FL FL - Erika Sukovich, 19, fatally shot, Odessa, Nov 1972

[Kathryn Sukovich DiPietro]

Erika Sukovich: The Unsolved Murder Of A 19-Year-Old Woman, Whose Body Was Found Behind Her Mobile Home - The Criminal Journal

She was not just a murder victim, she was my aunt. We were 3 years apart in age and I adored her. She played guitar and sang like an angel. She was religiously devout, but it didn't squelch her thirst for knowledge. She joined my brother, sister, and I in some great antics. I love you Erika and I have always missed you so much. What happened to you? Where do I start? Help?

 

[Lilibet]

Erika Sukovich: The Unsolved Murder Of A 19-Year-Old Woman, Whose Body Was Found Behind Her Mobile Home - The Criminal Journal

She was not just a murder victim, she was my aunt. We were 3 years apart in age and I adored her. She played guitar and sang like an angel. She was religiously devout, but it didn't squelch her thirst for knowledge. She joined my brother, sister, and I in some great antics. I love you Erika and I have always missed you so much. What happened to you? Where do I start? Help?

Welcome. I’m so sorry about your aunt. If I were you, I’d start by calling the number of the Hillsborough Sheriff’ Office Homicide Division listed in the article and ask to speak to someone about the case. Maybe your call will get them to look into it again with fresh eyes.

 

[anotherwestern]

In 1971, my great-aunt Erika Sukovich was murdered in Odessa, Florida. She was shot a total of 3 times, twice in the head and once in the back. At the time of the murder, her boyfriend, Charles Martin, was questioned. He was 6 years her senior. His alibi was that he was at work and the police had intentions to polygraph him. It is unclear if that ever occurred. Following the murder, my great-grandmother received treatment for psychosis and our family never fully recovered. My great-grandfather was never the same. The children of immigrants, they had already suffered due to poverty, alcoholism, and generational trauma. This just fueled the fire. My great-grandfather contended until his death that her boyfriend was responsible for her murder. Prior to her death, Erika spoke with my mother's sister, Kathryn, about a secret society that her and Charles were members of - "forward utopia." My aunt has no other information on this group aside from this mention. My great-grandfather also contacted Unsolved Mysteries prior to his death in 1985, to no avail. Some other important notes are their location: Odessa. It is near Venice, Florida where a utopian society exists and still exists (per my aunt). My great-grandparents never felt fully comfortable with Charles. I have photos of Erika and will link the news archives I find as I find them. Please help me solve this case, so my family can heal and generations in the future can heal. <3 Thanks in advance.

 

[anotherwestern]

In 1971, my great-aunt Erika Sukovich was murdered in Odessa, Florida. She was shot a total of 3 times, twice in the head and once in the back. At the time of the murder, her boyfriend, Charles Martin, was questioned. He was 6 years her senior. His alibi was that he was at work and the police had intentions to polygraph him. It is unclear if that ever occurred. Following the murder, my great-grandmother received treatment for psychosis and our family never fully recovered. My great-grandfather was never the same. The children of immigrants, they had already suffered due to poverty, alcoholism, and generational trauma. This just fueled the fire. My great-grandfather contended until his death that her boyfriend was responsible for her murder. Prior to her death, Erika spoke with my mother's sister, Kathryn, about a secret society that her and Charles were members of - "forward utopia." My aunt has no other information on this group aside from this mention. My great-grandfather also contacted Unsolved Mysteries prior to his death in 1985, to no avail. Some other important notes are their location: Odessa. It is near Venice, Florida where a utopian society exists and still exists (per my aunt). My great-grandparents never felt fully comfortable with Charles. I have photos of Erika and will link the news archives I find as I find them. Please help me solve this case, so my family can heal and generations in the future can heal. <3 Thanks in advance.

Sources:
Erika J. Sukovich (unknown-1972) - Find A Grave...

Erika Sukovich: The Unsolved Murder Of A 19-Year-Old Woman, Whose Body Was Found Behind Her Mobile Home - The Criminal Journal

Erika J. Sukovich, age 19

Erika J. Sukovich - Unsolved Homicide | HCSO, Tampa FL

 

[anotherwestern]

Primary sources

 

[anotherwestern]

Pictures of my great-aunt Erika <3

 

[Kathryn Sukovich DiPietro]

Thank you. I'll do it Monday! And thanks for helping with what happened to my aunt!

