IL IL - Roberta Rinearson, 10, Brookfield, 17 Dec 1948

  • #81
Roberta was abducted, raped, and violently murdered 17 December 1948.

On 10 August 1950 (72 years ago), George Lettrich was arrested at a bus stop and held by police for several days until he eventually "confessed" to the murder of Roberta.

On the evidence of that confession alone, Lettrich was convicted and sentenced to death.

Two years later, in 1952, his conviction was overturned on appeal.

The above quoted link is to the appeal court's decision, which contains graphic descriptions of the crime scene and the autopsy findings. It also details the circumstances surrounding Lettrich's confession and states emphatically that there was no other evidence linking him to the crime.

With that ruling, Lettrich was freed and the case was now 4 years cold with no other suspects.

The case remains unsolved.
 
  • #82
17 December 2023 will mark the 75 year anniversary of this unsolved murder.

Roberta Rinearson, age 10, Murdered 17 December 1948
1454
 
  • #83
Bumping this thread up. It has been over 75 years since Roberta was brutally murdered, and the case remains unsolved.
 

Staff online

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
93
Guests online
1,052
Total visitors
1,145

Forum statistics

Threads
632,413
Messages
18,626,221
Members
243,146
Latest member
CheffieSleuth8
Back
Top