MI MI - Deborah Polinsky, 20, Holland, 23 July 1977

[CarlK90245]

I came across this article, and think it's worth mentioning.

In 1991, Wesley Jon Brink, then 34, was convicted of a murder he committed in May, 1980.

Brink is from Holland Twp; the murder occurred in Blendon Twp., Ottawa County, MI.

Virginia Bricker, who was 33 at the time of her death, was raped and stabbed over 30 times in her home.

Brink was identified by fingerprints found in the Bricker home. This article doesn't mention a semen or DNA match.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3wxQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o1UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2337,2543349

I was just looking at Wesley Brink again, and was looking up his address history in Ancestry. It just occurred to me. In 1979, He lived in the Leisure Estates trailer park on 523 Butternut Drive in Holland Township.

Aundria Bowman, who has has been missing since 1989, lived in the same trailer park with her adopted parents Dennis and Brenda Bowman. Aundria was about 5 years old at the time.

In May of 1980, Brink murdered Virginia Bricker in Blendon Township. This was the same month and year that Dennis Bowman was arrested for attempting to abduct an 18 year old girl at gunpoint. During Bowman's arraignment, the victim's mother testified about how she and her daughter were transported by an Ottawa County Sheriff Deputy to the location where Bowman had been pulled over, so that the victim could identify Bowman as her attacker. A passing comment in the mother's testimony was that she noticed on the hood of the police car, a "big knife" that police had found in Bowman's possession. The gun used in the attempted abduction was never recovered. In researching the Aundria Bowman disappearance, there are other anecdotes that we have gathered to indicate that Dennis had a fascination with knives

I am wondering if Dennis Bowman and Wesley Brink knew each other, given that they both lived in the same trailer park in the late 1970's.

The manner in which Brink murdered Virginia Bricker would seem to make him a very strong person of interest in the Polinsky and Wilson murders. But given Dennis Bowman's criminal history, I have long wondered if he could also be a plausible person of interest in the murders of Polinsky and/or Wilson. Both murders occurred within a short distance of the Leisure Estates trailer park where Bowman and Brink lived.

 

[STANDREID]

There sure are a lot of women who just happen to get murdered while their husbands just happen to be away:thinking:

 

[byo]

Ottawa County cold case team seeking public assistance in 1977 murder
By Sydney Smith/The Holland Sentinel • Today at 11:00 AM

After actively investigating the case for the past 18 months, the Ottawa County cold case team is seeking the public's assistance in the 1977 murder of Deborah Lynn Polinsky.

According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, 180 people have been interviewed about the case, 40 DNA samples have been sent to the crime lab and 600 latent fingerprints have been analyzed. More insight to the case was gained with technology advances.

Capt. Mark Bennett of the Sheriff’s Department said new forensic evidence places a female at Polinsky's apartment at the time of her death. Detectives do not have a description of the woman, he said, but are hoping someone with information on who she might be will come forward. . .

 

[Gunther Toody]

Ottawa County cold case team seeking public assistance in 1977 murder
By Sydney Smith/The Holland Sentinel • Today at 11:00 AM

If the sheriff dept. would put out a little information to work with such as an autopsy report or case history maybe a fresh set of eyes could find something that was overlooked.

 

[STANDREID]

From the Delayed Justice article:

http://www.delayedjustice.com/?p=85




Why does the newspaper article say there were signs of sexual assault and this piece says the opposite? Weeeeird.

I wonder if the paper jumped to the conclusion she was sexually assaulted because she was nude. It looks like she was not cremated the way the newspaper article ends so there could still be DNA if there was a rape. I agree with several others here that more needs to be released about the case. The time to worry about false confessions has long ago passed. The Oakland County Child Killer/Babysitter was active about this time but he was on the other side of the state and seemed to only go for pre-high schoolers. It did catch my eye when they said they brought in a fingerprint expert from Oakland County.

 

[STANDREID]

While in Michigan last week, I took a few photos of Deborah Polinsky's home where she was murdered.

Compared to the photo in the newspaper article, it doesn't appear to have changed much in the 37 years since the murder.

Carl: Is that your hot rod beside the road? Was the house occupied when you took the pics? It looks like some of the windows are open and the grass is mowed.

 

[CarlK90245]

Carl: Is that your hot rod beside the road? Was the house occupied when you took the pics? It looks like some of the windows are open and the grass is mowed.

It is the rent-a-car I was driving while I was there. I saw no persons on the property while I was there, or any evidence that anyone was home at the time.

I wish there was more information on the female. I wonder if the evidence at the scene would point to an adult female ... or perhaps a three year old female that the perp brought to the door as a pretext to gain entry to her home. IYKWIM.

 

[STANDREID]

That "white" square at basement level looks like a coal chute. I wonder if that could have been used to gain entrance to the house.

 

[simplebrad]

Here is information from one of the local TV stations with the latest information.

