IL IL - Jaclyn Dowaliby, 7, Chicago, 10 Sept 1988

[VespaElf]

Just wondering what thoughts others have this case.

I am just now becoming more familar w/ it after hearing the name brought up in other threads.Do you think her Father did kill her and got off or is her killer still out there??

As far as I knew the case was closed despite her Fathers conviction having been overturned but Ive recently heard it was reopened.

 

[blueclouds]

Well in all my searches, I cannot find where they have reopened the case against David. In my understanding, the Judge adamantly stated that the case is overturned with prejudice, meaning the prosecution is forever forbidden to bring a case against the defendant ever.

I personally think there was a great deal of evidence pointing to the uncle who is a paranoid schizophrenic. He was never in the Dowaliby home yet he described Jaclyn's bedroom and location of it to a tee. He refuses a polygraph to this day.

 

[VespaElf]

Well in all my searches, I cannot find where they have reopened the case against David. In my understanding, the Judge adamantly stated that the case is overturned with prejudice, meaning the prosecution is forever forbidden to bring a case against the defendant ever.

I personally think there was a great deal of evidence pointing to the uncle who is a paranoid schizophrenic. He was never in the Dowaliby home yet he described Jaclyn's bedroom and location of it to a tee. He refuses a polygraph to this day.

I meant "reopened" as in looking for other suspects(I know that David cannot ever be charged again).
I agree w/ you in regards to the Uncle and I think he was dismissed simply because he had never been in the Dowaliby hone TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

 

[vicktor]

I personally think there was a great deal of evidence pointing to the uncle who is a paranoid schizophrenic. He was never in the Dowaliby home yet he described Jaclyn's bedroom and location of it to a tee. He refuses a polygraph to this day.

There was a show on TV about the case about 6 mo. ago. Seemed pretty obvious that the father didn't do it, and the uncle was by far the best suspect. So many elements of this case were similar to the Ramsey case. One interesting point was that Dowaliby took 2 poly's yet the police wouldn't believe the results. Makes you wonder if the Ramseys would have faired any better if they took a poly from LE early on and cooperated more.

 

[smile22]

yah i saw that movie a bunch of times on lifetime and im convinced it was the uncle or he had someone do it for him, ok they dismissed him as a suspect because he was never in the house yet how did he describe her room to a t?

 

[findcarrie]

A&E does a show called Every Parent's Nightmare about Jacqueline. I read the book "Gone in the Night" about 10 years ago. Jacquline had a skitzo uncle who later was looked at because he gave a description of the inside of the Dowaliby home and he had never been there before. I suppose every family has its rights, but the family would not participate in the A&E special about Jacqueline.

To my knowledge there has never been another arrest in this case. This one is too weird.

 

[AuntieKaren]

Just wondering what thoughts others have this case.

I am just now becoming more familar w/ it after hearing the name brought up in other threads.Do you think her Father did kill her and got off or is her killer still out there??

As far as I knew the case was closed despite her Fathers conviction having been overturned but Ive recently heard it was reopened.

I don't think her step-father killed her.
AK

 

[smile22]

no her father didnt kille her, it was the uncle, he knew how the bedroom looked yet he never steped foot into the house, i remeber seeing the movie and crying so badly

 

[findcarrie]

I didnt think the dad and mom were responsible for the disapearance and murder. I just wonder how come they never prosecuted the weirdo uncle?

 

[NewMom2003]

I saw the movie last night depicting this story. It was just heartbreaking. Does anyone know why they never investigated the uncle any further? Are there any new updates on the case?

 

[VespaElf]

The weird Uncle wasn't investigated the first go 'round but I read awhile ago the case is being reopened and the focus will persumably be on him.


I know the Dowaliby's changed their names and moved out of state.

 

[yawnyyawnson]

I first learned about this case from the A&E program about a year ago.....and I caught a rerun the other day....both times I caught a split second look at a woman who is a friend of the Dowalibys....A peggy Occonor.
....If anybody can track down a picture of this woman, I'd sure like to see it....
.....Call me crazy if you want....but each time I caught a glimpse of peggy on that program, I am struck by how much resemblance there is between her and Jaclyn.....find a photo of her and compare.......let me know

 

[kellypop]

First of all, you can not believe EVERYTHING you see on T.V. Remember folks, the movie starring Shannon Dougherty was a MOVIE. There was another suspect by the name of Hernandez that commited the same type of abduction in the area one year after Jaclyn was taken.
As for the "uncle", it is possible that he knew about Jaclyn's room because of pictures. The biological, paternal grandmother did have visitation with her. In the book "Gone In the Night", on page 477, 4th paragraph, it states "Most of Guess's knowledge of the crime might have come form other sources, such as his mother of the news media......" I also met "the uncle". Just as importantly, the biological father did ask his brother if he did it, and the father was satisfied that he did not. This information is first hand from the father. Sadly, he did believe that Jaclyn's stepfather did it. I do not agree that David did.
I do hope the detectives look at the evidence again & use today's technology to process the blanket.
Jaclyn's story has haunted me for the past 10 1/2 years. She was a beautiful girl with her father's eyes & smile. I spent several months researching every newspaper acticle I could find, plus watching the movie, and "Unsolved Mysteries" Someday, I hope that the truth is uncovered. Jaclyn will never be forgotten.

 

[judy424purple]

My family lived across the street from the Dowaliby's and shortly after Jaclyn was murdered I worked at the local police department. Many believe that it was Jacylyn's uncle - but he was in jail at the time of her disappearence. The officers at the station believed that it was Cindy. Cindy and Dave were having a (supposedly a pot) party that night - it was believed that Jaclyn kept getting up. They believe that Cindy tied her to her bed and that Jaclyn accidently choked to death.

I saw Cindy at Jaclyn's wake and a few days later at the video store. She did not look like a grieving mother to me, she was laughing and joking. If my child had just been murdered you would have had to lock me away!

 

[mocity]

I saw the movie called Gone in the Night which was based on the book. In that movie the uncle admits to it but keep saying it wsa the "spirit" that killed her not him. He had intimate details about the murder though. How would he know things if he didn't do it? I realize it was a movie but I thought it was based on facts.

 

[michelle]

I think it was the uncle, I dont think the stepdad did it at all.

 

[MrsMush99]

They believe that Cindy tied her to her bed and that Jaclyn accidently choked to death.

What do they say she chocked on?

By the way I don't think the parents are involved.

 

[michelle]

What do they say she chocked on?

By the way I don't think the parents are involved.

Me either that sounds out there for a theory. But we all know stranger things have happened.

 

[Goody]

Me either that sounds out there for a theory. But we all know stranger things have happened.

If the uncle was in jail when the crime was committed, he has to be ruled out no matter how weird he is. I didn't realize that this case is still unsolved. I thought the weirdo in the cafe in the movie was the guy who did it.

 

[michelle]

If the uncle was in jail when the crime was committed, he has to be ruled out no matter how weird he is. I didn't realize that this case is still unsolved. I thought the weirdo in the cafe in the movie was the guy who did it.

Well didnt the Uncle describe her bedroom perfectly and never had been in the house, I think I heard that he did it or had someone do it. I too have heard he was in jail at the time. So maybe he had somebody do it for him?