IL IL - Maria Ridulph, 7, Sycamore, 3 Dec 1957

[Gunther Toody]

This almost smells of coverup...especially in light of this.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and prosecutors from nine Illinois counties have declined to look into the allegations, which arose last year after McCullough’s conviction was vacated in the 1957 murder of Maria Ridulph, 7, of Sycamore.

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2017...ack-of-prosecutor-in-mccullough-case/a23g0dm/

 

[dotr]

April 12 2017
http://myfox8.com/2017/04/12/man-wrongfully-convicted-in-1957-cold-case-murder-declared-innocent/

[h=1]Man wrongfully convicted in 1957 cold case murder declared innocent[/h]

SYCAMORE, Ill. — Jack McCullough is innocent of the 1957 kidnapping and murder of a little girl and never should have been convicted, a judge ruled Wednesday.

By granting the 77-year-old military veteran a certificate of innocence, Judge William Brady cleared McCullough’s name for good. The decision also returned the killing of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph in Sycamore — the coldest murder case ever tried — to the unsolved case files.

“I’m innocent and I didn’t want there to be any doubt,” McCullough said, explaining why he asked the court to declare him innocent. “What was done to me was criminal. They knew I was innocent and they put me in prison anyway.”

His status as a former police officer convicted of killing a child made him a target behind bars, he said.

“When you put a policeman who is a convicted child killer in prison, you don’t have a life. Your life is in danger every second that you’re in prison. I’m lucky to have survived prison.”

 

[dotr]

Very lengthy, detailed article, includes video.

Can a childhood memory solve the 1957 murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph?

This story first aired on March 9, 2013. It was updated on June 3, 2017]December 3, 1957. It was the day that changed Kathy [Sigman] Chapman's life forever.
Chapman was just 8 years old that December and like nearly every child in Sycamore, Ill., she couldn't wait for the first snowfall. Chuck Ridulph, then 11 years old, remembers his little sister, 7-year-old Maria, rushing out to play with Kathy around 6 p.m., just as flurries and the dark night settled over the idyllic Midwestern town.
"Today, I'm sure a lot of parents ... are sayin', 'How could that young girl have been out after dark on that corner?' Well, this was a norm," Chuck Ridulph explained.

Maria Ridulph, left and her friend, Kathy Chapman

No one ever locked doors in Sycamore or thought twice about letting little girls out to play a game they called "duck the cars."
"We would go around the pole until a car would come up the street and then ... you had to ... get behind [a] tree before the car lights hit you," Chapman said, smiling at the memory.
Retired Sycamore Police Lieutenant Patrick Solar has studied the cold case extensively.
"The unknown subject would've approached from ...south on ... Center Cross Street. Probably had a vehicle parked on the road. He may have gone by and seen the girls playing," said Solar.
"Had you ever seen him?" Moriarty asked Kathy.
"I had ... never see him before," she replied. "Not at all."
"And were you nervous at all with someone walking up towards you?"
"No ... we didn't even think twice about it," Chapman explained. "He stopped to talk to us ... told us that his name, his name was Johnny. ... Maria took the piggyback ride and he went maybe 20 feet away with her and then ... came back, and asked if we liked dolls. ... And Maria went home to get a doll.
"She went home and brought her doll back. And I said I was gonna go home and get my mittens. I was cold," Chapman continued. "I left both of them standing there on the corner ... and when I got back they were gone. ...No sign of her doll, no sign of her, no sign of anybody."
"Kathy came to the door and asked if Maria was there. I didn't think anything of it. I just said, 'No, she's still outside,'" Chuck Ridulph recalled. "It was a few minutes later -- she came back. 'I can't find Maria.'"
48 Hours Segment Extras Were piggyback rides the pattern of Maria Ridulph's killer?

rbbm.

In April 2017, Judge Bradley officially declared Jack McCullough innocent of Maria's murder. But McCullough will be tied up in court for years because he has filed a federal lawsuit against numerous Illinois state and local authorities for wrongful conviction.
While sadly, one of the nation's oldest cold cases … is cold again.

Maria Ridulph's case is now a reopened and active investigation being conducted by the Illinois State Police.

 

[sk999]

dotr,

This is my first post to websleuths, although I have been following this story for a little over a year and have been doing a little investigating on my own.

Thanks very much for the link to the updated article and particularly for the link to the interview with Pam Smith Long r.e. that piggyback ride all those many years ago. I had missed that one. One problem with these interviews is that much is left out, and in this case, the parts left out raise serious questions.

