WI WI - Christine Rothschild, 18, Madison, 26 May 1968

[Winward1]

Anyone hear of this one? I've read a few things on the web hypothesizing about serial killers and the like but one of her friends believes she was killed by someone who worked on campus and had been stalking her. I believe he is still alive:

THE 1968 MURDER AT UW STILL STINGS KILLER OF WOMAN HAS NOT BEEN FOUND ... YET
GEORGE HESSELBERG ghesselberg@madison.com 608-252-6140 | Posted: Sunday, May 4, 2008

Four decades is a long time to be looking for someone who does not want to be found. It means that only one of you can be successful, either at hiding or finding. In the murder of Christine Rothschild, there is the added skill of remembering.

And to her friends and the few who remember her - the retired detectives, the aging professor, the surviving sister - Rothschild's murder might have been yesterday.

There are indications, however, that their patience has reached a limit. The trail of the murderer could not get any colder, unless the killer is dead, too.
On May 26, 1968, young, pretty, blonde, opinionated freshman Christine Rothschild was murdered on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, and her body was stuffed behind some bushes at Sterling Hall. Her death notice might have been in the Madison news weeks ago, so fresh and familiar and brutal are the details, so unsolved is the crime, so unresolved are the mysteries.

On the 40th anniversary of Rothschild's murder, her college friend, Linda Schulko, has arranged for a small group of interested, otherwise disparate parties to gather at 11 a.m. on the campus May 26 for a short ceremony.
"There will be several speakers and a program and a concert from the carillon bell tower," said Schulko, who was a student from Milwaukee, living in Witte Hall, when her friend was murdered.


<MODSNIP>

http://host.madison.com/news/local/...cle_3fc2cd42-23f4-5250-8872-34ed7e04da4c.html

 

[Ausgirl]

I was only reading this the other day.

We need more classroomsful of kids like that!

I was wondering, since it isn't mentioned anywhere that I can find, whether Christine was sexually assaulted?

 

[Winward1]

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 hankerchief. 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.

 

[Ausgirl]

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.

From what's written here, so do I.

The lack of sexual assault, the hanky laid under her head -- that says to me this was an act of personal anger, punishment, and not a random passerby. "Look what you made me do." type of thing. First thing I'd look for is the unrequited suitor, or the jealous friend. More likely the former, since it was a man's hanky (though I can't count out that it was maybe planted). More likely somebody who knew her habits, in that case - someone on campus.

I'd thought Christine, being a model and smart, would be the type to attract jealousy from her peers, and asked about rape thinking if she wasn't, then perhaps somewhere to look is the relationships with fellow students. But wow, this guy fits the bill of unrequited suitor alright. I'll bet you a buck he took a souvenir.

A guy with a chip that big on his shoulder's not likely to react well in other situations. It makes me ill to think of somebody capable of this enjoying a career where woman are by default made vulnerable to him.

Having his name, it's possible to track his movements, which I dare say Linda has tried to. If the variations of name are known at all, I'd be happy to help wade through relevant area crimes.

I wonder if there's any other odd cases in his wake? Male and female both.

 

[OldSteve]

Wow Windward1, that's some account, and one that is most interesting!
Sorry about your friend Christine - you are a really good friend!

This sounds like a great case for a TV show like Dateline or an ID Discovery show to cover. That would get allot of attention.

Last night I watched new ID show, Dark Minds, about the Connecticut Valley Serial Killer who stabbed his victims (some 30 or more time) to death but did not do anything sexual to them. The show's profiling of who would do this indicated the stabbing was a form of sexual attack.

Relating what I saw on the TV show to Christine's attacker I would think the person who did this would have a history of doing things like this.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Christ Scientist Church
Isn't that the same church religion that Valerie Percy Murder Family or father belonged to??

 

[Winward1]

It is the same religion and, in fact, Christine's friend thinks Christine went up to the same Church in Wilmette as the Percy's attended, but it would have taken some doing because Christine lived in the city near Loyola U at the time and there was a closer suburban Christian Science church in Evanston at the time. I have a friend I can ask, who went to the Percy's church, but I'm going to hold off until Christine's friend thinks about it some more.