Here is the link to the article.
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/crime/investigators-try-new-methods-for-ottawa-county-cold-case/501178962



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICH. - After more than 40 years, Ottawa County authorities say they are making progress on solving the murder of Deborah Polinsky.Polinksy was living in a rented farmhouse on New Holland Street in Port Sheldon at the time of her death. A co-worker found Deborah's body after she didn't show up for her job. She had been stabbed multiple times.
Over the last 18 months, two detectives have been working full time on this case. Now they're hoping to use the power of technology to give the family some closure.
"Her parents are both in their 90s we'd like to get them some answers," Capt. Mark Bennett with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said.
This week the Ottawa County Sheriff's office launched 'Justice for Deb Polinsky,' a Facebook page.
"We now know more and more of our investigations center around some type of social media," Capt. Bennett said.
"Even though this was 40 years ago, now, people communicate much through social media. It just makes sense to use the medium. Its been very fruitful so far we've received several different responses. We believe is going to be quite useful as we move forward with the case."
But time has proven to be a benefit and a burden.
"We're looking at what we collected back in July of 1977. The more time goes on the better technology gets and we're able to analyze those smaller samples, if you will. "The only downside to that time is that people with information have moved away or passed on. The ending is getting the pieces of the puzzle the facts together that fit."
"My parents are getting older they would really like to know what happened, we're all getting older and would really like to know what happened," Tami Elzinga, Polinsky's sister told WZZM in February.
In February new forensic evidence revealed a woman was in Deborah's home at or around the time of the murder. Detectives have traveled across the country interviewing people about this case and they're confident this new initiative will bring additional information.

 

[Carja7]

I am from the area and I think the family maintains the home. It is a sad and scary story that I think about often. I went to school with her sisters kids. Someone knows something! Bumping to keep the thread active.

 

[Boopsquared]

Any findings on the crime rate in 1987? Was this a particulary bad area of town?

 

[Boopsquared]

If she had been missing two days, it almost sounds as though she was being held hostage. I assume since her coworkers were worried, she didn't normally miss work. Im I right in that she was found naked? After Brink was arrested, did these types of incidences stop? How was Polinksy buried? Could there be DNA under her nails or possibly anywhere else that might help?I realize exhumation is a long shot, but since fingermails are the last to decompose, it could be there. Thoughts?

 

[Carja7]

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20130218/News/302189869

I have wondered if these two crimes are connected.

Wow, I have never heard of many of these listed which us strange being that I'm from the area and actually lived close to one of these locations. Thank you for sharing! I'm going to read up and research into some of these.. :websleuther: :thinking:

 

[Carja7]

If she had been missing two days, it almost sounds as though she was being held hostage. I assume since her coworkers were worried, she didn't normally miss work. Im I right in that she was found naked? After Brink was arrested, did these types of incidences stop? How was Polinksy buried? Could there be DNA under her nails or possibly anywhere else that might help?I realize exhumation is a long shot, but since fingermails are the last to decompose, it could be there. Thoughts?

It was a Monday that she was found so the co-workers wouldn't have known if she was killed over the weekend. Especially considering she was independent and lived alone. They probably didn't find it unusual to not see her for the weekend.

Another thought, she had a German Shepard named Thor. They also have reason to believe there was another woman in the house at the time of her murder. Perhaps she knew her killer(s) in some way? Even distantly? Here is a link for some of that info..

https://www.google.com/amp/fox17onl...-break-in-deb-polinskys-cold-case-murder/amp/

 

[Nina Michigan]

If she had been missing two days, it almost sounds as though she was being held hostage. I assume since her coworkers were worried, she didn't normally miss work. Im I right in that she was found naked? After Brink was arrested, did these types of incidences stop? How was Polinksy buried? Could there be DNA under her nails or possibly anywhere else that might help?I realize exhumation is a long shot, but since fingermails are the last to decompose, it could be there. Thoughts?

I interviewed the Ottawa County Sheriff when I covered Deb's case. They have DNA and they are working to have it sent to Parabon Labs so an image of the killer can be generated.

They also said during the interview that her death was NOT related to the 1987 murders. If you listen to the ep you can hear it straight from them.

 

[darkstar105]

Thanks Nina. Love the podcast! How are they so sure there was a woman in the house "at the time of the murder" and how are they sure it wasn't the co-worker who found her body? I assume DNA and they checked the DNA against the co-worker who found her body? Or was the co-worker who found her body male? Thanks.

 

[Spartygirl]

Thanks Nina. Love the podcast! How are they so sure there was a woman in the house "at the time of the murder" and how are they sure it wasn't the co-worker who found her body? I assume DNA and they checked the DNA against the co-worker who found her body? Or was the co-worker who found her body male? Thanks.

My question exactly--I was thinking it may have been the co-workers, assuming co-worker was a woman.
Hopefully they will be able to get more info soon !!

 

[Nina Michigan]

I believe the coworker and friend who found her was female and that she was ruled out.

I'm glad you enjoy the pod. Thank you

 

[Carja7]

I REALLY hope this case gets some answers soon with this DNA. Do you have an idea of when they might have the killers generated image available? I'm guessing there probably isn't a timeline for that.. Great Podcast by the way, Nina!

It's reported she was last seen on Friday and discovered Monday after not showing up for work, have they determined a time frame that she was killed? Also, she was stabbed to death. Which, in my opinion, seems either like there was emotion or rage, or it was just opportunistic with what they had on hand and it wasn't a planned crime. Are there any reports that show how many times she was stabbed or location of the wounds? Not to sound insensitive but might give some indication?

 

[Nina Michigan]

Her autopsy is not public because - open investigation. My understanding (and I could be mistaken) is that she was at a family gathering on Saturday, which ended around 9-9:30p. She was likely killed on Sunday, no show for work Monday, found deceased Tuesday.

From my episode, the murder weapon was not recovered or identified.

I believe that the DNA enhancements which would present a "picture" of the attacker are simply awaiting $$$ being approved by the county. I wish they could do a go-fund-me.