IL IL - Debbie Fijan, 10, DuPage County, 11 Feb 1966 - #2

[Luckymanuh]

I just feel DPCS doesn't want to spend the money in DNA test for some of these old cases. Or maybe they have and no hit in CODUS so their job is done. Just is so frustrating.

 

[Cubby]

It wasn't confirmed publicly that DNA was entered into CODIS in Kristy Wesselman's case. It wasn't until there was a match leading to an arrest that DNA info was made public.

In Debbie's case, if DNA were available and there was no match it would make sense prior POI's could be cleared of possible involvement. That could get leaked to the public. That no one has been cleared in this case leads me to believe it is possible there might be some forensic evidence, but not enough for a conviction at trial.

There is a big difference between what LE knows and what LE can prove in court. I have no doubt there are plenty of cases out there were LE knows what happened, they just can't prove it in court.

 

[Cubby]

There were three POI's with white cars, I would like to know if all three cars were processed or just LS's car.

 

[Luckymanuh]

I would like to know who all three were.

 

[Luckymanuh]

I just keep hoping with Kristy's case solved that it would shed light on other cold cases and light a fire under LE butts.

 

[Cubby]

I would like to know who all three were.

We know who all three were, it was posted somewhere in the 1st thread. LS, the school janitor, and the neighbor AV who found her. Because AV found her, I can't rule him out in my mind. I wish we knew how long after he started searching did he find her? And, were the fibers on Debbie's boots compared to fibers from all three vehicles?

We don't know what results were found based on the tire impressions, or if those casts from the tire impressions still exist.

I tend to dismiss the possibility of AV being responsible because there is no possible motive, With LS, imo, motive would have been to keep his 'shameful' addiction secret. Stab wounds to Debbie's eyes were personal, and that points to the increased possibility the perp was enraged over something Debbie saw.

What ever happened to the forensics on the burnt clothing? Were the stains blood or something else?

And why did LS lie about driving down Lies Rd. to police when asked about his route home?

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1966/02/16/page/1/article/weve-got-our-man-sheriff-says/


ETA the above link mentions the three white vehicles.

 

[Luckymanuh]

I missed the janitor but I have always felt that Richard Macek should be a suspect being he was known to stab his victims eyes and had killed Sally Kandel while riding her bike in Carol Stream off Lies Road 6 years later in a cornfield. He had a white car also.

 

[Cubby]

It would be nice to know if Richard Macek's DNA was in Codis if for no other reason than to close some of these older cases.

 

[Luckymanuh]

From what I know of Macek the murders he committed....i highly doubt it. To me he was like untouchable except for the ones convicted of.

 

[Kayo - 55]

To this day, the issue with Debbie's boots has been bothersome and disturbing - see/refer to "A Newspaperman's View", by Fred Graham (Villanova Law Review, Vol. 11: p. 677); "New Slaying Clue Found", "match girl's boot print in coach's car, wife bars police from home". "He (LS) says his wife wears boots like Debbie wore, said Hopf". Since when are boot sizes for a 10 yr. old girl the same size as a >25 yr. old woman (a.k.a. MAS). Sadly, this evidence was not allowed since: "newspaper publications by a lawyer as to pending or anticipated litigation may interfere with a fair trial in the courts and otherwise prejudice the due administration of justice. Generally, they are to be condemned". As Bart Simpson would say: "what a load of crappy, crap, crap".

 

[Luckymanuh]

That is unbelievable. Could they not get a warrant to search house if boot print found?

 

[Cubby]

On the first thread I saw that shadowangel asked how come it took the grand jury so long to make a decision. I hope this helps a bit.

In an article from the Chicago Tribune (March 19, 1966) IL state police lab tech stated that the fibers from Debbie's boots did not match the fibers from the mat in LS's car... they were "entirely different".

This was during the preliminary hearing. Hopf called on seven witnesses on Friday, March 18th and planned to call three more witnesses when the hearing continued on Monday the 21st.

The Grand Jury was on April 25th and a decision was made farily quickly. I can't find the article right now but a decision was made within a day or two.

Bump. It appears they did test the fibers, I'm not following where this info wasn't allowed to be presented to the GJ.

I'm trying to find the link for this article.

 

[Cubby]

Not the article I was looking for but adding the link anyway.

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1966/02/17/page/1/article/match-boot-print-in-car-to-slain-girl

 

[Kayo - 55]

This is the site regarding Debbie's boots. It was discussed/compared to a very well known trial - Dr. Sam Sheppard.

http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/vlr/vol11/iss4/2

 

[Kayo - 55]

I'm sure all of you know, but if interested, click on the above and then click on download for article. The article speaks specifically to DF's boots, and why this evidence wasn't admissible. REALLY?? Very sad.

 

[Kayo - 55]

A friend of mine recently told me about another cold case in Wisconsin that was just solved. The case was greater than 15 yrs. old. The fact that Illinois's finances are such a mess gives me little hope that Debbie's case will ever get solved. It's going to take quite a bit to convince me that Debbie's investigation from the start was not a "cover-up". DPC is fearful of litigation - as they should be.

 

[Jim_M]

The link from page 1 was moved. It appears the Sheriff's office got their own page:

http://www.dupagesheriff.org/VictimServices/152/

Debbie is the third case down on the page.

If someone wants to fix that link, and delete this post, please feel free.

 

[Kayo - 55]

Thinking of you today Debbie, which would have been your 62nd(?) birthday. You remain in my heart, and I continue to pray for your brothers, sisters, and their families.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Thinking of you today Debbie, which would have been your 62nd(?) birthday. You remain in my heart, and I continue to pray for your brothers, sisters, and their families.

Very nice of you Kayo55. What a shame to think her murder may never be solved.

 

[Kayo - 55]

"Disgraced" Archbishop Bernard Law (d.o.b. 11/04/31 - d.o.d. 12/20/17). When I heard the news earlier today I wondered what, if anything, LS might be thinking about this. LS and Archbishop BL were at the Pontifical College Josephinium (Worthington, Ohio) at the same time (early 1960's); although, LS left the seminary to attend Quincy University in Illinois before teaching at Benjamin. What effect, if any, did Bernard L. have on LS?? Is it possible that the paths of BL and LS ever crossed?? Is LS thinking about Debbie today?? More importantly, is it now possible that ANYONE with any "skeletons in the closet" might come forward with anything that could help solve Debbie's unsolved case? Highly unlikely and improbable, but the thought crossed my mind when I heard this news about BL.