GUILTY WI - Brittany Zimmermann, 21, Madison, 2 April 2008 *arrest in 2020*

[ljwf22]

This reminds me of the Michigan murders many years ago. There was someone killing students and others. It turned out to be a student, if I remember correctly, doing the killings.

John Norman Collins, Eastern Michigan University.

From Wikipedia: "The "Michigan Murders", as they came to be called, were a series of highly publicized killings in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area of Southeastern Michigan between 1967 and 1969.
The murders began with Eastern Michigan student Mary Fleszar on July 10, 1967. Her body was found on August 7 on an abandoned farm a few miles north of where she disappeared. It had multiple stab wounds and was missing her hands and feet. Almost one year later, on July 6, 1968, student Joan Schell was found dead in Ann Arbor with 5 stab wounds. She had last been seen on July 1 with John Norman Collins, a student at Eastern Michigan University and a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. When questioned, Collins claimed he was with his mother at the time. Police took him at his word."

Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_murders

 

[mssheila]

Nothing makes me more angry than the way MPD handled Kelly's case. I have never let it go. I know this case will be treated the same way and it is a shame. Wray needs to be fired for allowing this to happen again. Period. They could have gone a long way with the public's help in solving Kelly's case and yet they refused to put out the information which would do that. You are absolutely correct in that it was a matter of when not if another murder would occur involving a young female student.

This case will go unsolved, too, unless the perp left more evidence or if it isn't the same man. I think the person who murdered Kelly is well known in the community and he knows how to cover his tracks because of his knowledge of crime scenes. It is just my opinion, but I don't see how with all the evidence they must have produced in their 3 day scour of Kelly's scene with additional entities participating that they came up empty handed. Something is very wrong with that picture, imo.

I couldn't agree more, SS. Why the public isn't calling for his resignation is beyond me.

 

[concernedperson]

John Norman Collins, Eastern Michigan University.

From Wikipedia: "The "Michigan Murders", as they came to be called, were a series of highly publicized killings in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area of Southeastern Michigan between 1967 and 1969.
The murders began with Eastern Michigan student Mary Fleszar on July 10, 1967. Her body was found on August 7 on an abandoned farm a few miles north of where she disappeared. It had multiple stab wounds and was missing her hands and feet. Almost one year later, on July 6, 1968, student Joan Schell was found dead in Ann Arbor with 5 stab wounds. She had last been seen on July 1 with John Norman Collins, a student at Eastern Michigan University and a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. When questioned, Collins claimed he was with his mother at the time. Police took him at his word."

Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_murders

Thank you very much. I couldn't remember the details as it has been so long.

 

[mssheila]

Thank you very much. I couldn't remember the details as it has been so long.

I know this is O/T (sorry for hijacking the thread for a moment)
I just saw a show on one of the Discovery channels about Jane Mixer. That was a very strange turn of events in the michigan murder cases. A lot of people don't think that they got the right guy for all the murders. Mixer's death was not related to the others in the string.

 

[concernedperson]

I know this is O/T (sorry for hijacking the thread for a moment)
I just saw a show on one of the Discovery channels about Jane Mixer. That was a very strange turn of events in the michigan murder cases. A lot of people don't think that they got the right guy for all the murders. Mixer's death was not related to the others in the string.

Could have been an aberrant murder and they did get the right guy for the others. Usually a serial will keep on. I believe the string of murders stopped after. Of course, that doesn't preclude moving on to another area.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Have they said anything more about the sketches? I want to know where the sketches are from the girl who ran off the intruder and of the man who entered the business!! Come on, Wray!! Get them out there!!

 

[mssheila]

Have they said anything more about the sketches? I want to know where the sketches are from the girl who ran off the intruder and of the man who entered the business!! Come on, Wray!! Get them out there!!

The last I heard on the sketches was on the 10:00 news last night (ABC's 27 news). Specifically the newscast reported that there IS a sketch but that the police "refuse" to release it to the media or the public.

Refuse was the exact word they used.

 

[mssheila]

CONSIDERABLY MORE INFO HERE:

http://www.channel3000.com/news/15798931/detail.html

WISC-TV reported on Thursday that a male intruder confronted a 21-year-old woman living two blocks from the homicide scene. That incident happened shortly before Zimmermann's body was found.

Now, WISC-TV has learned of three other similar reports. Police won't answer specific questions about them, though, so it's unknown if the stranger has been located or even identified.