In the interview, Pam refers to the person who gave her a piggyback ride as "Johnny" four times. Pam was originally interviewed by Brion Hanley and Larry Kot on July 26, 2011. Larry Kot's handwritten notes can be found in SAO-3789 (available at Casey Porter's website.) Here is what was written at the top of the page:

"Commando 1950 2 Door Green Oldsmobile Ill. Reg. 3-070-398 Wore fatigues"

Where did this Larry get this information, and why is he interested in someone named Commando rather than Johnny? When Pam originally called Clay Campbell's hotline, what did she say? Unfortunately we do not know. However, take a look at post #1 on this very websleuths discussion thread. The following was posted to the doenetwork website but originally came from the Harrisburg Daily Register, Dec 5, 1957 (two days after the abduction):

"High on the list of those wanted for questioning was a 21 year old Sycamore man, recently discharged from the Air Force. The man, known as 'Commando,' left Wednesday morning with a companion on a trip to Miami, Florida. Police Chief William Hindenburg said 'Commando' had given piggy back rides to children. Authorities said "Commando" was driving a 1950 two-door green Oldsmobile with Illinois license plates 3-070-398, and was believed to have taken U. S. 41 to Florida."

Is this John Tessier? No. Tessier was only 18, and he drove a Plymouth, not an Oldsmobile. Who was it, then? The article doesn't say, but SAO-1785 provides the missing link:

"Detective TALLMAN, upon consent of IRVIN EUGENE SHOTT, examined SHOTT's 1951 [two door] Oldmobile, described as two tone green, light bottom, dark top, bearing 1957 Illinois license tag 3070398 ..."

Shott had just driven from Sycamore to Florida with his friend Arlis Davis. He was a strong suspect (much stronger than Tessier) but, unlike McCullough, is currently dead and thus safe. Where did Shott live in Sycamore? 225 Ellen Street, about 2 blocks from Pam Smith's house. Was Pam confusing Shott with Tessier?

 

[dotr]

Welcome to Ws sk999!
Glad you chimed in , i am not very familiar with this case.
Thinking that kids can sometimes misunderstand / hear a name incorrectly and of course, a perp can give any fake generic name he pleases.imo.

 

[sk999]

dotr,

Hello, and thanks for responding. I suspect you and I are approaching this case from different directions. However, you hit another nail on the head:

"a perp can give any fake generic name he pleases.imo."

Precisely. Yet, the position of the Illinois State Police (Hanley and Kot) and the DeKalb county prosector at that time (Clay Campbell) was that the perp did NOT give a generic name but rather gave his true name (Johnny), yet lied about everything else. Huh????

(BTW, yes, he DID sign the photograph of himself with Jan Edwards with the words "Love, Johnny".)

 

[youngsters]

Awhile ago the Sycamore Police Department received a letter, in the letter it stated the person knew who kidnapped Maria and that it was not Jack McCullough. I wonder if they are still investigating who wrote the letter. It makes me sad that Maria's case is now once again unsolved and nobody knows who killed this little girl. There is no justice for the family of Maria because her killer has not been caught, even if they catch him one day there still wouldn't be any justice or if they caught him in 1958 and executed this Johnny still no full justice as Maria was killed aged 7, nothing will bring this child back. I get very sad about her case we see this beautiful, bright and happy 7 year old child in all these photos of her and some sick person who feels a sick urge to molest and rape children decides to kidnap, molest/rape a little 7 year old girl. Some people are F$$ked up!!!

 

[youngsters]

Maria's Brother Charles has a FB page of his book.

https://www.facebook.com/theimpactbycridulph/

 

[youngsters]

this makes mead reading this, the pain the parents went through. This is a type questions that Maria's mother wrote to the kidnapper i think she read this on radio or tv as they don't know who kidnapped their little daughter. People are so evil to harm children.

Maria's parents never have forgotten their little daughter, her parents never forgive the evil person who took her away her mother mentioned that she never can forgive her little girl's abductor (read this from Charles Ridulph book, Maria's older brother), I read fom a article of Charles Ridulph he mentioned just days before his mother Frances passed at the age of 94, she saw a vision of Maria happily in heaven waiting for her, Frances died in peace knowing she will finally be reunited with her baby daughter.

source: Footsteps in the snow 2014 documentary on LTM

 

[youngsters]

I like to point out that these two little girls age 7 and 8 yrs old should not have been outside when it was dark.

Back in the 1950s it was normal for children to play outside by themselves by not a night time or when its getting dark outside. To people who grew up in the 50s as children i bet you wasnt allowed to play outside when it was getting dark.

I dont want to blame the parents as they didnt know the dangers they let their kids out as Maria and Kathy were excited playing in the snow so they just gave in to their children wanting to play.

