrested.
*In 1971 a dumbass named Tommy Thompson was arrested for cashing bad checks. He later told police that he kidnapped, raped and murdered Evelyn Hartley back in 53. Police checked his story and found out the bozo was in prison in Minnesota at the time. He was later charged for making a false statement. Hopefully he met Bubba.
*In August of 1954 a dipshit named Jack Duffrin was arrested for attempting to extort $500 from the Hartley family. He claimed to know information regarding her d/sappearance. Police caught the rocket scientist and arrested him. He was actually one of the many questioned earlier in the investigation. He passed a polygraph at the time and he was cleared.
*In a Wisconsin State Journal article on 11/25/1974 a Sheriff William Black stated he wanted to pursue a lead that involved a 1942 4 Door Buick Sedan with a Light Green Top that was seen in the area at the time. He believes the 2 men that went to California may have been involved in the abduction.
*According to Steve Bothun in 1988 the police didn't know where the shoes and jacket were. They are presumed lost or unaccounted for. (Unbelievable!)
St Cloud Times: 11/18/53 (Minnesota)
(I
needed to make a correction on the Watson and Tygue aspect to this
entry. This was done through no fault of my own. I had them
confused with ONE suspect. Watson was NOT guilty of the Madison
attacks as my previous entry erroneously stated. Tygue was SUSPECTED
of the attacks. Tygue who's name had a few different spellings
according to which newspaper reported on him passed a polygraph and
declared his innocence in the Madison attacks. Despite the victims
picking him out of photos at the time. Tygue's last name was spelled
as Tague and Tygue when reported in the newspapers. And I have a
suspicion that the first name is actually Hayward and the last being
Teague. But Ill go with the newspaper reports until I find out
otherwise. Both man's prints however were looked into as suspects.)
UPDATE:
11/27/2017 Mugshots Looks
like the same guy to me. And apparently, He continued to break into
houses. Gives his birth date as 7/11/1931. I'll continue to research
this. It would appear his name is HAYWARD TAGUE.
HAYVERD
TYGUE
Hayverd
Tygue was arrested in relation to two attacks upon women in
Madison, Wisconsin. Attacks that were similar to Evie's.
In one of the attacks he entered through a basement window and hit a
woman with a Slapjack.
The house entered was also in a newly developed part of town. (Source
Wasau Daily Herald 10/31/53 In that article it states there were 3
attacks) He
fled when in both attacks the woman screamed.(Source-Racine
Journal Times 10-30-53) One
of the women picked him out of a photograph. And there are
interesting correlations with this man and Evie's abduction. When
apprehended this man was driving a stolen car from CHICAGO.(See
outline of suspects) It
was tan in color with Illinois license plates. Similar to the one
reported in the area at the time of Evelyn's abduction.(One
such incident happened the night before Evelyn's abduction.)Within
the car was a lead pipe with human hairs on it. (Remember
LE found an African American hair in one of the shoes)
JOHN
J. WATSON
Another African American suspect that was looked into was John J. Watson. His prints were compared with the prints left at the Hartley crime scene. Nothing apparently came of this. He was convicted in 1954 of Carnal Knowledge and Abuse. He was paroled twice. He was eventually convicted of the rape and murder of Edna Mauch in 1958. He was also responsible for attacking 2 women with a hammer in 1980. Killing one. He died on November 12, 2007 at the age of 86. Good
Riddance to this Sick Sunuvabitch. (Mr. Watson lived in Madison, Wisconsin at one point. And again remember LE found an African American hair in one of the shoes.)
John J. Watson: Edna Mauch Slaying
December
11, 2003
Posted
on 12/11/2003,
DNA
Evidence May Be Used
MADISON,
Wis. -- A Madison man is behind bars in connection with a 45-year-old
murder mystery.
Wauwatosa police used DNA evidence to link John Watson, 82, to the rape and murder of Edna Mauch back in 1958. He was charged with her murder in 1960. Police said he raped Mauch and beat her to death with a brick in 1958 while she slept in her home in suburban Wauwatosa, with her husband in the next room. Prosecutors dismissed the case.
Watson is in the Dane County Jail while Milwaukee County authorities decide whether to file a murder charge against him.
Wauwatosa police Det. Lisa Hudson reopened the case a year ago after someone told her about it. Hudson found Mauch's pajamas, bedding and other evidence still wrapped and sealed in the department's evidence storage room.
Investigators found DNA in body fluids on a few of the victim's hairs. That DNA linked the case to the Madison man, a paroled felon, after a court order allowed police to collect genetic material from him, Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber said.
Hudson (pictured, right), along with detective Keith Warner, convinced Weber the case was worth checking out.
"Granted, he may be 82 now, but our concern is what he did in 1958," Warner said.
Watson
has a lengthy criminal history that includes other attacks on woman,
Weber said.
WISN
12 News talked with Mauch's daughter in Central Wisconsin Wednesday.
She broke into to tears and said she was so grateful the Wauwatosa
police decided to pursue the case. She said she wants Watson to spend
the rest of his life in prison.
If
Watson is charged and convicted, it will be the oldest case solved by
DNA testing.
