MN MN - Mary, 15, & Susan Reker, 12, St Cloud, 2 Sept 1974

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Found a article from newspaper.com

Mysterious diary entry in murder probe

ST CLOUD, Minn (AP) - A new investigation into the 1974 slayings of two young St. Cloud sisters has turned up a mysterious diary entry in which one of the girls predicted her death.
 
Here is another article with lots of facts about the case. LE thinks the case is heating up and all it takes is that one call.

If you know something (especially if you saw the girls after they went to the Zayre store), you should contact the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office at 320-251-4240 or the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Cold Case Homicide Unit at 1-888-234-3692

Read More: WJON Cold Cases: 1974 Reker Murders Still a Mystery | http://wjon.com/wjon-cold-cases-1974-reker-murders-still-a-mystery-video/?trackback=tsmclip
 
DD7761 said:
http://wjon.com/wjon-cold-cases-1974-reker-murders-still-a-mystery-video/

Hey all: I'm the writer of this story. I really have become quite interested in this case-just discovered these forums now and thought I would chime in. I really hope that the case is getting close to being solved: really seems like there may be several out there who know crucial bits of information.
Click to expand...

Great article with photos thanks
From your story

Perhaps the most mysterious part of the case is a page from Mary’s diary that investigators found. It seems to show that she had reason to fear for her life. It reads:
“Should I die, I ask that my stuffed animals be given to [my sister] and if I am murdered, see that justice wins over. I have a few reasons to fear for my life. What I ask is important.”
Bechtold confirms the diary entry is still a big piece in their investigation.
“It’s pretty significant to look at that, you certainly can’t rule that out because what 15-year-old girl writes that?

I wonder if LE talked to any friends of hers at the time, usually confide in a best friend?
 
StarrChance said:
Great article with photos thanks
From your story

Perhaps the most mysterious part of the case is a page from Mary’s diary that investigators found. It seems to show that she had reason to fear for her life. It reads:
“Should I die, I ask that my stuffed animals be given to [my sister] and if I am murdered, see that justice wins over. I have a few reasons to fear for my life. What I ask is important.”
Bechtold confirms the diary entry is still a big piece in their investigation.
“It’s pretty significant to look at that, you certainly can’t rule that out because what 15-year-old girl writes that?

I wonder if LE talked to any friends of hers at the time, usually confide in a best friend?
Click to expand...

As a reporter, I'll be limited with what I can say here (Don't want to hurt the investigation). One part that stood out to me during my investigation is the fact that both the Sheriff's Office and Rita sounded confident that there's someone out there who still knows something important. It's possible this person hasn't told authorities the full story, or they never came forward in the first place because they didn't feel like what they saw was significant enough.
 
StarrChance said:
Perhaps the most mysterious part of the case is a page from Mary’s diary that investigators found. It seems to show that she had reason to fear for her life. It reads: “Should I die, I ask that my stuffed animals be given to [my sister] and if I am murdered, see that justice wins over. I have a few reasons to fear for my life. What I ask is important.”
“It’s pretty significant to look at that, you certainly can’t rule that out because what 15-year-old girl writes that?
Click to expand...

The impression I got was that the older girl had been involved in some sort of ongoing activity with an adult or adults and she was pulling her younger sister into it or was afraid enough to bring her along for what turned out to be a false sense of safety. The younger sister didn't want to go with 'that man'. If the older sister feared for her life that would mean she was threatened by person(s) unknown for something she had already done if she told anyone what was going on.

It would be interesting to know what type of school supplies were so urgently needed on a non-school-day holiday that they convinced a reluctant parent to let them go or whether that was just an excuse to go meet someone. That would be an important element to determine whether they were abducted by someone who knew them or whether it was a complete stranger who kidnapped them off the street. If it was the former then there's a good chance the older girl confided in one of her friends who have been reluctant to come forward because she feels guilt and she might be blamed for not saying anything to a trusted adult. That would not be the case. No one would blame her. It's also possible that other friends may have been involved in the same activity with her and are afraid to come forward for that reason.

