IL IL - Debbie Fijan, 10, DuPage County, 11 Feb 1966 - #1

[Cubby]

What is different/unconfirmed about what we know about Maceks victims in comparison to Debbies case?

-Sexual assault. Debbie showed no signs of being molested.

-Sally and the victim who survived from Crystal Lake ( at least these two ) were bludgeoned and had severe head wounds. At least one was reported to have a cracked skull.

-Bite Mark? We don't know if Debbie had a bite mark. Maceks victims did have bite marks.

-Weapon involved in Debbies murder. Nothing we have read indicates any weapoon outside of a small, possibly 3" pen knife was reported as possible weapon used.

-Slash marks on eyes. Outside of Sally's case the reporting of whether or not Maceks victims had wounds to their eyes is very inconsistent; based on what is reported by Dr. Morrison, and Tomaselli who investigated at least one of the cases (Paula Culpit) in WI.

ETA: From what I have read, Dr. Morrisons interest in Macek and other serial killers was not to 'solve the crime' but rather as a medical doctor to try and understand the serial killers mind. We simply don't know, at least from what I have read, how much of what Macek told her she confirmed as 'fact' or she simply relied on what he told her for her research.

ETAA: one more thing I have yet to read, is if any of Maceks victims had stab wounds which were in an upward motion as descriped in media articles regarding Debbies wounds.

 

[Cubby]

relinking the article in which Tomaselli discusses Culpits wounds.
(instead of going pages back to find it again.)
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/true-crime/Content?oid=915674

I wonder if he is still around.... it would be interesting to make contact with him, if he is still around, and ask him some questions about what he knows about Macek. Particularly the discrepancy regarding the wounds. I wonder if he worked on more than just Culpits case.

 

[shadowangel]

I'm pretty sure Tomaselli is still around...Ive seen a few articles mentioning him (he investigated a case in the mid-80s where one member of a two-man police force killed the other).

I found another article (which may have been previously linked, I've lost track) that mentions there was other evidence beside the bite mark which indicated that Macek, not Milone, killed Sally. Of course, LE on the other side said they had more evidence against Milone beside the bite mark...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=2348,4221433&dq=sally-kandel&hl=en

 

[shadowangel]

Have we read anything that says Sally was sexually assaulted? I faintly remember one article that said something to that effect, but I can't find it.

 

[Cubby]

He's still around. Retired but still around. The articles I have read, he was highly regarded by his peers.

I found contact info for him. I'll be honest, I am not as well seasoned in cold cases as you are Shadow. Would you have time to try and make contact with him?

It's possible he has a timeline on Macek having been involved in researching him as a suspect and possible suspect in WI. He might have enough info on Macek, he can say Macek was incarcerated in Feb of 66 or ????

 

[Cubby]

Have we read anything that says Sally was sexually assaulted? I faintly remember one article that said something to that effect, but I can't find it.

Yes she was, and she had a bite mark on the top of one of her thighs.
will try to find a free article and link it.

eta Everything I am seeing is refering only to the bite mark on the thigh.

 

[shadowangel]

He's still around. Retired but still around. The articles I have read, he was highly regarded by his peers.

I found contact info for him. I'll be honest, I am not as well seasoned in cold cases as you are Shadow. Would you have time to try and make contact with him?

It's possible he has a timeline on Macek having been involved in researching him as a suspect and possible suspect in WI. He might have enough info on Macek, he can say Macek was incarcerated in Feb of 66 or ????

Sure, I'll reach out to him. If he's sending crime scene photos to reporters, I think he could at least be able to answer a couple of yes or no questions.

 

[Cubby]

will send the contact info to you via pm Shadow.

 

[bamabeauty]

I read all of this over the weekend and you guys have done an amazing job. i too want justice for little Debbie. I still like LS for this and think that his dad's position in the community helped him out but I think RM needs to be looked at. I wonder if they quit pursuing LS because of his dad or because they had other evidence supporting that he did not commit the crime. I wonder if there could have been bite marks that excluded him. Everything has said that there was no sexual assault but could there have been and it been a detail held back? I just find it odd that here were no stab marks through the jacket which to me means that it was off at the time. Why would her jacket have been off unless it was taken off and she was being undressed to sexually assault but the murder was interrupted. They crime scene was also never found correct? If RM was the perp I wonder if it could have been his car?
I am praying everyday that there is justice for Debbie! I just wish we knew what was in the original police file and what the GJ was presented!

 

[Cubby]

Thank you bamabeauty and thanks for stopping in here at Debbies thread.

Initial reports indicated Debbie was found fully clothed thus no sign of molestation.
I don't think sexual molestation would be a hold back detail, because that would be something parents with children in the neighborhood would need to know. I don't think LE would keep that from the public as it would be putting children in harms way without parents knowing at least that detail.

LS's father passed away less than two years after Debbies murder, sometime in 1967.
The community was tightknit and LS's family and neighbors stood by him. (Whether they had good reason to or not.... ) From what we have read, at least with two family obits, LS's wife and one of his brother in laws, he remained close with the family. We have not uncovered LS getting in any other kind of trouble...

The crime scene could have been RM's car.

Shadow posted earlier her coat being open could have meant she unzipped it while in someones car, or she could have unzipped it because it was fairly warm. Though, I don't think it was that warm in February when the sun was setting... maybe earlier in the afternoon, but certainly not when the sun was setting.

We have not uncovered anything indicating LE found evidence to clear LS as a suspect, only that there was not enough evidence to indict. His statements, failing 6 lie detector tests and burning both the *advertiser censored* and clothes that he wore that day is certainly very odd behavior for someone not guilty of a crime.... however, he has never been proven guilty of Debbies murder, at least not as of today.

 

[Cubby]

This is getting pretty close to needing a second thread, so I am going to lock this one and start part 2.

Part 2 here:
Debbie Fijan age 10 abducted and murdered Feb 1966 - Part 2 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community