Leona Gilgann was beaten in her kitchen in the early morning (overnight sometime) of 8/20/1974 at her waterfront home. The speculation is that she answered her door in the middle of the night. Other neighbors also heard someone at their door that night. She was wearing a nightgown. She had never been married and her elderly mother lived there also but slept through it. Leona then walked or crawled about a block away, where a neighbor found her in the morning. She later died without ever regaining consciousness. Autopsy report says she was sexually molested but not raped, and so severely beaten that her neighbor couldn't recognize her as she lay there. Thank you to @Lkat3513 for bringing this case to our attention.
Source: 8/28/1974 The Reporter paper in Fond du Lac, WI
She was severely beaten in the early morning of Aug 20, 1974 and found unconscious in a neighbor's yard. She didn't regain consciousness before her death. She was sexually molested but not raped. Her home was 557 Gold Street, Green Lake, and she was found at a home on Clay Street, Green Lake. She had never been married.
Next source: 9/13/1974 The Reporter paper in Fond du Lac, WI
She was found about 7:10am, wearing only a nightgown. Other neighbors said their doorbells rang at 1:15am and then again later. She saw someone walk past the window, went back to bed, then heard voices and loud screams. Multiple people said the victim often screamed. (Personal note - what?!)
Next source: 11/27/1974 Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper - mentions that she was assaulted in her kitchen. The victim's mother also lived there and slept through the attack.
Next source: 12/19/1974 Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper is where they discuss the neighbor who was charged with providing false information who lived at 555 Gold St. He recanted his statement that he saw a man getting into a car that night. The article clarifies that time of beating could have been either that morning or the night before.
Clipping source: Fond du Lac Reporter 8/28/1974
Additional sources and info following:
Source: 8/28/1974 The Reporter paper in Fond du Lac, WI
She was severely beaten in the early morning of Aug 20, 1974 and found unconscious in a neighbor's yard. She didn't regain consciousness before her death. She was sexually molested but not raped. Her home was 557 Gold Street, Green Lake, and she was found at a home on Clay Street, Green Lake. She had never been married.
Next source: 9/13/1974 The Reporter paper in Fond du Lac, WI
She was found about 7:10am, wearing only a nightgown. Other neighbors said their doorbells rang at 1:15am and then again later. She saw someone walk past the window, went back to bed, then heard voices and loud screams. Multiple people said the victim often screamed. (Personal note - what?!)
Next source: 11/27/1974 Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper - mentions that she was assaulted in her kitchen. The victim's mother also lived there and slept through the attack.
Next source: 12/19/1974 Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper is where they discuss the neighbor who was charged with providing false information who lived at 555 Gold St. He recanted his statement that he saw a man getting into a car that night. The article clarifies that time of beating could have been either that morning or the night before.
Clipping source: Fond du Lac Reporter 8/28/1974
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