IL IL - Lane Bryant Murders, Tinley Park, 2 Feb 2008

[lareportera]

I mean, I have to imagine she still bears a lot of trauma from this crime. And yes, there is a possibility the perp is dead or locked up for another crime, but it's also equally possible that he is still out there. I can't imagine the fear of knowing that the person who almost killed you, who DID kill five other women, is still out there, and police seem no closer to solving this crime than they were nearly 20 years ago. Add in the fact that, as you say, her information is available online with not much digging, and I would be hesitant to put myself out there.

So they don't want to talk because the killer is still out there, mind you there's never been a recorded case where a killer goes back to kill his stranger victim over 20 years later. If anything the fact I could pull up her address would mean the killer could have it found it too but seems like he's not interested in reaching out. And wouldn't it be all the more reason to speak anonymously if needed in order to solve the case and make sure this guy doesn't have a chance to do it again? And if the bullet went through her neck but just happened to miss vital signs wouldn't she been in hospital longer than a few days. We saw what happened to Kirk, a bullet through the neck is not an easy thing to recover from. More questions than answers at this point.

 

[tara83]

So they don't want to talk because the killer is still out there, mind you there's never been a recorded case where a killer goes back to kill his stranger victim over 20 years later. If anything the fact I could pull up her address would mean the killer could have it found it too but seems like he's not interested in reaching out. And wouldn't it be all the more reason to speak anonymously if needed in order to solve the case and make sure this guy doesn't have a chance to do it again? And if the bullet went through her neck but just happened to miss vital signs wouldn't she been in hospital longer than a few days. We saw what happened to Kirk, a bullet through the neck is not an easy thing to recover from. More questions than answers at this point.

What makes you think she didn't tell the police everything she knew?

 

[lareportera]

What makes you think she didn't tell the police everything she knew?

I'm sure she did. Some of us believe that by her doing an interview with media or a doc (which the brother of Wanda has attempted to reach out to her) and concealed her identity could generate the buzz needed to solve the case. Also it's 20 years , police are not doing their job clearly, complete secrecy, she could put pressure on the case by at least speaking on known facts of the case. So many things to do. I'm less inclined to believe she was involved but there's enough for a theory where the description given of the suspect is made up or misleadingly off.

 

[SteveL]

The TP police have put us (the public) on a need-to-know basis for the last 18 years. They ask us for our help but do not provide us with anything to go on but a sketch that may be right and a snippet from a 911 call with a muffled voice. Why not give us a little more to go on. Are they afraid this case might be solved? 18 years now what do we have to lose?

I personally called the tipline, sent emails, and even spoke with Tinley Park officers with solid tips. They acted like I was bothering them. They botched this, and I think are covering it to avoid embarrassment. This case will never be solved because Tinley Park police don't want it to be solved.

 

[jbirner]

I personally called the tipline, sent emails, and even spoke with Tinley Park officers with solid tips. They acted like I was bothering them. They botched this, and I think are covering it to avoid embarrassment. This case will never be solved because Tinley Park police don't want it to be solved.

I agree that they botched this and probably won't solve this, although there is a part of me that likes to think they are onto something and are just keeping quiet about it. I doubt that though and, in the end, it is the families that will probably never know who killed their loved ones and why.

 

[tilomagnet]

I would not be so pessimistic that this will never be solved; Also leadership of TPD may change and they may become more engaged and commited to solve this in the future. Stranger things have happened. however it gets more and more unlikely that the perp will be brought to trial. Someone who commits atrocities like that will likely face a timely ending, if this guy is even alive today.

 

[sunspun]

Was any DNA left at the scene that they can re-analyze with more modern methods today?

 

[lareportera]

Was any DNA left at the scene that they can re-analyze with more modern methods today?

i mean the guy was there for 45 minutes, touched things, brought papers with him, taped them up, and not a single piece of DNA has brought him to justice, I dont know if they had any DNA, that;s another thing police have been secretive on. It's truly incredible what TPPD has been able to get away with. To have a mass murder in their hands and to keep things in secret for decades. Those who say the perp is probably dead anyways.. wrong zero prove of that.

