MI - Ruth Postif Homicide Cold Case (1973)

[ArtCohort23400]

I wanted to make a post as I've notice there's not a single thread on this cold case from 1973 Dearborn, MI.
Ruth Postif was a Dearborn High School senior in 1973, and went missing on October 18th, 1973, when she suddenly disappeared from a mall around 3:45PM. She was reported missing at 5:00PM when she failed to show up for her serving shift. Her car was found two days later in Superior Township in a rural area, and a few weeks later, her body was found 1/2 a mile away from where her car was abandoned. She was stabbed several times, and her body was found with her hands tied behind her back.

I know that Daniel Anders was initially accused of committing the murder as he had been found guilty of r*ping and assaulting other women. But we know that in his trial he was found not guilty and due to evidence, it was proved he at the very least did not leave any DNA at the scene if he was involved. Other than this lead there hasn't been any further developments in her case, and I'm trying to see if anyone has any other information that's not already out there.

 

[cenazoic]

Long article from 1983:

Postifp1

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postifp1

www.newspapers.com

Postif2

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif2

www.newspapers.com

Postif3

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif3

www.newspapers.com

Postif4

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif4

www.newspapers.com

Postif5

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif5

www.newspapers.com

Postif6

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif6

www.newspapers.com

(Includes inset “Portrait of a Rapist” about Daniel Anders) :

Postif7

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif7

www.newspapers.com

Postif8

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 8/14/1983. Postif8

www.newspapers.com

Interestingly, after the publication of the above, members of the Anders jury from his murder trial wrote a letter to the editor explaining the reasons they found him not guilty of Ruth’s murder:

PostifJury1

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 12/18/1983. PostifJury1

www.newspapers.com

PostifJury2

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 12/18/1983. PostifJury2

www.newspapers.com

The last article I could find is from June 1984, where the detectives discuss their new theory:

PostifTheory1984

Clipping found in Detroit Free Press published in Detroit, Michigan on 6/17/1984. PostifTheory1984

www.newspapers.com

There’s 2024 podcast that I haven’t listened to, so don’t know if it’s any good:

Interview with Detective Sergeant Larry Rothman about Ruth Anne Postif Case - Cold Cases With Cassy

An exclusive interview with Detective Sergeant Larry Rothman about the Ruth Anne Postif case. Make sure to listen to that episode before listening to this interview!

coldcaseswithcassy.buzzsprout.com

 

[cenazoic]

Anders died in prison in 2011:

https://inmatedatasearch.azcorrections.gov/PrintInmate.aspx?ID=049750

 

[truthfinder2019]

Ruth Anne Postif (8/16/1956 - 10/18/1973)

Ruth Anne Postif (1956-1973) - Find a Grave...

Suddenly and mysteriously on October 18, 1973, Ruth Postif, a 17 year old senior from Dearborn, Michigan disappeared after leaving home to drive to a nearby mall. Two days later her car was found in a wooded area near Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. Two hundred volunteers went to look for clues. Then...

it.findagrave.com

Suddenly and mysteriously on October 18, 1973, Ruth Postif, a 17 year old senior from Dearborn, Michigan disappeared after leaving home to drive to a nearby mall. Two days later her car was found in a wooded area near Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. Two hundred volunteers went to look for clues. Then sadly on November 9, three weeks after she was first reported missing, her stabbed body was found by a hunter in a muddy field twenty miles west of her home.
Something about the case caught the attention of four million people in the Greater Detroit area for three full weeks in the Fall of 1973. News media gave it unusual coverage and thousands of dollars were raised for rewards.
Ruth had one desire in life and that was to tell all that would listen of her love for the Lord. She planned to be a missionary nurse.
Over 1100 people attended her funeral service.

Ruth Anne Postif Funeral

Clipping found in The Times Herald published in Port Huron, Michigan on 11/13/1973. Ruth Anne Postif Funeral

www.newspapers.com

 

[truthfinder2019]

Do we know if the other rape victim(s) were also stabbed to death ? Because usually serial rapists have the same MO. Unless she was raped and then stabbed to death by another accomplice.
How many wounds did she have? Many can indicate anger or murder being personal.
I’ll read through the articles asap but maybe you have the imfo and your own theory already

 

[ArtCohort23400]

Do we know if the other rape victim(s) were also stabbed to death ? Because usually serial rapists have the same MO. Unless she was raped and then stabbed to death by another accomplice.
How many wounds did she have? Many can indicate anger or murder being personal.
I’ll read through the articles asap but maybe you have the imfo and your own theory already

It says in a newspaper that she was stabbed more than 20 times.

And as for serial rapists, there were a lot of them in the 70s in Michigan. It’s actually
insane how dangerous Michigan was in the 70s

 

[truthfinder2019]

More than 20 times is a lot… seems to me a very personal action, no ?
The main suspect in the case was not killing his victims if I understood correctly. What was different ? Did she say sth that triggered such violence ? Could it be someone else ? She wanted to become a nunn, this is important info IMO

 

[ArtCohort23400]

More than 20 times is a lot… seems to me a very personal action, no ?
The main suspect in the case was not killing his victims if I understood correctly. What was different ? Did she say sth that triggered such violence ? Could it be someone else ? She wanted to become a nunn, this is important info IMO

On Ruth’s find a grave website, it says she wanted to be a nurse missionary. In an article it states that Anders has had homicidal thoughts, but yeah, as you said he was never convicted of murdering anyone. I truly don’t think he’s the one that did it, especially given with the fact he was found not guilty due to supposed evidence at trial, so it must’ve been enough to prove his innocence.

 

[truthfinder2019]

You are right , my bad, missionary nurse. I also believe he did not do it. I suppose we will never know who, and the worse is that he had a life , while she did not.
There is a newspaper article referenced to above, by which the jury explains why they concluded he was not guilty.

 

[truthfinder2019]

This is an additional podcast on the case, which preceeds the one posted above

Ruth Anne Postif - Cold Cases With Cassy

This episode is on the 1973 unsolved murder of 17 year old Ruth Anne Postif.Sources:https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-ruth-anne-postif/10075947/https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/7223375/https://www.newspaper...

coldcaseswithcassy.buzzsprout.com

 

[ArtCohort23400]

You are right , my bad, missionary nurse. I also believe he did not do it. I suppose we will never know who, and the worse is that he had a life , while she did not.
There is a newspaper article referenced to above, by which the jury explains why they concluded he was not guilty.

Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan

Get this Detroit Free Press page for free from Thursday, April 7, 1983 DETROIT FREE APRIL 7, 1983 WW Months of work, but the jury didn't convict By RODDY RAY Free Press Sp.... Edition of Detroit Free Press

www.newspapers.com

I usually click on the extracted article text, it’s right below the newspaper photo, you’ll see a little thing that says “keep reading page 113”. Click on it and it’ll expand the full text of the article