WI Diane Olkwitz, 19 Menomonee Falls, WI Nov. 3 1966; Murdered

[Richard]

55 years ago...

Diane Olkwitz, age 19
Murdered 3 November 1966

 

[Quoththeraven]

The Waukesha, WI Freeman gave an update on the murder a year later. They had quite a few prime suspects and even submitted two weapons found near body. They should retest for DNA.

 

[Richard]

Here is a convicted rapist/murderer who was active in Wisconsin at the time of Diane's death:

Photo: 07/18/2018 at link
Name: HERRINGTON, MICHAEL L
DOC: 00027378
Birth Year: 1943
Age: 78
Sex: MALE
Race: WHITE
Ethnicity: UNKNOWN
Weight: 178
Height: 5' 9"
Eye Color: HAZEL
Hair Color: GRAY
Dexterity: UNKNOWN

LINK:
https://appsdoc.wi.gov/lop/searchbasic.do

 

[Baudelaire]

Thank you forwarding the thread.

 

[ShilohCove]

This case is quite interesting. There's this unnamed group of 6 "strong suspects" that were then released. I'm curious who they were and on what grounds they were released.

From what I gather, the attack targeted her face, neck, and upper body. This can sometimes be a personal attack. Then there's the fact that she was alone, and alone in a way that was a scheduled "alone time." This might be because it was someone she knew - they might know her personal schedule.

I'm leaning towards thinking this is someone who knew her, but didn't KNOW her. If they were trying to make it so she wouldn't be found soon, they may have not known that she would be seeing her friend immediately after or that she often had evening activities that she was expected to be at. Though, if this was the only time the killer could access her on their own, I am assume they could simply act fast, as it seems they did. There was only about an hour of unaccounted time where no one saw her nor was looking for her (friend started looking for her after Diane was about ten minutes late).

Some have suggested it could have been a transient who happened upon her being alone in a factory. I don't know about this. Mainly because this was a factory and all the doors were locked. If the killer were to see her through the window, she would have to have let him in and locked the door again behind her. This is also, again, a factory - it's not somewhere that has a lot of stray foot traffic.

There are some similar crimes in the area, most interesting to me is the Tina Davidson case. Similar in stabbing and crime, except there was confirmed sexual assault in it - a notable difference.

I know the employer's son was giving uncomfortable advances to Diane, and Diane was scared of her. He seems to be a valid suspect since he would have had access to the factory, explaining no forced entry. The family also corroborated his alibi, which seems valid but if he asked for them to cover for him, that would be very easy.

If not, I'm curious about the logistics of the supervisor arriving. Was he called? Or did he just happen to show up? did he show up at that time often? If it was out of the blue, I'd be confused by that.

TL;DR - I think it was someone who had access to the factory independently and knew her somewhat personally. Might've been turned down by her? Her easy schedule was likely how they knew she would be alone and there.

Please correct me on anything and if I missed anything!

 

[Baudelaire]

I think if we can test the DNA and get a profile, all these questions will be answered.

 

[Richard]

Kenworth Manufacturing Company building at the time of the murder.

LINK:

Wisconsin cold case: 1966 Menomonee Falls murder remains unsolved

 

[Quoththeraven]

This case is quite interesting. There's this unnamed group of 6 "strong suspects" that were then released. I'm curious who they were and on what grounds they were released.

From what I gather, the attack targeted her face, neck, and upper body. This can sometimes be a personal attack. Then there's the fact that she was alone, and alone in a way that was a scheduled "alone time." This might be because it was someone she knew - they might know her personal schedule.

I'm leaning towards thinking this is someone who knew her, but didn't KNOW her. If they were trying to make it so she wouldn't be found soon, they may have not known that she would be seeing her friend immediately after or that she often had evening activities that she was expected to be at. Though, if this was the only time the killer could access her on their own, I am assume they could simply act fast, as it seems they did. There was only about an hour of unaccounted time where no one saw her nor was looking for her (friend started looking for her after Diane was about ten minutes late).

Some have suggested it could have been a transient who happened upon her being alone in a factory. I don't know about this. Mainly because this was a factory and all the doors were locked. If the killer were to see her through the window, she would have to have let him in and locked the door again behind her. This is also, again, a factory - it's not somewhere that has a lot of stray foot traffic.

There are some similar crimes in the area, most interesting to me is the Tina Davidson case. Similar in stabbing and crime, except there was confirmed sexual assault in it - a notable difference.

I know the employer's son was giving uncomfortable advances to Diane, and Diane was scared of her. He seems to be a valid suspect since he would have had access to the factory, explaining no forced entry. The family also corroborated his alibi, which seems valid but if he asked for them to cover for him, that would be very easy.

If not, I'm curious about the logistics of the supervisor arriving. Was he called? Or did he just happen to show up? did he show up at that time often? If it was out of the blue, I'd be confused by that.

TL;DR - I think it was someone who had access to the factory independently and knew her somewhat personally. Might've been turned down by her? Her easy schedule was likely how they knew she would be alone and there.

Please correct me on anything and if I missed anything!

Terri Erdmann lived about 2 miles away from where Diane Olkwitz was murdered and the site where she was murdered is 4.9 miles away from where Olkwitz was murdered.

