Most interesting unsolved non-serial killer cases

[sdreid]

I knew Percy was a big deal here in Illinois but I was only recently made aware that the interest extended far beyond our borders.

[louisa]

Thanks to folk mentioning the book 'Open Files' on this thread, I thought it sounded interesting and have just bought a used copy from Amazon.

Thanks guys!

[Limehouse]

My Most Interesting non-SK Cases are:


Lindbergh Case 1932 - Hauptmann involved, but I don't think he killed the baby. Was it an accident anyway?
James Hanratty 1961 - guilty, but why did he do it?
John Cartland 1973 - revenge killing? Hangover from WW2?
Janice Weston 1983 - no known motive + other weird goings-on.Suzi Lamplugh 1986 - did John Callan do it and is he keeping his trap shut?

There are others, but the above cases are the one I never tired of reading about.

Re: Lindbergh, I've always thought that the mysterious Isidore Fisch was the instigator of the plot and split when things got too hot. I think Hauptmann was much too smart an individual to get stitched up by Fisch - for my money the police fabricated most of the evidence against him, with or without the connivance of Dr Condon, whose presence in the case has always seemed inexplicable to me.

Cheers,

Graham

With reference to the Janice Weston case, a man has recently appeared in court in Peterborough charged with the murder of Sally McGrath who disappeared from Peterborough city centre in July 1979 and was found dead some months later on the outskirts of the city. She died from head injuries in a 'frenzied' attack. Her killer remained at large until a cold case review lead to an investigation which took several years and resulted in charges being brought last week.

Janice Weston was found dead in a layby a few miles south of Peterborough in 1983. She also died of severe head injuries. It will be interesting to see if the current investigation includes another look at the Janice Weston case.

[Graham]

Hi Julie,

this is the first time in ages I've logged on, and very surprised to see something re: the Janice Weston Case. I wasn't aware of the arrest of the bloke in Peterborough, but have to say that the two cases, those of Sally McGrath and Janice Weston, have definite similarities, as well as being very close geographically. The Weston Case is still open as far as I'm aware.

All the best,

Graham

[louisa]

Graham

I've always found the Lindberg kidnapping to be an interesting case. I agree that the police probably planted evidence.

I used to be certain that Hauptmann was innocent of the kidnapping but now I'm not so sure. He obviously wasn't clever enough not to be stitched up by Isador Fisch, because that could be exactly what happened.

My money is on Isador being the kidnapper but I think Hauptmann played his part in the crime, to what extent will never be known.

Just because Hauptmann was mild mannered and quiet and 'didn't look like a killer' doesn't mean that he wasn't. I'm thinking now of the famous murder (in England in 1864) of Mr. Thomas Briggs. The chief - and only - suspect was a German man of slight build and quiet demeanour. Surely a person like this couldn't possibly be somebody who was capable (mentally or physically) of battering a man to death? He maintained his innocence to (almost) the end. Yet just before he was about to be hanged he confessed "Yes I did it".

[Limehouse]

Hi Julie,

this is the first time in ages I've logged on, and very surprised to see something re: the Janice Weston Case. I wasn't aware of the arrest of the bloke in Peterborough, but have to say that the two cases, those of Sally McGrath and Janice Weston, have definite similarities, as well as being very close geographically. The Weston Case is still open as far as I'm aware.

All the best,

Graham

Hi Graham,

Nice to catch up with you again.

The man arrested for the Sally McGrath murder is also charged with a string of sexual offences. Sally was found naked except for a pair of boots. I believe Janice was found fully clothed? However, this man was at large in the area at the time Janice Weston was murdered (he later moved to Hampshire) so I guess the police may well dig around to see if there is a connection.

Sally is buried just across the road from my home. It is difficult for her family to have the case in the news once again but hopefully, if a safe conviction is secured, they can at last have some closure.

Julie

[Graham]

Hi Julie,

Yes, Janice was fully clothed and I don't think there was ever any suspicion of a sexual motive for her murder. However, her private life was somewhat complex, and for a time her own husband was under suspicion, even though he was in France at the time of her death. Very little has been written about the Janice Weston Case, which I find rather surprising. The last I saw about it was a request for information from an Italian law-firm, but I don't know what the connection is or was.

Hi Louise,

Hauptmann did actually have a police-record in his native Germany, and I believe he was an illegal immigrant to the USA. Not that this makes him a killer, of course, but he was no angel and was also known to be extremely interested in making money (who isn't?) to support his lifestyle. I think Fisch was in it up to his neck, but not necessarily the actual instigator of the kidnapping. Almost certainly the police planted evidence against Hauptmann. There's a lot of websites covering this case, including www.lindberghkidnappinghoax.com which is worth a visit, but perhaps with a pinch or two of salt.

Cheers,

Graham

[louisa]

Thanks Graham - I'll take a look.

[sdreid]

Yes, I think Hauptmann was guilty but not the only one involved. It seems like such a huge crime for a basically ordinary man, especially since he almost got away with it.

[louisa]

Yes, and the child fell. That wasn't supposed to have happened. It wasn't exactly murder, but a kidnapping that turned into manslaughter.

A lot of factors went against Hauptmann. They chose a victim whose father was a national hero. Hauptmann was a foreigner and the public expected the murderer to be a foreigner. Hauptmann was a bit too cocky in court and that went against him.

Even as an accessory to this particular crime, Hauptmann would still (probably) have been hanged, even if Fisch had been arrested and found guilty.

[sdreid]

It seems like such a huge crime for a basically ordinary man, especially since he almost got away with it.

When I call Hauptmann ordinary, I am not saying that he wasn't intelligent. I think he was probably above average intelligence but not in a cunning master criminal way.

[louisa]

Being intelligent can work against a Defendant. When Hauptmann was asked - in court - if he had made the ladder - he replied indignantly "I am a carpenter"

That didn't go down well - an uppity foreigner mocking a lawyer.

I suspect that once the police had Hauptmann in their sights then they stopped seriously pursuing all other avenues. I also suspect that a lot of the evidence against him was planted by the cops.

[sdreid]

Yes, I don't think there's much doubt that the case against Hauptmann was enhanced. Whether they could have gotten a conviction without that is hard to say.

[sdreid]

They wanted to punish someone for the crime. Whether that person was a main player or not was of secondary importance.

[sdreid]

The most interesting kidnapping/murder case to me is that of 10-year-old Charles Mattson in 1936/37. It is completely unsolved without any serious suspect.