 

[bearfossils]

So they don't want to talk because the killer is still out there, mind you there's never been a recorded case where a killer goes back to kill his stranger victim over 20 years later. If anything the fact I could pull up her address would mean the killer could have it found it too but seems like he's not interested in reaching out. And wouldn't it be all the more reason to speak anonymously if needed in order to solve the case and make sure this guy doesn't have a chance to do it again? And if the bullet went through her neck but just happened to miss vital signs wouldn't she been in hospital longer than a few days. We saw what happened to Kirk, a bullet through the neck is not an easy thing to recover from. More questions than answers at this point.

This entire post seems incredibly judgmental and cynical toward the living victim. You have no idea how you would have reacted in that moment, how you would recover, how you’d feel about speaking out, etc., unless you experienced an incredibly traumatic event like the Lane Bryant shooting. None of us have a right to make assumptions about the surviving victim or judge her actions. Save that energy for the garbage perpetrator.

 

[Wilma_W]

News Nation clip about this case, including an interview with a paramedic who was on the scene:

 

[jbirner]

News Nation clip about this case, including an interview with a paramedic who was on the scene:

It's nice to hear from somebody who was there that day and get some perspective on what the scene looked like. I look forward to much more of this when the documentary comes out. This case has been dormant for way too long.

 

[phi1ip]

News Nation clip about this case, including an interview with a paramedic who was on the scene:

The poor survivor. I can’t imagine what those moments must have been like for her. Hearing the EMS member get choked up describing the scene… saying she was “inconsolable”…

 

[dotr]

Nov 18, 2025
It's one of the Chicago area's most notorious cold cases.

Nov 18, 2025
A new documentary film will focus on the largest unsolved mass murder case in modern American history that took place in the Chicago suburbs. NBC Chicago’s Lexi Sutter has the latest.

 

[Queen of the Winter Night]

• If one of the key distinguishing characteristics of the perp are the green colored beads, why hasn't there been a sketch of the perp in color to showcase that? Why have all sketches been in black-and-white?
• If another distinguishing characteristic was their bejeweled pants, why have we never seen a sketch of that?

This is one of the cases I would most wish to see solved!

If this was a robbery, he could have just kept up the delivery man schtick and walk out the front door even with customers coming in. Killing 5 women (attempting to kill 6) over $200? Honestly that doesn't seem like he "just panicked," it seems more sinister and deliberate IMO. I think he went in there with the intent to murder, and I believe if Rhoda hadn't called 911, they all would have died regardless (no surviving victim since he wouldn't have been in a rush) but we would have even less information about the perp than we already do.

I don't understand people saying "he put underwear over their heads so they couldn't identify him." What do you mean? Every single one of them saw his face before he did that, because he wasn't wearing any type of mask or covering. Which means he didn't want to look them in the face and/or didn't want them anticipating his next moves visually. The only logical conclusion IMO is that he always intended to do more than rob that day.

 

[jbirner]

• If one of the key distinguishing characteristics of the perp are the green colored beads, why hasn't there been a sketch of the perp in color to showcase that? Why have all sketches been in black-and-white?
• If another distinguishing characteristic was their bejeweled pants, why have we never seen a sketch of that?

This is one of the cases I would most wish to see solved!

If this was a robbery, he could have just kept up the delivery man schtick and walk out the front door even with customers coming in. Killing 5 women (attempting to kill 6) over $200? Honestly that doesn't seem like he "just panicked," it seems more sinister and deliberate IMO. I think he went in there with the intent to murder, and I believe if Rhoda hadn't called 911, they all would have died regardless (no surviving victim since he wouldn't have been in a rush) but we would have even less information about the perp than we already do.

I don't understand people saying "he put underwear over their heads so they couldn't identify him." What do you mean? Every single one of them saw his face before he did that, because he wasn't wearing any type of mask or covering. Which means he didn't want to look them in the face and/or didn't want them anticipating his next moves visually. The only logical conclusion IMO is that he always intended to do more than rob that day.

There was definitely something more than a robbery going on. I believe 100% that the SUV that pulled up at 10:39 was an accomplice and they were going to do something. A theory I have not seen mentioned before but were they planning on taking one of the hostages with them and he was just waiting for the transportation? RM calls 911 and foils that plan?