Old
Murder
Wed
12-10-2003
DNA
links Madison man to 1958 murder
MILWAUKEE
(AP) --
Edna
Mauch was raped and beaten to death with a brick 45 years ago while
she slept in her home with her husband in the next room. Now police
say they have DNA evidence that solves the case. The evidence links
the attack to the same Madison man who was charged with the murder in
1960 only to have prosecutors dismiss the case.
Milwaukee
County prosecutors are reviewing the new evidence but haven't yet
filed new charges against the man, who now is 82, Assistant District
Attorney Mark Williams said Wednesday.
The
case is the oldest in Wisconsin believed to be solved by DNA evidence
and one of the oldest in the nation, said Mike Roberts, administrator
for the state Division of Law Enforcement Services.
A
Wauwatosa detective reopened the case a year ago after someone told
her about it.
Detective
Lisa Hudson found Mauch's pajamas, bedding and other evidence still
wrapped and sealed in the department's evidence storage room, Chief
Barry Weber said.
Investigators
found DNA in body fluids on a few of the victim's hairs. That DNA
linked the case to the Madison man, a paroled felon, after a court
order allowed police to collect genetic material from him, Weber
said.
Police
took the man into custody Nov. 26 for a possible parole violation.
The suspect, who was around 37 at the time of the murder, is being
held in Dane County Jail.
He
has a lengthy criminal history that includes other attacks on woman,
Weber said.
He
was charged with the murder in 1959 based on some information
provided to police by some jail inmates. Weber wasn't sure what
caused the case's dismissal in 1960 and said his investigators can't
find those court files.
The
evidence and his department's records were 'just put away and left
alone' after 1960, he said.
Roberts,
of the law enforcement services division, said it is unusual for a
police department to still have evidence that old that could still
yield a sample of biological material suitable for DNA testing.
Mauch's
daughter, Marcia Janke, said she hoped District Attorney E. Michael
McCann will take the case to court now that the DNA evidence is
available.
'I
hope McCann feels that it's important enough that this man take
responsibility for what he's done,' said Janke, 74, of Wild Rose in
central Wisconsin. 'They pretty well knew when this happened who it
was, but somehow this terrible man was released.'
Janke,
who was 29 at the time of the murder, said she and her two younger
sisters have followed the case closely since they learned police
reopened it.
'Living
without my mother was terrible for me,' she said. 'She was in her
50s, which isn't that old. She could have had a lot of life yet. I
wish I could count the times I wished she were alive.'
ED GEIN
ED GEIN #MONSTER
* After
his arrest, Ed Gein was considered a suspect in Hartley's
disappearance since he was visiting a relative a few blocks away from
the area of Hartley's disappearance at the time. However, police
found no trace of Hartley's remains during a search of his property.
Gein denied involvement in Hartley's disappearance and passed 2 lie
detector tests in November 1957, authorities announced that Gein had
been cleared of any connection to the disappearances of Hartley and
Georgia Weckler, an 8 year old that disappeared in 1947. After being
committed to a mental institution, Gein was later declared insane,
and died in 1984, yet some still consider him a suspect.
STEVE BOTHUN INVESTIGATES- 5 PART SERIES
ODD NOTES
9/2/58 La Crosse Tribune
*Note: Janice Cowley's Father Commited Suicide in 1986. Janice was the original babysitter that Evie subbed for. This has led to some conspiracy type claims that he may have been involved in Evie's abduction. I call bullshit.
THE
TAPE
9/23/74 CLYDE "TYWEE" PETERSON
12/26/67 JACK GAULTHAIR
2/4/53
Irony,
Little did anyone know that years later Gaulthair himself would be a
person of interest. Yet in the October 24th Edition of the Daily
Telegram in 1955 Evie's story and Jack's are on the same page.
ADDITIONAL
Thomas Hartley-Evie's Brother
Hartley, Thomas Gordon (1931 - 2016)
Born
9 January 1931 in Beaumont, Texas, USA, died 8 March 2016, in
Canberra, ACT.
Tom
Hartley was a long-term staff member of the Australian National
Herbarium (CANB) and a valued colleague to those who worked there.
Born
and educated in the USA, Tom worked for CSIRO from 1961 to 1965 (as
botanist for the Phytochemical Survey of New Guinea) and again from
1971 until his retirement. In the intervening period he was a
curator at the Herbarium of the Arnold Arboretum (A) at Harvard
University.
Post-retirement
Tom continued to work at CANB, writing treatments for works
including the Flora
of New Caledonia and
the Flora
of Australia,
until just a few years ago when forced to stop due to ill health.
Tom’s
lifetime of research focused on studies of the family Rutaceae and
he collected extensively in New Guinea, Australia and the Pacific.
The specimens held at CANB are a valuable resource for research by
staff and visiting scientists.
In
his private life Tom was also a talented jazz pianist.
Lacrosse Tribune 3/14/65
LaCrosse Tribune- 5/5/68 (Uncanny Resemblance To Her Sis)
Jan Wiggert-Baby Janus (Present Day)
(Snapshot of the now defunct FindEvelynHartley.org webpage)
Evelyn Trailer-(Movie was never completed)
THIN AIR PODCAST
Old Donation Pledge
“So take a look at me now, oh there's just an empty spaceAnd there's nothing left here to remind meJust the memory of your faceOoh take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds and that's what I've got to face”
P.S. Here ya go Corina;)
(Clue didn't pan out)
