WI WI - Terri Erdmann, 15, Milwaukee, 24 June 1971

[arielilane]

Police name killer for murders of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz, 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann

Officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

www.jsonline.com

Updated 10.25.2023

More than 50 years after the murders of two young women, in 1966 and 1971, police say they know who killed them.

During a joint news conference Wednesday by the Menomonee Falls and Milwaukee police departments, officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

Police named Clarence Mark Tappendorf as the man responsible for the murders of both young women. Local, state and federal officials came to that conclusion through the use of DNA evidence and forensic genealogy.



Diane Olkwitz and Terri Lee Erdmann, Milwaukee Police Dept.

 

[Richard]

Now the question should be how many others were there, and who were they? It is absolutely unbelievable that he would commit only two such gruesome murders - one in 1966, and the other five years later in 1971. There were others before, between, and after.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Now the question should be how many others were there, and who were they? It is absolutely unbelievable that he would commit only two such gruesome murders - one in 1966, and the other five years later in 1971. There were others before, between, and after.

Police name killer for murders of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz, 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann

Officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

www.jsonline.com

Updated 10.25.2023

More than 50 years after the murders of two young women, in 1966 and 1971, police say they know who killed them.

During a joint news conference Wednesday by the Menomonee Falls and Milwaukee police departments, officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

Police named Clarence Mark Tappendorf as the man responsible for the murders of both young women. Local, state and federal officials came to that conclusion through the use of DNA evidence and forensic genealogy.

What's ironic is that his own daughter was murdered in 1975 by someone high on LSD and his own son murdered his wife and then committed suicide.

Clarence Marcus Tappendorf (1927-2008) - Find a...

Tappendorf, C. Mark January 6, 2008. Age 80 years. Loving husband of 57 years to Joyce (nee Ludwig). Loving father of the late Mark (Linda) Tappendorf, Cheryl (Rick) Wesela, the late Patti Jo, Gary (the late Patty) Tappendorf, Keith (Christal) Tappendorf and Kim (Andy) Ohman. Survived by 6...

www.findagrave.com

Clarence Mark Tappendorf went by the name C Mark Tappendorf.

 

[Richard]

Obituary of C. Mark Tappendorf:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/jsonline/name/c-tappendorf-obituary?id=3162825

 

[apriljo17]

Now the question should be how many others were there, and who were they? It is absolutely unbelievable that he would commit only two such gruesome murders - one in 1966, and the other five years later in 1971. There were others before, between, and after.

None

 

[othram]

A Half-Century Later, Diane Olkwitz's and Terri Erdmann's Killer is Identified

Wisconsin DOJ & FBI Leverage Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to Solve the Murders of Diane Olkwitz and Terri Erdmann

dnasolves.com

 

[Richard]

None

More likely Many.

 

[othram]

More likely Many.

It takes time to know as many crime scenes have not been processed through CODIS yet.

 

[summergirl1]

- stabbed 50 times, arms bound to her sides, raped

- lovers lane/woods near rr tracks - North Western Rd tracks east of Appleton Ave

- Terri was discovered at N5900 W9950 in the City of Milwaukee in a wooded area near railroad tracks. Terri had been sexually assaulted and died as a result of numerous stab wounds. Her sweater was pulled over her head, and her pants and underwear pulled down. The area where Terri was found was behind the old "Moreway" store located at 10100 W. Appleton Avenue. Other assaults had taken place at that location and that suspect may be the same individual who killed Terri.

MPD COLD CASE

http://php.wisinfo.com/mktg/unsolved_apc/

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...IBAJ&dq=mary ellen kaldenberg&pg=6810,1531960

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BEwaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=higEAAAAIBAJ&dq=mary%20ellen%20kaldenberg&pg=5974%2C1543022

[url]http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B0waAAAAIBAJ&sjid=higEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3959%2C3939773
[/URL]

Does anyone know the source of the info that other assaults had taken place there?

