GUILTY IN - Kenneth Conrick, 8, tied to tree, tortured, killed, Gary, 15 Oct 1979

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A child murder case that went unsolved for more than 28 years in northwest Indiana has been cracked with the arrest today of a suspect in Maine, the Lake County Sheriff's Department said.

David Bowen, who now lives in Portland, Maine, has been charged by the Lake County Prosecutor's Office with the 1979 murder of Kenneth Conrick, 8, in Gary, Ind.

Kenneth's family reported him missing in October 1979. Later that month, police found Kenneth's body behind a Salvation Army in Gary. An autopsy concluded that the boy had been strangled.
More at link
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-coldcase_webdec19,1,5006248.story


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317400,00.html
I would be curious to see how this plays out, thsi certanly can not be David Bowens only crime.
 
That's amazing. Maybe the young boy can rest in complete peace now. Law Enforcement never forget those kind of cases, and here's one to prove it. Prayers for this little boys family.
 
From the 1st link:
In a strange twist, Decanter, whose father was one of the original detectives on the case, received an anonymous call at 3 a.m. in 1992 from a woman who said she believed her brother killed Kenneth and that she could no longer live with the guilt. She spoke with Decanter for almost an hour, eventually identifying her brother as Bowen but refusing to give her name, he said. But Decanter never followed up.

"I was brand new, didn't even have a badge at that point," Decanter said. "Why didn't it go further then? I can't answer that." After the case was reopened, Decanter told investigators of the call. Officers researched Bowen's family records, identified his sister as Donna Oprish, formerly of Gary, and contacted her.
 
From the 1st link:
In a strange twist, Decanter, whose father was one of the original detectives on the case, received an anonymous call at 3 a.m. in 1992 from a woman who said she believed her brother killed Kenneth and that she could no longer live with the guilt. She spoke with Decanter for almost an hour, eventually identifying her brother as Bowen but refusing to give her name, he said. But Decanter never followed up.

"I was brand new, didn't even have a badge at that point," Decanter said. "Why didn't it go further then? I can't answer that." After the case was reopened, Decanter told investigators of the call. Officers researched Bowen's family records, identified his sister as Donna Oprish, formerly of Gary, and contacted her.
I found that odd too.
 
Here the media spoke with David Bowen's ex-wife. She comments he was a mean drunk and he spoke of something suspicious he did with his brother Bobby, but she never knew about the murder. Looks like she implicated the brother. Oh, that poor, poor little boy.http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=76751
 
Here's pics (video coverage too) of both.
http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=76730
That little boy was a cutie. :( How do you kill someone at the age of 16? I also believe there's a long trail of victims behind Bowen.

Oh this is heart wrenching. Cutie pie is right. No doubt this monster has harmed other children. I looked it up and found the has lived in Port Angeles, Washington, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Indiana of course. Two cities in Maine. Couldn't find anything on his brother though. You're 16 years old and you could harm a little boy like that? No matter what age, but still some cute little boy coming home from school. So, so sad.
 
David Bowen had been accused of molesting a nine year old boy more than a year prior to Kenneth's homicide. The boy's mother agreed not to press charges after finding out Bowen had psychiatric problems. This link goes into some immensely grusome details of just how bad he hurt this little boy. Just wanted to warn everyone. Goes on to say how he's single (divorced) and childless. When someone commits a crime that horrific there is no way in my heart I believe there are not other victims out there.http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2007/12/19/updates/top_stories/doc4768e1269948f309496033.txt
 
I wish the mother of the first boy had pressed charges. She obviously is a better person than me, mentally ill or not, I would have wanted him in jail. I am convinced he is a serial killer/pedo, this can not be his only murder/rape.
 
Gary, IN is only 5 hours away from Des Moines, IA. It's a straight shot on I-80. I'm wondering about Johnny Gosch & Eugene Martin. :( The time frame would be right.
 
I found that odd too.
Odd and inexcusable. Any average person would be able to follow up on that lead. It seems that the suspect's identity was handed to the police on a silver platter. Yet, it took 15 more years to actually "solve" this crime. On one hand, I'm glad that it was solved. OTOH, this sick SOB was out in society for 15 additional years (when there really was no need for it). Who knows what other crimes against humanity he could have committed during this time.
 
Gary, IN is only 5 hours away from Des Moines, IA. It's a straight shot on I-80. I'm wondering about Johnny Gosch & Eugene Martin. :( The time frame would be right.
That's true, good point!
Odd and inexcusable. Any average person would be able to follow up on that lead. It seems that the suspect's identity was handed to the police on a silver platter. Yet, it took 15 more years to actually "solve" this crime. On one hand, I'm glad that it was solved. OTOH, this sick SOB was out in society for 15 additional years (when there really was no need for it). Who knows what other crimes against humanity he could have committed during this time.
I totally agree. I can only hope he didn't hurt anyone the past 15 years, but I am sure he did.
 
This guy had a string of run-ins with the law in Maine in the 1980's and the early 90's. Did some time. Had his license taken away permanently as well. One friend said he told them he couldn't go back to Indiana because of trouble that he and his brother had been in. I'd love to know where this brother is because the ex wife mentioned the same thing. Oh and as mentioned before he was childless. This article says he has a daughter.http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4582525.html
 
From September 2008:

http://bangordailynews.com/2008/09/...s-guilty-in-torture-slaying-of-indiana-child/

David Bowen, 44, of Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty to the murder of Kenneth “Butch” Conrick as part of a plea agreement.

Lake County prosecutors dropped a second charge of murder in the perpetration of child molesting in return for the guilty plea and agreed that the maximum sentence Bowen could receive is 50 years in prison.

The boy was reported missing on Oct. 15, 1979. His nude body was found 13 days later in a wooded area near his family’s Gary home. He was bound to a tree and a cord had been tied around his neck. His body showed signs of brutal, prolonged torture, authorities said.
 

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