I was told by one of the detectives that what this witness saw occurred as he drove through the intersection of Fair Oaks and St. Charles. I don't know if there was a stop sign at the intersection at the time or not, but there is a limited amount of what could be seen down a street during the few seconds it takes to cross an intersection.
IL IL - Debbie Fijan, 10, murdered, DuPage Co, 11 Feb 1966 #3
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I was told by one of the detectives that what this witness saw occurred as he drove through the intersection of Fair Oaks and St. Charles. I don't know if there was a stop sign at the intersection at the time or not, but there is a limited amount of what could be seen down a street during the few seconds it takes to cross an intersection.
On one hand if LS knew the older students left just prior to his leaving, and he knew the route they walked home, that could explain his evasiveness about his route home. What was their route home and did they recall seeing LS pass them on their way home?
On the other hand, I wonder if LS was somewhere on the autism spectrum, which could explain his strange behavior. I have to consider all possibilities.
On the other hand, I wonder if LS was somewhere on the autism spectrum, which could explain his strange behavior. I have to consider all possibilities.
No matter how brief the sighting, and perhaps poor the lighting conditions, given they believed they had a witness who saw a prime suspect, and possibly his car, they would have been negligent had they done anything short of putting him under hypnosis even if just to get guesses on things like hair color, age, car make and model.
IIRC there was several hundred feet between the intersection and the spot the white car was parked. I don't know how much detail someone would have if something seen for 10 seconds or so at most several hundred feet away at dusk.
Which leads me to now wonder if the car was actually white? Car colors can look very different based on light, or lack of light
LS was not the BB coach. Did the Chicago Trib., etc. report it that way over the years?? There was another teacher who will remain nameless, that was the BB coach. I don't recall LS "hanging around for BB games", so waiting around after school on 02/11/1966 if the perp? I don't recall LS being a "sports guy". Yes, Debbie was timekeeper for the games as most of you know.
Doesn't matter. If they believed they had a witness who saw a prime suspect it was their duty to do everything possible to develop the lead even if the witness wasn't sure about certain things. They put in the the report whatever they can get as they don't know, come the next day, if another witness might turn up who might confirm something the other person saw. White is not a color.
Thank you Cubby. If I recall, LS died in Rockford(?). Most likely at St. Anthony Hospital/Medical Center if at a hospital. Since EKleinS, MAS, and Joanna had already been buried in Genoa, maybe plots for LS and MAS had been previously purchased before they moved or where in KC. MAS "left the Church". Records indicate that would have been when she was in the KC area. Interesting that LS ended up in Rockford in 2018. More "anonymity" vs. Genoa? Someone (Priest) that may have known LS from years ago (i.e. "last rites", confession(s), etc.). I can also completely understand, depending upon LS's illness, that he and his family just wanted him to have/get the care he may have needed from an area with 3 major hospitals, vs. some of the care he couldn't get in Genoa, DeKalb, etc. ALL pure speculation on my part.
Try and visualize the farmland at Lies & Fair Oaks to be about 650 feet x 650 feet, if that helps. I had submitted 2 different FOIA requests through the DPCFP and DPC Recorder of Deeds. The right of way/easement along both Lies & FO is about 15 - 20 feet wide, with bike paths, and is not part of the 10 acres. DPC Recorder of Deeds provided the parcel #'s, property size, current owner of the existing farmland, deed information, etc. for both the farmland and CCC Church. CCC Church property is about the same size (9-10 acres) as the farmland at the corner of Lies & FO. Both of these properties, as previously posted, had been in the George Klein family since the 1850'/60's. In an interest of a possible small temporary "memorial", DPCSD provided the exact location of where Debbie's body was found. DPCFP, Carol Stream, & Wayne Township would not allow any permanent markers (i.e. bench, landscape boulder, signage, etc.).where Debbie's body was found, since that would have been in the right of way. The current owner of the farmland did not respond to any requests.
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Maryanne Schofield
Maryanne Schofield, 65, of Kansas City, Missouri formerly of Genoa, Illinois died Monday, July 15, 2002 at her home. She was born April 3, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Francis D. and Rose Mary (Appel) Schulgen. Maryanne retired from the Northern Illinois University Law Library. She was a member of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Genoa.
Survivors include her husband, Loren Schofield of Kansas City, MO; a son, Matthew (Linda) Schofield of Loveland, CO; three daughters, Martha Schofield of Kansas City, MO, Roseanne Schofield of Kingston, IL and Victoria (Kenneth) Neal of Kansas City, MO; two grandchildren, Arianna and James Neal; two brothers, Frank Smith of Beaver Dam, WI and Marvin (Mary Kay) Schulgen of Lombard, IL; a sister, Agnes (John) Schofield of Mineral, IL and a nephew, Kevin Schulgen of Lombard, IL.
