ID ID - Vonnie Taysom, 13, Shelley, 30 December 1966

JusticeWillBeServed

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Idaho's Cold Case File:

Thirteen-year-old Vonnie Taysom was enjoying her Christmas vacation in the small town of Shelley, Idaho in December of 1966. According to press reports, she had lunch with her mother on Dec. 30th and returned home to their South Park address around 12:30 P.M. to wait for a friend to arrive. A cousin of Vonnie’s family was also being married the same day in Idaho Falls.

Approximately 2 hours later, her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. James B. and Tillie Mitchell Rolph, who lived next door, arrived to use the Taysom’s dryer. They found Vonnie in the basement game room, deceased. She had been stabbed multiple times with what police said appeared to be a short-blade knife. Bloody, barefoot footprints were found in the snow outside, as well as smudges of blood along an exit stairway. In 1967 press articles, Shelley Police Chief Beck stated there were no signs of a struggle and she did not appear to be sexually assaulted.

Idaho Falls Police Chief Pollock administered at least three lie detector tests, to a neighbor, a juvenile, and an adult. A plan was made for all Shelley Junior High students to be fingerprinted, but was cancelled. No arrests were made in Vonnie’s murder.

Due to the length of time since this murder, it is possible the guilty party is deceased. Did they admit their guilt to anyone before their death? If people covered for the guilty party, will they come forward?


The link above includes the older articles from that time. There doesn't appear to be any recent coverage for this case.

Find a Grave


Taysom-300x300.jpg
 
They have fingerprints? Still?.....Can they determine sex with fingerprints? I have not looked it up. I have a hunch she was killed by a female and not male. But with fingerprints perhaps they know.
 
I wonder if they were able to use the bare footprint to determine the likelihood of the gender?

I'm surprised that the murder was never solved as it was most likely someone Vonnie knew. Whether it was a classmate or someone from the neighborhood, I'm not sure. I actually wonder if it was a female responsible and that's why they were never able to narrow down on a suspect. The reporting seems adamant on interviewing mostly males.
 
[h=1]Not forgotten — East Idaho Cold Cases Inc. keep unsolved crimes active[/h]
It was more than 50 years ago when a 13-year-old girl was found stabbed to death inside her home in Shelley.


Vonnie Taysom had lunch with her mother just two hours before a family member found her deceased in the basement of her home on South Park Avenue. Bloody footprints were found in the snow, and blood was smeared along a stairwell.

Idaho Falls police administered at least three polygraph tests, but no arrest was ever made in the gruesome murder case.
http://idahostatejournal.com/member...cle_dd861218-fe33-5f91-b4ec-de825a28fa14.html
 

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