Valerie Zelinski had just arrived home from work at her apartment in the 800 block of East Johnson on Tuesday when she heard a knock at the door. She said she opened it slightly to find a white man about 40 standing close to it.

"He was really close to the door, and then he took a step closer," Zelinski said of the encounter.

Zelinski said that about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, the man walked up the steps at her residence, went through an unlocked front door and knocked on her first-floor apartment door.

"He told me the story about having a flat tire and couldn't get a hold of his friends, and then he asked me for $40. And, I said, 'I'm not going give you $40.' (And he said), 'Well then, how bout $20?' So, that's when I shut the door and I locked it,'" Zelinski said.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

It is a good thing I don't live around there!! I would be taking my sketch pad, charcoal pencils, and going on a hunt for anyone who could give me a description of the creep...then I would take it straight to the newspaper and tv stations!!!

 

[mssheila]

It is a good thing I don't live around there!! I would be taking my sketch pad, charcoal pencils, and going on a hunt for anyone who could give me a description of the creep...then I would take it straight to the newspaper and tv station!!!

I was just thinking along similar lines. The media should hire a sketch artist, and talk to the witnesses. Why not do that?

Here is a list of the sightings of this "salt and pepper" haired guy, I think they're in order, according to the various reports.

1. 800 block of East Johnson. Man knocks on door of the home of a young female student asking for $40 for a flat tire. She tells him "No", so he says, "Well how about $20 then".......... she shuts and locks the door.

2. 118 S. Bedford St, WORT Radio studios. One hour before Zimmerman's body is found, a man fitting the suspect's description gives the same story about the tire. He disappears betweem houses near where Zimmerman's body is found.

3. 500 block of West Washington Ave. 50 minutes after the Bedford sighting, 10 minutes before Zimmerman is found dead. Man enters female students house and begins walking upstairs to her bedroom. She is enraged and forces him to leave. She gives the same description... Salt and pepper hair, but adds that he didn't look homeless to her- and said he had "very blue eyes".

4 600 Block Willy St. No details, but the media is saying that the circumstances were similar to the person who entered the radio station.

With this timeline, hopefully LOTS more people saw him. Those are really high traffic areas. The busiest areas of downtown.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Yes...maybe you should call and ask them that very question.

 

[cheko1]

This is clearly uncalled for the way LE is handling it. They let Kelly Nolans murderer go free.......

What the heck is wrong with them not releasing a sketch? If it was the wrong man then clear him. If he's guilty then arrest him. Is anyone contacting the News complaining

I am contacting the TV stations & media asking why this is being allowed to happen & will ask them why they don't hire a sketch artist themselves. Its not as tho Wis doesn't have the revenue to hire competent people. Our taxes are astronomical. I feel we deserve answers!!!

:furious: :furious:

 

[nohwheregirl]

Here's my theory on why MPD won't release sketches: They don't have the resources to handle the response, and consequently, they won't bother with a sketch unless they can officially rule out/in any resulting suspects with DNA.

It might be a budget thing or an incompetency thing. They did release the Joel Marino suspect sketch (which, i'm sorry, totally sucks...it's the most generic composite sketch ever), but it still took them several weeks. Why?? This was a guy seen *fleeing* from the crime scene! I think they released it once they were sure they had the DNA to tie a potential suspect to the crime. I'm guessing they don't have DNA evidence in the Kelly Nolan case, and they won't release a sketch in the Zimmerman case unless and until they have the DNA evidence in hand.

 

[Marisa714]

I've been in bed w/kidney stones this week and hadn't heard about this until I went back to work where Brittany was a client of ours....I worked at the vet she brought her cats to, she had just come in on Monday....