 

[Winward1]

Some more info:

http://www.surroundedbyreality.com/Misc/Crimes/CRMurder.asp

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Some more info:

http://www.surroundedbyreality.com/Misc/Crimes/CRMurder.asp

I am not really subscribing to a possible capital city murders connection. But she does remind me of being connected to the senators daughter, but not implying there is a connection, Just that is what seeing her picture for the first time reminded me of.
Thanks for posting the link, it was helpful.

 

[bessie]

We have a thread in the Serial Killer forum for the University of Wisconsin cold case murders.

WI - Serial Killer From 1968 Until ? - Page 8 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

I also wonder if Mary Ellen Kaldenberg's case in Kenosha, and the murders of two young women in Pewaukee a few months later are related to the Madison murders.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150642&highlight=kenosha

 

[Winward1]

Hi Old Steve, Christine was not my friend. Her friend was Linda, who I heard about the case from.

 

[wv171]

Winward 1 You done a wonderful job putting this case into our cold case files .

Just by reading this I am with you I think the good ole Dr. got some explaining to do. Alive or Dead.

Quote from Winward 1

"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."

Be wonderfull if 1 of them police remember a name

I am only now going look into serial killer link provided.. Hankerchief is a excuse my wording But a dead give away this was a very personal crime. Appears to me somebody know her and care for her very much to took that time out to do that..

Coming up on 44 years. After that many years myself I be more than glad to ask for little bit of help on a case or anything else I was working on for that many years..

I understand to, Them was some wild and crazy years due to protest of Vietnam War and public people being killed by lone gunmen. Lot of police dept's was not ready for that huge load of work drop upon them. Plus this happen right in middle of it..

But this case I feel deserve to be put back on the main hot burner. Or atleast turn it over to Vidocq Society of Philadelphia or it's my understanding there quiet a few of these type clubs spring up in whole lot of area's by retired policemen all over the US.. They might not use that same name but there end goal is the very same.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

It is the same religion and, in fact, Christine's friend thinks Christine went up to the same Church in Wilmette as the Percy's attended, but it would have taken some doing because Christine lived in the city near Loyola U at the time and there was a closer suburban Christian Science church in Evanston at the time. I have a friend I can ask, who went to the Percy's church, but I'm going to hold off until Christine's friend thinks about it some more.

Waiting for your answer.
Thank-you for posting.
​

 

[Winward1]

I checked with a friend who went there at the time and has no memory of Christine there. I find the claim implausible and there's no evidence to support it.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

I checked with a friend who went there at the time and has no memory of Christine there. I find the claim implausible and there's no evidence to support it.

Whether she did or didn't does not change the fact they knew each other
and belonged to the same church. If we find one more, that would fit a pattern being three, instead of coincidence with the two.
Just something to keep an eye out for while searching.
​

 

[Winward1]

I don't think they knew each other.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

I don't think they knew each other.

Just thinking outside the box.

Yes perhaps that is so. But it does not mean the killer did-not know the both of them. Perhaps someone whom worked for t5his church religion there job with this religion took them to other areas and churches for church business, and this is how he/she/they knew selected there victims. that is why i was looking for a third victim that belong to this church religion regardless if inside or outside the area.
​

 

[Winward1]

True. I think the Percy killer was local. We may never know, either way.

 

[bessie]

More on this case from the victim's friend, Linda:

FYI: NJ 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 NJ was never interviewed.

Although not named in these articles, it seems the doctor was questioned a couple of times. Unless there was another POI in New York.

Hunt surgeon for quizzing in coed death

Milwaukee Journal
September 18, 1968
Officials are planning to question a University of Wisconsin surgeon...
The surgeon reportedly did not show up for surgery at the hospital on the morning of the slaying.

Man questioned in coed slaying

Milwaukee Journal
September 20, 1968
A man wanted for questioning...was questioned for four hours.
...the former Madison man whom they found "somewhere out east".

New Jersey man questioned in UW slaying

Milwaukee Journal
March 4, 1970
...a Princeton (N.Y.) man was being questioned in the unsolved 1968 death of coed Christine Rothschild.

 

[Pink Panther]

A couple of interesting articles&#8230;A class at the UWO seems to have tracked down the "surgeon" and interviewed him:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...udents-investigate-cold-cases/article4193018/

http://communications.uwo.ca/wester..._up_cold_cases_with_student_society-lite.html

http://books.google.ca/books?id=cEy...AjgU#v=onepage&q=Christine Rothschild&f=false


Linda's suspect died February 16, 2013.