IL IL - Valerie Percy, 21, Kenilworth, 18 September 1966

[Bargle]

At the end of this post will be a thumbnail link to one of the articles about the break-in at JBean's family home. I've blacked out all the personal names other than the Percys and investigators.

Over the years I've been keeping up with this case, I've seen much speculation about the reason for the large number of wounds from the attack. It's usually put down to the killer having some sort of personal anger at Valerie. While doing the cleanup and blacking out of the article below, I thought of another possible reason.
First, some background from the article.
In addition to the break-ins at the Percy and JBean homes, there were also another break-in at the house next door to Jbean's and an attempted break-in at the house across the road.
So, before the break-in at the Percys, this was how his record stood.
His 1st attempted break-in wasn't successful.
His 2nd break-in ended with the him being scared off by the private patrol.
His 3rd break-in was disrupted by Jbean's father waking up and hearing him.

Just to be clear, I'm entering into speculation from this point.
First, I think the Percy break-in was intended to be a rape or rape & murder.
The killer breaks in and goes up to Valerie's room. He's carrying his flashlight and trench knife. I think he was using a flashlight with a shoulder strap, so he had both hands free. Entering Valerie's room, he goes quickly to her side of the beds, clamps a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. He holds the knife either to her throat or in front of her face. Possibly he tells her to keep quiet and she won't get hurt.
Now remember, at this point, he's had 3 break-ins in a row go wrong. Here we are on number 4 and he's got his victim in bed at knife point, no other family/household members awake, dog hasn't barked. Everything seems to going as he wants. He's expecting her to be quiescent. Then what happens?
Valerie doesn't just lie there and let herself be assaulted. She strikes out with her hands and legs. Hard enough to leave marks from her efforts. She hits him in the mouth.
At this point he snaps. Here's his 4th break-in going wrong as well. He becomes enraged and beats her in the head, then switches to stabbing her. Over and over. Then he plays the light over her body, to see what the effects of his attack are. Valerie's moan has brought Loraine to the bedroom door. We know what happens from here on.

Anyway, that's my idea. He wasn't that angry at Valerie personally, but the combination of frustration of having yet another break-in go wrong and Valerie striking him painfully caused him to lose it and go into a brief frenzy.

I had a problem with the link and I'm having to redo it. Nothing new to add.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Winward, I could not agree with you more. There were a few break-ins that were indentical if not very close to how the Percy break-in and murder went down. I never for a minute thought it was the step-mom. If she was the only suspect by the KPD then why or why was she not more intensively scrutinized? To this day KPD is covering for the shotty investigation that was performed.
Realpolice63, I too hope that this murder is solved before I die, but I will not hold my breath.

 

[Winward1]

That's the thing, Luckymanuh, the step mom rumor was rampant in the area following the murder and, apparently, was spread by local cops (they certainly had reason to spread it.) It is amazing, however, that with the KPD, FBI, Chicago PD, IL State Police and the State's Attorney's Office all working the case, which was covered by the press in a major city, the latter weren't able to delve into the facts of the investigation itself, and no heads rolled at the Kenilworth station.

That would have been a huge story. The fact that, seven years later, one of the city papers was winning Pulitzers with nonsense articles based on little more than jailbird babble about burglars (articles that failed to mention during the crime nothing was touched) while the real story behind the lack of a suspect was police ineptitude shows the press also did a terrible job. I understand the cops in the Ramsey case were scrutinized, from the get go, as highly as family members, etc.

Then again, Chicago was then and remains an amazingly corrupt city, police force and all. They're trying a former commander here for kidnapping and torturing suspects, and though there is mountains of evidence indicating the guy is guilty, it's taken decades and huge protests just to get him into court.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Winward what really kills me is the fact I went as far as filed "Freedom of Information Act" claim (whatever you want to call it) on this case and it took 3 months but me filling this and that form just to be told they can't release anything because it is still and active case. Do they really think we are all stupid!!! Active my _ _ _!! The only activity they have is when someone like us or like myself goes to the KPD with info on who I think did it and pushes, and pushes and then they just stop communicating. It really is very sad!!!
I had read that her dresser drawer or drawers were open....unless I am dreaming it but nothing was taken. At least nothing her family knows about. I am sure that we all have stuff in our drawers that no one would even think was important enough to take note of or how many of what.
The LEA's dropped the ball big time on this.

 

[Winward1]

That doesn't sound legal. I certainly don't blame any of the current investigators for the ineptitude of their elders nearly half a century ago, but they shouldn't stonewall for them, either. Local cops dropped the ball with the Moxley murder 9 years later. I don't know why Fuhrman would have access to the records he gained, then, either. But he got 'em, despite, supposedly, big time foot dragging by the powers that be. But that was only 25 years later. We're talking 46 now. It was also a failure of the press, to learn the truth, and the Chicago cops, back then, who knew better. The press rely on cops for information. But no one should have been protecting Kenilworth PD. They guaranteed no one else would have been able to help, anyway. The stepmother rumors, are, unfortunately, completely ingrained here at this point. If the media echo chamber didn't exist then, a similar type of effect has always worked in the rumor mill; say something untrue and unfounded enough and people will believe it. Unfortunately no one had a rumor going about clueless local investigators, who would have had no retort.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Wasn't there also a rumor about a mentally ill boy that lived down the road who they thought did it? Unfortunately, back then LEA's did not talk to other LEA's. They did not have computer systems that stored info to use to compare. They had to pick up a phone and call each other and heavens forbid they could not handle a crime on their own! I truly believe if it wasn't for the fact that it was Valerie Percy who was murdered the CPD would not have been asked to assist in the case. Plus back in those days there was not a title of "Serial Killer". I truly don't think the cops back then even thought in those terms.