I remember the first time she came in w/her kitty in a little baby sling across her belly and her kitty just layed in so contently. She was so nice, I got in trouble for talking too long before briefing the doctor for the appointment...she loved her cats so much ;-(

Even though I only met her once and spoke with her over the phone a few times, I liked her a lot and am so sad to hear she's been killed...
She was so smart and told me all about her studies with immunology after I explained what reactions to watch for after the vaccines ;-) We talked about my kidney stones and she jokingly told me she'd give me one ( either her dad or her, I don't remember) was born w/3 kidneys and I just needed a new one ;-) Last I heard they were having trouble catching the cats and they were still in the apartment, poor cats must be traumatized. I hope her family takes her cats, I know one was her childhood kitty and was older so hopefully they go back to a familiar home ;-(

I also remember she rescued a box of kittens dumped on the side of the highway and she had given one of them to a guy who she referred to us too. Not many people do that, and especially take it on themselves to find good homes for them too. She had such a good heart. Just wanted to share what I knew of her, I knew a thread would already be here...no I gotta read it!
Marisa

 

[SeriouslySearching]

((((Marisa)))) Thanks for posting about Brittany. I know it must be very hard to know such a kind, sweet person met with such a fate. She does sound like a loving person and the stories confirm she indeed was. I am sure her parents wouldn't mind taking care of her cats because they know she loved them...but then her boyfriend may love them just as much. I can't imagine how they are getting through this horrible ordeal. It breaks my heart to think about it.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Man Suspected Of Panhandling In Police Custody

Authorities: No Connection Between Man's Arrest, Student Slaying

MADISON, Wis. -- Madison police have in custody a man suspected of panhandling in the area where a University of Wisconsin-Madison student was found killed earlier this week.
~snip~

During one alleged incident, the man allegedly revealed his name. That man is now in custody at the Dane County Jail. He was arrested on a probation violation on Thursday at midnight, but police aren't specifying what they're holding him on.
~snip~

The man is a registered sex offender and has a lengthy rap sheet in both Dane and Iowa counties.

http://www.channel3000.com/news/15804790/detail.html

 

[Marisa714]

I'll have to call my mom and tell her to call and find out whats going on w/the investigation....I know crime response is working w/the family. My mom used to work for the DA's office for a really long time and when one of my best friends sister was shot and killed my mom was able to find out what was going on for the family even though she technically didn't work there anymore...
She ended up leaving after the triple homicide in Verona...it was a long year for her and she couldn't handle the stress anymore.

Of course I grew up hangin out there a lot w/my mom and know a lot of the detectives through madison police and sheriffs dept. so I'm a little partial to them but haven't really read a ton on the case yet just from the most recent comments it sounds like a lot of people are frustrated w/the investigation. There really seems to be a lot of unsolved cases here lately.....

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Yes, we were quite frustrated with the way the police handled Kelly Nolan's case and we haven't gotten over it. I am not sure we will ever get over how we feel they let her killer go free because they did not put things out to the public in an effort to find her or to find her killer. The things they "held close to the vest" could have been the very things to bring her killer to justice.

Someone knows this person. For him to be walking the streets of Madison when we know there are hundreds of girls as vulnerable as Kelly is maddening, especially for parents of college-age girls.

Sorry if it seems we are picking on your mom's friends...we really aren't. The problem is with the Chief. He is the one calling all the shots in Madison and the reason there was nothing done in Kelly's case.

 

[nohwheregirl]

Man Suspected Of Panhandling In Police Custody

Authorities: No Connection Between Man's Arrest, Student Slaying


The man is a registered sex offender and has a lengthy rap sheet in both Dane and Iowa counties.

http://www.channel3000.com/news/15804790/detail.html

Thanks for posting this. The sex offender thing is disturbing.

I cannot believe people would voluntarily let this guy into their houses, no matter how harmless he seemed, let alone give him $40. Maybe it's because I grew up in a big city, but I don't open my door to strangers. In fact, I don't open my door to anyone now since a male coworker randomly showed up at my house last year (nothing happened, it was just weird). I'm not playing blame-the-victim....I'm just shocked!

 

[SeriouslySearching]

A Madison police official said some items from the scene of UW-Madison student Brittany Zimmermann's murder are already being analyzed at the state crime laboratory, less than 48 hours since the coed's body was discovered.

A source close to this investigation also told 27 News Zimmermann was stabbed. Dane County's Coroner described her cause of death as a complexity of traumatic injuries.

~ snip~ police officers brought a college age man to an apartment building nearly adjacent to Zimmermann's building, and escorted him inside. It appeared the man was taking part in a viewing of something inside the building.

Marshfield Police records show two people forced their way into the Zimmerman family home in Marshfield February 19, and ran off when confronted.

http://wkow.madison.com/News/index.php?ID=20284 (Bolded by me)

Can't the ME simply say the COD: Multiple Stab Wounds?! Do they even KNOW how ridiculous they sound to the public?