IL IL - Debbie Fijan, 10, DuPage County, 11 Feb 1966 - #2

[Cubby]

We know Tomaselli and Morrison are still around, I wonder if Cowlin (McHenry States atty is still around) or Sheriff Lt George Hendle (WI?). A lot of the players from LE in DuPage for Debbies case are long gone as her case is 44 years old.... Maybe some from the 70's are still around.

Even if we sent them the same list of questions, perhaps we can get some answers or one or all might be interested in joining WS and possibly having a question anwer thread solely for them.... ( would be easier for them than to have to read through all the discussion on the general discussion thread. I don't think we could get a seperate forum, but we could get a seperate thread. ) Shadow, if they have any interest, we could always make that offer.

Let's discuss the questions we would like to present to the key players who knew ROM and might be able to help sort this out.

 

[Cubby]

Ya, I went there' (Isn't that what Hannah Montana says? lol...)

Here is a link to a case non related to Debbies, but here in DuPage county for a man who has been missing for 3 years, John Spira from St. Charles, but missing from West Chicago ( not far from where Debbie was murdered, only a 5 min drive or so....)

This expresses my frustration as well as others on just how difficult it can be to communicate with DuPage county as a concerned citizen.

Here is the link to the individual post if you care to read it.
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - IL IL-John Spira missing since Feb 23- St. Charles Illinois

 

[shadowangel]

It irks me when a member of law enforcement or the courts makes a statement (in regard to Macek) like "all of his victims were sexually assaulted..." They have no idea who all of his victims were, and even admit it. "All of his known victims...." works a lot better. Which in Macek's case doesn't appear to be true, as Nancy Lossman's little daughter wasn't reported to have been sexually assaulted. Strangely, it doesn't appear he was charged or convicted for her death, either.

I'm shifting gears back to LS for a while...Not good to allow myself to get tunnel vision.

Without dissecting the guy's whole family tree, I'm trying to find out if LS had any family ties to a Leonard C Schofield, who was from Chicago. He was 49 in 1934.
I'm still wondering about that comment in the interview, events from his (LS's) "past life". I found LCS while digging in the archives...Not a nice guy. If anyone knows how to work Ancestry.com or one of those nifty sites, please take a look.

 

[Cubby]

I think Abbey5 and rpiper both have ancestry memberships Shadow. Hopefully they can do some research into the LCS you refer to in your above post.

As for the tunnel vision, I agree. I would like to comment however, that ROM not being charged with Nancy Lossman's daughters murder was part of a plea deal. ROM plead guilty to Nancy's murder and part of the deal was he would not be charged with her daughters murder.

 

[shadowangel]

I think Abbey5 and rpiper both have ancestry memberships Shadow. Hopefully they can do some research into the LCS you refer to in your above post.

As for the tunnel vision, I agree. I would like to comment however, that ROM not being charged with Nancy Lossman's daughters murder was part of a plea deal. ROM plead guilty to Nancy's murder and part of the deal was he would not be charged with her daughters murder.

Thanks for clarifying about Nancy's daughter.

I keep coming back to that statement LS made. What, in a person's "past life", could make them state to the authorities that he or she may have committed murder? Having been close to someone that was murdered? Having been close to someone who themselves committed a murder? Committing the act themselves?

 

[rpipergirl]

Yall have worked very diligently and seem to have done more on this case in a month then the investigators have done in 44 years!

Sad but true. I am so glad I posted this case.

 

[rpipergirl]

I think Abbey5 and rpiper both have ancestry memberships Shadow. Hopefully they can do some research into the LCS you refer to in your above post.

As for the tunnel vision, I agree. I would like to comment however, that ROM not being charged with Nancy Lossman's daughters murder was part of a plea deal. ROM plead guilty to Nancy's murder and part of the deal was he would not be charged with her daughters murder.

No,Cubby, unfortunately I don't.

 

[shadowangel]

LSs statement (and the SAs question) may not mean anything. Im just curious as to whether there's some prior history of violence....The articles about LCS are the only things I can find that appear to be in any way remotely associated. And that association is only in the last name, time frame and area.