You may think why was Maria kidnapped and not other children playing outside by themselves. The reason is pretty simple no kidnapper is going to kidnap a child in the middle of the day when everyone is outside, people walking around, workers like delivery people out and about, and a bunch of children playing all together, and kidnapping a yong child that happens to be a screamer in front of everyone. No this doesnt happen.

Children gets abducted when no one is around it maybe a quiet street a child waking home by themselves where no one is around and throws the child into their car.

In Maria’s case this was when it was dark outside. A child abductor took his perfect chance as there wasnt anyone around looking after the kids and no one was around and it was dark. He decided to gain the trust of the children by giving piggyback rides to Maria and asking for her doll. The reason why he may not have kidnapped Kathy because she refused to go with him for a ride and didn't want piggyback ride, if he just took kathy for a piggyback ride and put her in his car this Johnny kidnapper was scared the little girl may have screamed and yelled out for which could of alerted the neighbors across street or passing on going cars. So he decided not to kidnapped Kathy as his scared she make a scene as she refused to get any piggyback rides or go with him.

Maria was a much more trusting child, and when kathy went home to get mittens for her hands. I believe he tired the same thing with Maria. Maybe he took Maria for another piggyback ride now kathy is gone of to get her mittens, he took the little girl in a much quieter place like a alley. But Maria is a nervous little girl and can get scared very quickly, Maria got scared because he took her futher away to a more darker place in a alleyway, so Maria starts to scream or cry. He then tried to cover the child's mouth to restrain her, then quickly acted and throw her in his car. He couldn't go back for Kathy as he is currently dealing with a screaming little girl in his car. Then drive off with the child in his car.

I think the situation is as simple as that.
The motion of the kidnapper i believe he this Johnny was a pedophile whos sexually attracted towards young children. This is evidence when Kathy was interviewed she said when Maria was getting her doll from home, he touched her on her thigh and said she was pretty, and asked if she like a ride in his car. Also noted he mentioned to the kids he was not married... saying this to a 7 and 8 yrs olds, a sign he was metally challenge why would you say stuff like this to young children.

When reading the fbi files A neighbor from across the street saw two young children playing by themselves. And thought they were too young to be playing outside with no adult supervision.
The neighbor saw another figure next to the two children. The figure talking to the children appeared to be a adult. It was so dark outside The neighbor can only see silhouettes of the two children and a silhouette of the adult playing with the children. The neighbor couldnt reconzise who the adult was with the kids as she never saw that person before but maybe throught it was a relative to the children.

 

[sk999]

Here's a rather stunning development. Several months ago (April 14, 2017 to be exact), McCullough filed a lawsuit against several of the people involved in getting him arrested and convicted. One of them was Irene Lau, the Seattle police detective who interviewed him and later testified at the trial that he had described Maria as being "lovely, lovely, lovely," indicating that he was obsessed with her. Before the trial, Julie Trevarthen had told the court that this interview happened "in another room and the tape is not running" - i.e., there was no recording of it (Aug 14, 2012).

Lau's attorney has now filed a motion (North. IL District, case 3:17-cv-50116, docket #65) basically admitting that Trevarthen and Lau both lied to the court, just as McCullough contended. In the following, "Plaintiff" is McCullough and "Defendant" is Lau. First, admissions regarding Trevarthen:

"Plaintiff was interrogated by Defendant Lau as part of a polygraph pre-interview. This interrogation WAS video recorded."

"... Assistant State's Attorney Julie Trevarthen represented to the Court that the interrogation WAS NOT videotaped."

I.E., Trevarthen lied. Next, admissions regarding Lau:

"Defendant Lau testified on September 10, 2012, testifying in part that Plaintiff had said during the interrogation that Maria Ridulph was 'lovely lovely lovely.'"

"The video indicates that Plaintiff did NOT state that Maria Ridulph was 'lovely lovely lovely,' contradicting Defendant Lau's trial testimony."

Good grief! When you have police detectives and state's attorneys lying left and right, it is no wonder McCullough had no chance to prove his innocence.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

 

[alexwood]

The only thing rotten, in my opinion, is him.

 

[sk999]

The only thing rotten, in my opinion, is him.

Do you have positive evidence? If so, please provide. Otherwise, your OPINION, in your own words, is ROTTEN.

 

[kemo]

I am not arguing for a second that McCullough is a wonderful human being. He does, however, appear to be factually innocent of this crime and there is reason to suspect that improper actions were taken by the DA and some LE representatives who were involved in the prosecution of McCullough. From what I can tell State Attorney Clay Campbell anticipated a rough re-election so he figured that a high profile conviction on a 50 year old Cold case would assure his re-election. That was probably the reason ethical and legal boundaries were crossed.

