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

[Richard]

People v. Lettrich

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.

 

[Richard]

17 December 2023 will mark the 75 year anniversary of this unsolved murder.

Roberta Rinearson, age 10, Murdered 17 December 1948

 

[Richard]

Bumping this thread up. It has been over 75 years since Roberta was brutally murdered, and the case remains unsolved.

 

[Richard]

This unsolved murder is 77 years 0ld.

 

[Richard]

Although George Lettrich was arrested for Roberta's murder, and convicted of it based only on his own coerced confession in 1950, his conviction was overturned in 1952, and he was released from prison.

Roberta Rinearson's 1948 murder remains unsolved.