 

[Cubby]

I keep coming back to that statement LS made. What, in a person's "past life", could make them state to the authorities that he or she may have committed murder? Having been close to someone that was murdered? Having been close to someone who themselves committed a murder? Committing the act themselves?

respectfully snipped.

I agree this is a viable avenue to explore. Could be violence, could be a traumatic event, an accident, illness, violence....

I wondered about LS's history with catholic schooling and his decision to become a priest. You dug up some interesting information regarding the seminary LS attended on the last thread. His grammer and HS were listed as well. (will have to find and bring that post over... but not this late tonight.)

I've thought about if LS was abused or witnessed abuse within the Catholic church, but I don't know if it makes sense that would have been 'spoken of' back in the mid 60's. I personally only know of one priest from DuPage county that is currently listed as an RSO. He would be about 1-2 years younger than LS IIRC so I don't know if they have any remote ties. I've honestly never paid much attention to any 'pedofile priests' other than those accused of or convicted of abusing children which would have taught during my school years..... The time line of LS's time during Catholic education might be an area to explore... accused or alleged priests from DuPage and any ties or connections they might have to LS-even remotely. (and no, I don't mean LS was buddying up with pedo priests.. just wondering if this could be part of what he meant by his 'past life' )

I think we might want to explore the Klein family ( LS's mothers maiden name, IIRC) for any connection as well... not to 'disect' the family tree as you posted, but look for that name in the area tied to any 'traumatic' events.

jmo

 

[Abbey5]

It irks me when a member of law enforcement or the courts makes a statement (in regard to Macek) like "all of his victims were sexually assaulted..." They have no idea who all of his victims were, and even admit it. "All of his known victims...." works a lot better. Which in Macek's case doesn't appear to be true, as Nancy Lossman's little daughter wasn't reported to have been sexually assaulted. Strangely, it doesn't appear he was charged or convicted for her death, either.

I'm shifting gears back to LS for a while...Not good to allow myself to get tunnel vision.

Without dissecting the guy's whole family tree, I'm trying to find out if LS had any family ties to a Leonard C Schofield, who was from Chicago. He was 49 in 1934.
I'm still wondering about that comment in the interview, events from his (LS's) "past life". I found LCS while digging in the archives...Not a nice guy. If anyone knows how to work Ancestry.com or one of those nifty sites, please take a look.

In regards to that article shadowangel, the whole article was not written very well and the wording was terrible. I realize it was written over 30 years ago but wow, I had a hard time reading it at times.

That statement from LS has bothered me also.

I went and looked for any connection between Leonard and LS, JS and JS's father. I went all the way back to 1900 when JS's father was a lodger in a home in Chicago and there was no mention of a Leonard. JS's father listed his father was born in Vermont and his mother in Massachusetts. There might be a connection but I didn't find one.

I read some articles about the Leonard you mentioned.

 

[shadowangel]

Thanks Abbey. I figured it was a longshot, but worth a look regardless.

In thumbnail form, what Im referring to are some articles about LCS having, in the '30s, various domestic and legal trouble (with his own wife and others)...Finally, in 1948, he killed his wife and himself. Some connection with his wife (or someone else's) and the mayor of St Louis MO is mentioned; his wife may have been the mayor's ex. (LS was mentioned as living in MO at the time of his wife's death).

 

[shadowangel]

respectfully snipped.

I agree this is a viable avenue to explore. Could be violence, could be a traumatic event, an accident, illness, violence....

I wondered about LS's history with catholic schooling and his decision to become a priest. You dug up some interesting information regarding the seminary LS attended on the last thread. His grammer and HS were listed as well. (will have to find and bring that post over... but not this late tonight.)