Apparently, in DeKalb county, public opinion is still running strongly against McCullough. People don't like the idea that someone who a convicted Sexual predator and accused rapist should have been given a cash settlement and otherwise treated as a victim. It is unclear if people still believe he actually killed Maria.

 

[sk999]

Kemo,

Thanks for your insights. With all due apologies to the citizens of DeKalb County, Jack deserves his money, not withstanding that a piece of it will come out of my pocket. Guess I will have to recover it from Clay Campbell - somehow.

On another note, Youngsters pointed out that Charles Ridulph has a website:

https://www.facebook.com/theimpactbycridulph/

What a basket case! He seems to want everyone to think, "I'm OK", but in reality he is consumed with the belief that McCullough is the one who did it, and how terrible it is that he had been let go! Ridulph will never find peace until he comes to grips with the fact that McCullough was thoroughly investigated by the FBI in 1957 and cleared, and, in spite of his whacky ideas to the contrary (along with the lies and fabrications of the ISP and the DeKalb County prosecution), nothing has changed since.

 

[youngsters]

sk999, you can't blame the brother Charles. Imagine losing a young sibling who was only 7 years old, even if one day Charles starts to believe Jack wasn't the kidnapper he won't ever find peace even if the real killer has been caught. Maria was a little girl who's life was taken away from her at 7 YEARS OLD, there will always be pain because a child's death dying so young. I'm not related to the family but i find it very sad when young children die.

here is a examination report of the child's body.View attachment sao-4154-4183.pdf
and interviews with Maria's parents, her siblings, neighbors during 1957.
And FBI report dated 1957-1958.

just click on the links below or copy and paste into browser.
http://docdro.id/qBmayhe
http://docdro.id/2AI5Pnu

 

[sk999]

Youngsters,

As you are well aware, this story has become much bigger than simply that of a child dying young. I have download the entire discovery file in the case of Jack McCullough, but it seems that you have access to materials that I do not. Your link - http://docdro.id/qBmayhe - goes to materials that, in my copy of the files, are labeled SAO-2526 through SAO-2629. The pages at your link do not have any SAO numbers written on them. Can you tell us where you obtained them?

 

[youngsters]

sk999 yes its exactly about the death about a young child dying, i am doing a lot of research on the case and hoping to get it solved one day. Forget about the rape case of the teenage girl and forget about feeling sorry about Jack McCullough the real victim is this 7 year old little girl.

Enjoy reading the documents, the documents of the family report is very sad. What the parents and her family went through when losing their little child.

 

[youngsters]

Reading the FBI reports of the interviews with the family, the parents didn't get along together at all and both blamed each other for Maria's abduction. The father 'Michael' blamed his wife "Frances' for letting Maria play outside unsupervised and the mother blamed her husband for not calling the police as soon as she was missing thinking if they went straight to the police she might have been found in time as they waited around an hour looking for her then they went to the police.

 

[sk999]

In 1957, Kathy Sigman identified three individuals who resembled "Johnny": William Crego, William Alton White, and Thomas Rivard. Kathy actually siad that Rivard was identical to Johnny, and her father Bud noted that another person, William Hegwood, who used to live in Sycamore, could have passed as Rivard's twin. Here is a compositie description of all those people:

Height: 5' 4" to 5' 7"
Weight: 125-156
Age: 28-35
Hair: Dark blond to light brown, wavy, medium to long, bushy.
Eyes: Blue

Kathy was not the only person to see "Johnny" - Mrs. Stanley Wells also saw him through the front window of her house. She also provided a description: height 5' 5" or 5' 6", weight 160. The height and weight were within or on the edge of the range of the individuals identified by Kathy.

Three other individuals have been identified since then as possibly being "Johnny". Let's see how the descriptions compare:

William Redmond:
Height: 5'10"
Age: 37
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Hands: Little fingers crippled in that they were bent out from the hand
and enlarged.

Johnny Hilburn:
Height: 5'9"
Age: 28
Weight: 145
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue

John Tessier:
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 142
Age: 18
Hair: Blond, wavy
Eyes: Blue

What can we conclude? Redmond and Hiburn were a bit too tall. Redmond's fingers were deformed, and would think that Kathy would have noticed them. Tessier was too tall by about 5" and too young by at least 10 years.

It seems unlikely that the perpetrator will ever be identified, but Kathy and Mrs. Wells did leave behind clues that could help narrow the range of possibilities.