More on this case from the victim's friend, Linda:
Re: the murder of Christine Rothschild on the UW-Madison campus on May 26, 1968, I have been advocating for many years on behalf of Chris since her two remaining sisters remain too devastated and split by family issues to participate.
Chris was a dear friend and after many years of interviewing and research, I believe that her murderer is Dr. Niels BJ who now resides in Marina del Rey, CA. In May 1968 he was doing a surgical residency at UW Hospital, just a few hundred yards away from Sterling Hall where Chris was murdered. Chris often stopped across from Sterling Hall to have a cigarette break with him on her morning walks.
Chris was found dead behind the front bushes of Sterling Hall late on Sunday, May 26th. She had been stabbed 14 times with a surgical instrument, her jaws were broken, ribs broken, strangled with the lining of her coat and her gloves were shoved down her throat. Her head was staged on the killer's handkerchief. No sexual assault and no signs of struggle as her boots were not scuffed, etc.
UW-Madison Police Dept. has been in charge of this case since 1968 and unfortunately has never been staffed with trained homicide detectives. Carol Ann Glassmaker is the current detective assigned to her case and most of her time is spent on campus speeches and low level activities.
I have no faith in the UW police system ever since I received documentation via email from Det. Glassmaker years ago telling me that all the evidence in Chris' case was collected and ready for DNA testing. Last year the Sheriff's Office confirmed that Chris' evidence stored at the Sheriff's Office has disappeared and no one is able to explain how or why. I have no idea what evidence remains and UW claims it is not viable even though it has never been tested.
For years I begged UW to present this case to the Vidocq Society in Philadelphia for their input. Unfortunately this was never done. Also major news stories generated from Chicago and Canada have not prompted UW police either.
I have been in written and verbal correspondence with Niels J from time to time and have no doubt he is a psychopath. Have also spoken at length with remaining relatives and his sole friend. Recently he sent me a long rambling letter but UW is not interested in reviewing it.
FYI: Niels fled to New York after Chris' murder and was supposed to be interviewed/ polygraphed by 2 detectives sent from Madison to New York. They picked him up, he feigned illness and promised to be available the next day. He fled New York immediately and was never found because he used various spellings and changes to his name over the years. I spoke to the one remaining detective who had gone to New York but he didn't say much except to confirm what I already knew. Thus Niels was never interviewed.
Niels J told me that UW was so stupid that they didn't check the hospital's surgical instruments in the autoclave after the murder and there is a nurse to whom Niels said "It's a good day for a murder" the morning of Chris' killing, long before her body was found.
I've also interviewed several times the roommate of Niels who spoke of his suspicious behavior/ dress the day of Chris' death and how he moved out without saying a word.
I have done my best all these years to ensure that Chris' case is not dumped into a cold case pile and remain forgotten. Chris was my soulmate and I plan to continue using my remaining years to bring her case to closure. There will never be justice since I'm obviously the only person who still cares about her.
Unfortunately UW has never interviewed NJ nor have they taken seriously the report from one of their own detectives who recently told them that Chris tried to report being stalked to him and his partner in May 1968. No copy of this report is on file and the detective regrets that his senior partner told Chris to get herself a whistle. Less than a week later she was dead.
Chris was an 18 year old freshman when killed. She was an honor's graduate of Senn High School and I have not found one person who had anything negative to say about her. Teachers and students alike praise her academic and personal demeanor. She was beautiful, intelligent, kind, motivated and unselfish. She was also a very dedicated member of the Christ Scientist Church in both Chicago and off campus.
NJ wanted to date Chris. At the time he incorrectly thought she was a direct descendent of the wealthy Rothschild dynasty. She constantly refused to date him. When he couldn't have her, I believe he decided to kill her.
Niel's father was a world renowned dentist who invented conscious sedation. And although a namesake of his father and also highly intelligent, Niels became a nameless trauma surgeon who never published and was never promoted. His only brother died in his 20's in a diving accident and afterwards his mother was always verbal about the fact that it should have been Niels who died.
I have never been able to understand why a small campus police force would not be willing to reach out to the best homicide detectives in the nation for insight and assistance in solving Chris' case. Perhaps arrogance partially misguided them. Nor has the same police force recruited the help of the public in solving Chris' case even though they have reached a dead end.