I've thought about if LS was abused or witnessed abuse within the Catholic church, but I don't know if it makes sense that would have been 'spoken of' back in the mid 60's. I personally only know of one priest from DuPage county that is currently listed as an RSO. He would be about 1-2 years younger than LS IIRC so I don't know if they have any remote ties. I've honestly never paid much attention to any 'pedofile priests' other than those accused of or convicted of abusing children which would have taught during my school years..... The time line of LS's time during Catholic education might be an area to explore... accused or alleged priests from DuPage and any ties or connections they might have to LS-even remotely. (and no, I don't mean LS was buddying up with pedo priests.. just wondering if this could be part of what he meant by his 'past life' )

I think we might want to explore the Klein family ( LS's mothers maiden name, IIRC) for any connection as well... not to 'disect' the family tree as you posted, but look for that name in the area tied to any 'traumatic' events.

jmo

I havent found anything directly connected to the schools LS attended, but I didnt think to check about the priests themselves. I think that is definitely a good angle to check.
Keep in mind, ROM (according to Dr HM) also attended parochial schools in the area. I could only find one listed for Elmwood Park (St Celestine) but couldnt find anything related to it.

 

[shadowangel]

Were juvenile records sealed back in the 50s? I'm just wondering...If Schofield had done something in his teen years to solicit the "past life" comment from Hopf, then it most likely would have never come to light afterward. Would it have been included in the grand jury testimony?

Wow, wouldnt that be an embarrassment for the school system...

 

[Abbey5]

Thanks Abbey. I figured it was a longshot, but worth a look regardless.

In thumbnail form, what Im referring to are some articles about LCS having, in the '30s, various domestic and legal trouble (with his own wife and others)...Finally, in 1948, he killed his wife and himself. Some connection with his wife (or someone else's) and the mayor of St Louis MO is mentioned; his wife may have been the mayor's ex. (LS was mentioned as living in MO at the time of his wife's death).

Yes, LCS's wife was the ex-wife of the mayor of St Louis, MO. She had him declared incompetent by a Supreme Court Judge in NY shortly after he left office and she was his legal guardian. Then shortly after that they moved to Miami, FL and lived in a large home and had a yacht (skipper, nurse, nurses sister included). It also mentioned that LCS's son Frank was with him at this time. This had the makings of a soap opera show gone bad.

I don't think LS moved down to MO till sometime after '93.

 

[Abbey5]

I ran across an 1955 article in the Daily Herald for LS's brothers wedding. They detailed EVERYTHING about the wedding in the article. His sister was a junior bridesmaid, one brother was the best man and another brother a junior usher. No mention of LS at all. LS would have been 16 yrs old at the time. He could have been sick at the time or?

 

[Abbey5]

Were juvenile records sealed back in the 50s? I'm just wondering...If Schofield had done something in his teen years to solicit the "past life" comment from Hopf, then it most likely would have never come to light afterward. Would it have been included in the grand jury testimony?

Wow, wouldnt that be an embarrassment for the school system...

This was exactly what I was thinking...why Hopf asked him that question. It seemed to me that he knew something about LS's past to ask that question. Hopf could have known or heard something through other officers about LS. It might not have been anything LS was arrested for but maybe something known to community.

 

[Cubby]

can you link the article? or at least the title so we can link the ptv snippet?

At 16, LS would have still been in HS. Not away at school anywhere that I can think of... Odd there is no mention of him attending his own brothers wedding.

 

[Cubby]

Long shot, but LS could have refused to go if he didn't approve of the marriage... in a Catholic kind of way.

Something else I find odd, from a cradle Catholic perspective, is back in the 60's good Catholic boys married good Catholic girls. According to his wifes obit, she was not Catholic at the time of her passing and another denomination was listed.

That may not mean anything and just stand out to me because what I know about Catholics and how they thought back then..... but it does so I thought I'd share... if for nothing other than to possibly spark an idea in someone else's head regarding LS.

ETA: I don't mean to be disrespectful to any faiths or denominations regarding this post... just thinking outloud.

 

[shadowangel]

can you link the article? or at least the title so we can link the ptv snippet?

At 16, LS would have still been in HS. Not away at school anywhere that I can think of... Odd there is no mention of him attending his own brothers wedding.

Agreed...Very strange. Something kept him from attending, may have been his viewpoint on the marriage or he may have been previously...detained, for lack of a better word.

LS's wife's maiden name is Schlugen...Which in German is a past tense form of schlag, which means to hit, beat, or strike. Oh, the irony......

LS's wife was two years older than he, and taught parochial school in West Chicago and Carol Stream. I'm thinking its possible she may have taught ROM at some point.

 

[shadowangel]

Any mention of how old LS's brother was at the time he got married?