 

[Winward1]

There was a small mental hospital just north of Kenilworth, now long gone. But all inmates were accounted for according to what I read. I don't know if they did a bed check at five a.m. that Sunday, though.

 

[Luckymanuh]

I think this is one of those murders that LE would just pin on anyone to make it go away

 

[Luckymanuh]

To add to my earlier comment....look at the Jeanine Nicarico, Riley Fox, and Sally Kandel cases. I know that Jeanine and Sally's happened during and election year if I am not mistaken. If so, I am sure the pressure was on.

 

[Winward1]

I don't believe the Percy killing had anything to do with the election, though it certainly happened in its home stretch.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Winward, I totally agree with you. IMHO it was a random break-in murder. Like Sharon Bubes, but she was lucky.

 

[KYgirl]

<I understand the cops in the Ramsey case were scrutinized, from the get go, as highly as family members, etc.>

Even though the Boulder Police Dept. were scutinized - they still didn't solve the murder. Kenilworth Police had never had a homicide, this is why they did such a shoddy job! Lack of experience. Mark Furhman (Moxley case) on the other hand had assistance from some very important people including Martha's mother,Dominick Dunne and a former Greenwich,LEO, who had worked Martha's case. The Moxley murder was a cover-up, due to money and politics just like the Percy murder.

 

[Winward1]

Definitely similarities between the Moxley case and the Percy case, but only to a point. The biggest two were places of similar demographics and inexperienced LE. In the former case, there was stonewalling by the guilty party, which was a monied family, but someone lied. Furhman had someone come forward that disputed the lie. That person had not come forward previously. That was not the Greenwhich police's fault. Like KWPD, however, it seems neither secured the crime scene.

From what I've read, outside investigators were on the scene in Kenilworth on day one. That doesn't men the crime scene wasn't wrecked before they got there (after all, this attack happened at 5 a.m. on a Sunday. How early could investigators from the state and city get there on a day like that?)

Yes the Boulder Police were scrutinized. That's how it is known their mistakes contributed to the crime not being solved.

 

[Winward1]

I believe I read that the Bubes attack happened in an apartment building. Is this so?

 

[Bargle]

Winward, all the old posts and article quotes I have only mention that her bedroom was on the first floor. No further description of the building.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Winward,
I will pull my file on the Sharon Bubes attack and find out. Having really bad storms AGAIN. Getting off line right now.

 

[Luckymanuh]

Okay storms over, man they were wicked!!!!

Okay I found my file on Sharon Bubes. I had a great letter from a detective with the Evanston PD who I contacted in 2005.
She lived in a ranch style home and her bedroom was in the back. The attacker went through the window via a ladder and open window. Sounds like the doctor's house?? She said she did not think he was there to hurt her but to look. He only hit her in the head with a ball pin hammer because she screamed, and then told her not to make a noise.
Her and her sister drawer where their undergarments were keep were gone through.
They think he stole the neighbors bike to get away and found a sci-fi paperback book by a maple tree and they think he sat there waiting for all the lights to go out in the house. She said she fell asleep around 2-3am.

Even though it has been 5 years I may email the detective again with some questions.

 

[Winward1]

Well, a ranch house tends to me no second floor. So he used a ladder anyway? I would be interested to see if the house is still there. Does anyone think he was there to rob, to rape, etc?

 

[Luckymanuh]

As Sharon Bubes was quoted to say "Just to look". He did rob the underwear drawer.
She describe him as: "m/w teen, 5'10", dark hair, wearing large rim glasses. Dressed in a blue plaid shirt with wheat (tan) jeans.

 

[JBean]

Couple things. I talked to my sister a d she said we did not have the alarm installed until AFTER this whole episode. So regarding alarm sophistication we had this installed special due to the break in and it was not very efficient.

Also, this has zero to do with the murder but interesting nonetheless as far as deranged people killing for their own reasons. My father was a plastic surgeon and his career long partner was murdered right in the office. The murderer picked him out of the phone book.
Here is a bit of the story not to derail the thread but senseless:


DR. MARTIN SULLIVAN had "good hands," his colleagues said, supple and efficient, and at 68, he was still steady with the knife. He loved his work as a plastic surgeon, just as he loved his family and his vintage cars. He showed no sign of giving any of it up.
At a time of life when most men have retired, Dr. Sullivan still rose early each morning in his Chicago home, made rounds at several hospitals and was scrubbed and in the operating room by 7:30 A.M. After surgery, he would drive to one of his two offices and see patients until late afternoon. That is what Dr. Sullivan was doing the day a man he had never met showed up for an appointment, filled out several forms, followed him into an examination room and shot him four times in the chest.

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/05/style/no-remorse.html?pagewanted=all