WI - WI - Terri Erdmann, 15, Milwaukee, 24 June 1971

10130 W Appleton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53225 (Erdmann murder, 24 June 1971, Thursday)
Stabbed 50 times in the back and shoulders, arms tied with twine. She was found face down with her jersey sweater pulled up over her head. Partially clad. Sexually molested.

N56W13777 Silver Spring Dr, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 (Olkwitz murder, 3 Nov, 1966, Thursday)
Stabbed more than 106 times to the chest, neck and head. Found face down. She had at least 30 stab wounds in her head, neck and face, and 35 in rows down the sides of her back, where she had been stabbed repeatedly while on her stomach. There were defensive wounds on her arms and the back of her hands. Her nose had been broken. Diane was found with her knit dress pulled up between her legs and partly off her shoulders but her undergarments undisturbed. She had not been sexually assaulted.

10411 W Silver Spring Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53225 (Erdmann's residence at time of her murder)
W169-N8924 Hoyt Ave, Menomonee Falls, WI (Olkwitz' residence at time of her murder)

Google map shows residences and crime scenes of Olkwitz and Erdmann.
Google Maps

 

[Quoththeraven]

I know the employer's son was giving uncomfortable advances to Diane, and Diane was scared of her. He seems to be a valid suspect since he would have had access to the factory, explaining no forced entry. The family also corroborated his alibi, which seems valid but if he asked for them to cover for him, that would be very easy.

DNA from evidence collected at the scene, years later when DNA was used, was used to determine if it was from the son. The son had since died, was cremated and police couldn't find out where he was buried, so they got a court order to exhume his parents. The DNA didn't match either of them.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Olkwitz was stabbed more than 100 times at her workplace, a metal company in Menomonee Falls. Erdman, stabbed roughly 60 times, was found in a field on Milwaukee's northwest side. Police have worked for years to solve the case and may have cracked it.

A search warrant, unsealed Thursday, shows police dug up the body of a man who died in 2008 to gather his DNA for a possible connection to both cases.

In 1966, Menomonee Falls police sent a questionnaire to delivery companies with contracts to the metal company where Olkwitz worked.

"Company records show that you[r] company makes deliveries here, and we request your cooperation in answering the following questions and returning this paper to our department immediately," the questionnaire read. "Your cooperation will be of vital assistance in solving this crime."

Police used DNA from his brother, who died, and a son who voluntarily gave up his DNA, the warrant states. WISN 12 News Investigates knocked on that son's door Thursday evening, but he did not come to the door. Police say his DNA profile shows similarities to DNA found on a piece of clothing on one of the women and he may be his son.

A doctor gathered remains with DNA from the man who was dug up, and it was turned over to police. The warrant was filed on July 18 and was unsealed Thursday in Milwaukee County. Milwaukee police will not share if the DNA from the crimes matches the man dug up or any information relating to the case until next week.

Police dig up Milwaukee man's body to find connection to cold-case murders

The question of who killed two teenagers, five years apart, more than 50 years ago could soon be answered.

www.wisn.com

 

[arielilane]

Police name killer for murders of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz, 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann

Officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

www.jsonline.com

Updated 10.25.2023

More than 50 years after the murders of two young women, in 1966 and 1971, police say they know who killed them.

During a joint news conference Wednesday by the Menomonee Falls and Milwaukee police departments, officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

Police named Clarence Mark Tappendorf as the man responsible for the murders of both young women. Local, state and federal officials came to that conclusion through the use of DNA evidence and forensic genealogy.


Diane Olkwitz and Terri Lee Erdmann, Milwaukee Police Dept.

 

[othram]

A Half-Century Later, Diane Olkwitz's and Terri Erdmann's Killer is Identified

Wisconsin DOJ & FBI Leverage Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to Solve the Murders of Diane Olkwitz and Terri Erdmann

dnasolves.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Police identified Tappendorf as Olkwitz’s killer through forensic investigative genealogy. Officials said the case could not have been solved with this technology until recently.

Tappendorf died in 2008 at the age of 80.

“We’d like to thank Detective Bellows and his team for their hard work and dedication to solve Diane’s case,” said Debi Calliari, Diane Olkwitz’s sister who was 9 at the time of her murder.

“It’s a huge weight lifted off our shoulders, no more wondering who did it,” she said. “After 57 years, it’s a relief to be able to put this behind us and move forward with our lives.”

Police name killer for murders of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz, 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann

Officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

www.jsonline.com

 

[Richard]

Clarence Marcus Tappendorf​

BIRTH 16 Jul 1927 Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
DEATH 6 Jan 2008 (aged 80) Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
BURIAL Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
Block 49 Lot 240 Grave 3

Obituary at link:

Clarence Marcus Tappendorf (1927-2008) - Find a...

Tappendorf, C. Mark January 6, 2008. Age 80 years. Loving husband of 57 years to Joyce (nee Ludwig). Loving father of the late Mark (Linda) Tappendorf, Cheryl (Rick) Wesela, the late Patti Jo, Gary (the late Patty) Tappendorf, Keith (Christal) Tappendorf and Kim (Andy) Ohman. Survived by 6...

www.findagrave.com

 

[Teamir]

Would a moderator be able to mark this case Closed or Solved? Thank you!