 

[Kathryn Sukovich DiPietro]

In 1971, my great-aunt Erika Sukovich was murdered in Odessa, Florida. She was shot a total of 3 times, twice in the head and once in the back. At the time of the murder, her boyfriend, Charles Martin, was questioned. He was 6 years her senior. His alibi was that he was at work and the police had intentions to polygraph him. It is unclear if that ever occurred. Following the murder, my great-grandmother received treatment for psychosis and our family never fully recovered. My great-grandfather was never the same. The children of immigrants, they had already suffered due to poverty, alcoholism, and generational trauma. This just fueled the fire. My great-grandfather contended until his death that her boyfriend was responsible for her murder. Prior to her death, Erika spoke with my mother's sister, Kathryn, about a secret society that her and Charles were members of - "forward utopia." My aunt has no other information on this group aside from this mention. My great-grandfather also contacted Unsolved Mysteries prior to his death in 1985, to no avail. Some other important notes are their location: Odessa. It is near Venice, Florida where a utopian society exists and still exists (per my aunt). My great-grandparents never felt fully comfortable with Charles. I have photos of Erika and will link the news archives I find as I find them. Please help me solve this case, so my family can heal and generations in the future can heal. <3 Thanks in advance.

In 1971, my great-aunt Erika Sukovich was murdered in Odessa, Florida. She was shot a total of 3 times, twice in the head and once in the back. At the time of the murder, her boyfriend, Charles Martin, was questioned. He was 6 years her senior. His alibi was that he was at work and the police had intentions to polygraph him. It is unclear if that ever occurred. Following the murder, my great-grandmother received treatment for psychosis and our family never fully recovered. My great-grandfather was never the same. The children of immigrants, they had already suffered due to poverty, alcoholism, and generational trauma. This just fueled the fire. My great-grandfather contended until his death that her boyfriend was responsible for her murder. Prior to her death, Erika spoke with my mother's sister, Kathryn, about a secret society that her and Charles were members of - "forward utopia." My aunt has no other information on this group aside from this mention. My great-grandfather also contacted Unsolved Mysteries prior to his death in 1985, to no avail. Some other important notes are their location: Odessa. It is near Venice, Florida where a utopian society exists and still exists (per my aunt). My great-grandparents never felt fully comfortable with Charles. I have photos of Erika and will link the news archives I find as I find them. Please help me solve this case, so my family can heal and generations in the future can heal. <3 Thanks in advance.

Another thing to consider in our healing. My grandmother and grandfather, Erika's parents had lost an infant many years before, when my father was 6. The infant was sick and I think my grandparents were living in a house that was not finished. It was in the dead of winter. My sweet grandma, Erika's mother, took this infants death hard, as she did Erika's. My grandmother was hospitalized and had shock therapy many times. Erika's death had to open these old wounds.

 

[Lilibet]

At the time of the murder, her boyfriend, Charles Martin, was questioned. He was 6 years her senior. His alibi was that he was at work and the police had intentions to polygraph him. It is unclear if that ever occurred.

It would be a good idea to ask the detective if there is any record of a polygraph. Also, ask if the police ever followed up on his alibi. He must have worked with others who would know if he was at work at the time of her death or had left early. Is Charles Martin still alive, do you know? We can’t sleuth him on Websleuths since he has not been name a POI (person of interest) or suspect by LE (law enforcement). Just wondering if anyone in your family kept track of him over the years.

I’m really so sorry for the effect this had on your family. You are also victims.

 

[anotherwestern]

It would be a good idea to ask the detective if there is any record of a polygraph. Also, ask if the police ever followed up on his alibi. He must have worked with others who would know if he was at work at the time of her death or had left early. Is Charles Martin still alive, do you know? We can’t sleuth him on Websleuths since he has not been name a POI (person of interest) or suspect by LE (law enforcement). Just wondering if anyone in your family kept track of him over the years.

I’m really so sorry for the effect this had on your family. You are also victims.

There are a couple of Charles Martins' that come up when I google him in Odessa. Our family did not stay in touch or keep up with his activities over the years.

 

[Lilibet]

There are a couple of Charles Martins' that come up when I google him in Odessa. Our family did not stay in touch or keep up with his activities over the years.

I can certainly understand that! He would be around 74 years old by now, maybe almost 75. Or dead.

One of the articles mentions that they moved from a trailer park to the 10 acre site of their trailer at the invitation of friends. I assume these friends were questioned along with the neighbors Martin called over for help. Perhaps they were one and the same. Another article refers to their trailer being in a trailer park, so I wonder if it was just acreage or an organized trailer park. If the latter, it was pretty bold to shoot her outdoors in the early afternoon. I’m a little suspicious of the friends/neighbors who would probably have known she was home alone. The wounds seem like she was trying to run away, except for the one in the top of her head, which could have been intended to make sure she was dead.

 

[Shade13]

Any update on this one?

 

[DS2021]

Bump