Read more: ILLINOIS - Kane County Obituary Collection - 223
Maryanne Schofield, 65, of Kansas City, Missouri formerly of Genoa, Illinois died Monday, July 15, 2002 at her home. She was born April 3, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Francis D. and Rose Mary (Appel) Schulgen. Maryanne retired from the Northern Illinois University Law Library. She was a member of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Genoa.
Survivors include her husband, Loren Schofield of Kansas City, MO; a son, Matthew (Linda) Schofield of Loveland, CO; three daughters, Martha Schofield of Kansas City, MO, Roseanne Schofield of Kingston, IL and Victoria (Kenneth) Neal of Kansas City, MO; two grandchildren, Arianna and James Neal; two brothers, Frank Smith of Beaver Dam, WI and Marvin (Mary Kay) Schulgen of Lombard, IL; a sister, Agnes (John) Schofield of Mineral, IL and a nephew, Kevin Schulgen of Lombard, IL.
Read more: ILLINOIS - Kane County Obituary Collection - 223
Mike Volkmann
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Adding a series of period maps and photos from the Township Assessor and a historic aerial photo site to help. This happened years before I was born, but I live nearby and found this thread. No previous knowledge of this case but you got my interest and happy to help where I can.
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I don't believe LS died in Illinois, even it was said he did. I think that was purposely provided misinformation due to the discussion of this case.
I also heard he left the Catholic Church at some point, possibly when he and MS moved to MO. They moved there because MS had cancer and was being treated in MO.
I also heard he left the Catholic Church at some point, possibly when he and MS moved to MO. They moved there because MS had cancer and was being treated in MO.
Great info. Mike. Thank you so much for posting these images. From 1972 - 1978 (and before) shows quite a bit of land that George Klein had owned on both sides of Fair Oaks. So much expansive farmland. There appears to be a building/house? in the 1946 aerial on the G. Klein and/or Schofield family farm, but it's north of Lies, west side of Fair Oaks. I'm not sure if John S. and eKLEINs lived on this property yet in 1946(?). LS would have only been 7, and all siblings were older. The farm was sold in 1975 to DPCFP, and had been condemned. Most likely, any buildings on the Schofield family farm had been torn down before the sale(?), or DPCFP tore everything down. If I recall, Cubby has previously mentioned in a post about a "house"(?) on the Schofield farm at the southern edge of the property?? There appears to be an old tree/shrub line along what would have been the south property line of the Schofield 90 acres, if you were to cross FO heading west from the "dead end" of Lies. Again, thank you & welcome.
The 1972 aerial that Mike V. provided shows an area at the top of the image, west side of FO, that most likely included a residence and other farm buildings. So NO, the Schofield family farm RESIDENCE would not have been visible from where Debbie's body was found; 200 feet east of FO on Lies.
With the exception of kids playing in the BB game that day on 02/11, Debbie keeping time/score, and the "standing room only" fans - HA!, most of the students and buses were gone by 4 - 5 p.m.; with the exception of the 2 older students mentioned in a previous post. Some kids were picked up by their parents, and 4-5 of them sometimes walked to the same subdivision that Debbie lived in - north of St. Charles road, west side of Fair Oaks. There were a few students that lived along St. Charles, south side of North Ave./64 that walked, and other students were bussed to a subdivision south of St. Charles, along County Farm Rd. If LS was the perp, there would have been ONE REASON, and one reason only to be "hanging around" the school the day Debbie was murdered.
Look at how commercials, films and videos are edited today. Ten seconds can be like an eternity in which to view something, or someone. Ordinary citizens have given chase in situations after viewing someone for a few seconds. If the witness was licensed to drive at night they could have seen a lot.
What's your source to say "colors can look very different based on light, or lack of light," when the "color" is white? (which is not a color.)
From the police reports and witness statements I've read it seems uncanny at how well ordinary people can see, recall and describe what they saw which, of course, has a put a lot of people in jail.
What's your source to say "colors can look very different based on light, or lack of light," when the "color" is white? (which is not a color.)
From the police reports and witness statements I've read it seems uncanny at how well ordinary people can see, recall and describe what they saw which, of course, has a put a lot of people in jail.
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I know what you're saying about "misinformation". Hmm...........maybe someone can surreptitiously obtain some records, providing LS even died in Rockford. I know initially there were two obits. with different information - Franklin/Francis, two different dates of death. Coroner's report on LS? MAS would move to MO for "cancer treatment", when she had some of the best care/treatment < 75 miles away. It was probably all about anonymity. Their name was all over the Chicago Trib.
Per Helpful 1, relative of LS on 06/05/18:
Obit is not fabricated - it's true. I'm a relative of LS and have been following this site for some time now.
Loren Francis Schofield Obituary (1939 - 2018) | Rockford, Illinois
Visited Debbie today, 11/16/20, which would have been her 65th birthday. Her unmarked grave is next to her maternal grandparents (Jensen), just to the right of them in this pic. Jensen was Debbie's mother's middle name. I placed a small amount of secured greenery/ birch twigs on her unmarked site.
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