 

[summergirl1]

The August 9, 1971 Rhinelander Daily News reported that a man was charged with a similar crime at the same location that Erdmann was found. Francis P. Hemauer, 48, was charged with attempted murder, rape and abduction with a 1968 incident. The 15 year old West Side Milwaukee girl was abducted from a shopping center when she went to help a man start his car. He drove her to the same area Erdmann was found, where he raped her and stabbed her several times with a pocket knife.

Francis P. Hemauer was charged on Friday, Aug 9, 1971. The article doesn't state whether his arrest arose out of the Erdmann investigation.

He was released in 1981 after tests that weren't available in 1972 showed that blood stains on the victims clothing were from a man with type B blood. Hemauer's blood type was type A. The victim had identified him from police mug shots and a lineup.

I presume that the actual person who committed the rape and attempted murder looked similar to Hemauer? A case of mistaken identity?

Where there any other assaults at this location besides this one? I wonder if Tappendorf did this. I wonder what his blood type was? Sounds suspicious.

 

[summergirl1]

Tappendorf's family sure has quite a story. As they say, the truth is stranger than fiction. I see his wife died in 2017 so she's not around for this situation. It might be just as well, she'd obviously been through a lot.

 

[Richard]

Clarence Marcus Tappendorf​

BIRTH 16 Jul 1927 Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
DEATH 6 Jan 2008 (aged 80) Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
BURIAL Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
PLOT: Block 49 Lot 240 Grave 3

It is interesting to note that his daughter, Patti Jo died in 1975 at the age of 17. Could there be a connection with these other deaths?

LINKS:

Clarence Marcus Tappendorf (1927-2008) - Find a...

Tappendorf, C. Mark January 6, 2008. Age 80 years. Loving husband of 57 years to Joyce (nee Ludwig). Loving father of the late Mark (Linda) Tappendorf, Cheryl (Rick) Wesela, the late Patti Jo, Gary (the late Patty) Tappendorf, Keith (Christal) Tappendorf and Kim (Andy) Ohman. Survived by 6...

www.findagrave.com

Patti Jo Tappendorf (1958-1975) - Find a Grave...

Age 17 years

www.findagrave.com

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/jsonline/name/c-tappendorf-obituary?id=3162825

Police name killer for murders of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz, 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann

Officials said they have solved the 1966 murder of 19-year-old Diane Olkwitz and the 1971 murder of 15-year-old Terri Lee Erdmann.

www.jsonline.com

Suspect identified in Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee cold cases | Express News, Your Local News

discoverhometown.com

Two Southeast Wisconsin cold cases solved

MENOMONEE FALLS - After a combined 109 years of unsolved questions and no arrests, a killer has been confirmed in the stabbing deaths of two Southeast

wtmj.com

 

[Richard]

Excerpt from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in June 1971 detailing the death of Terri Erdmann. Photo credit: FindAGrave.com

 

[Richard]

Could there be a connection with the 1969 knife murder of Stephanie Casberg in Wisconsin?


Stephanie Marie Casberg, age 17, murdered 6 July 1969.

LINK:

WI - WI - Stephanie Casberg, 17, Racine County, 6 July 1969

The article shows the extent of the 'investigation' of this suspect. "Heck said the man was not questioned nor contacted by Honolulu police because of his clean (adult) record." (Note: The BTK killer was widely regarded in his community as "normal", "polite", and "well mannered") Since when...

www.websleuths.com

 

[TallCoolOne]

None

........ that we know of so far....... wait for it........

 

[summergirl1]

It seems likely he at least attempted other murders. Of the two other cold cases in Menomonie Falls, one woman was suspected to be murdered by her boyfriend, and her remains never found, and the other was named Joyce Garder in 1981. I couldn't find much info on her murder, and she was 54, and killed in her home, facts which don't fit with his other two known crimes, but she was apparently stabbed, including in the heart, a fact I found interesting. But, I would assume they have probably ruled him out with DNA by now.

 

[Teamir]

Would this case be able to be moved to Resolved? Thanks!