Children just don't have the maturity or judgement to think things through or the consequences of their actions. I sometimes wonder how I made it through my teen years alive and all the regrettable bad decisions I made growing up back then.

“I didn’t want them to go very badly but they needed some school supplies. They were going to be back quickly.”

Read More: WJON Cold Cases: 1974 Reker Murders Still a Mystery | http://wjon.com/wjon-cold-cases-1974-reker-murders-still-a-mystery-video/?trackback=tsmclip
Click to expand...
 
pleasestandby said:
The impression I got was that the older girl had been involved in some sort of ongoing activity with an adult or adults and she was pulling her younger sister into it or was afraid enough to bring her along for what turned out to be a false sense of safety. The younger sister didn't want to go with 'that man'. If the older sister feared for her life that would mean she was threatened by person(s) unknown for something she had already done if she told anyone what was going on.

It would be interesting to know what type of school supplies were so urgently needed on a non-school-day holiday that they convinced a reluctant parent to let them go or whether that was just an excuse to go meet someone. That would be an important element to determine whether they were abducted by someone who knew them or whether it was a complete stranger who kidnapped them off the street. If it was the former then there's a good chance the older girl confided in one of her friends who have been reluctant to come forward because she feels guilt and she might be blamed for not saying anything to a trusted adult. That would not be the case. No one would blame her. It's also possible that other friends may have been involved in the same activity with her and are afraid to come forward for that reason.

Children just don't have the maturity or judgement to think things through or the consequences of their actions. I sometimes wonder how I made it through my teen years alive and all the regrettable bad decisions I made growing up back then.
Click to expand...

Thinking back to that era, it's hard to grasp what would have been so bad as for a child to fear for their own murder. I've lived in MN for 20 years and have never heard of this case - so sad.
 
Rallibella said:
Thinking back to that era, it's hard to grasp what would have been so bad as for a child to fear for their own murder. I've lived in MN for 20 years and have never heard of this case - so sad.
Click to expand...
I wonder if her fears were over something she had seen, rather than something she had done. For instance, if she had witnessed some drug activity, perhaps she was threatened that she'd be killed if she told anyone.

The fact that these girls were stabbed multiple times makes it seem pretty personal to me. JMO. I think at least one of the girls knew the killer.
 
I find it odd that 12 year old Susanne was stabbed 13 times, over twice as many wounds as Mary. From what I can tell, Susanne's body was clothed, and she was found in tall grass near the edge of the rock quarry.

15 year old Mary, who wrote in her diary that she had reason to fear for her life, was found nude
40 feet below the water and was nude. She had been stabbed 6 times.

I wonder if any of Sussnne's wounds were shallow, as if the killer had to work up the "courage" to inflict a fatal wound or wounds? And were Mary's wounds deeper and more deadly, making it unnecessary to stab her so many times? And was there any sign of sexual assault re: either girl?

I also wonder if the condition of the bodies indicated that the two girls had been there from the day of their abduction? If so, did LE have evidence that the girls were killed at the quarry, or could this have just been a dump site?

I need to read all of the posts on this thread to see if these questions have been addressed. It has been quite a while when I first posted on here.
 
I don't know anything about this case, but with the Jacob Wetterling news, MN cases have some interest.

If I understand correctly Mary's body was found 40 feet below the surface of the water. That is pretty deep for an unweighted body in still water unless it possibly entered the water by dropping from some height or was taken below the surface and killed in the water. The body being nude may also lead to the possibility that she may have been "skinny dipping" or considering it. Suzanne's clothes were found near her body, if I remember what I read correctly, and the body was found somewhat away from the water, which makes me wonder if she was running away from someone and perhaps putting up a fight.

If I had been on a secret rendezvous with my sister and her boyfriend, and they went into the water together and only he came up, I would be at first be shocked and hoping she would come up. The same would be true even if what happened looked like an accident (falling in-although that might be less likely to be in the nude and would not account for the stab wounds--unless Suzanne had left them to their privacy when Mary disappeared). Very shortly though, I think I would be wanting to leave to get help, but the attacker might not want someone to leave. They might try to convince the other person to help look in the water with him. If he was trying to entice Suzanne into the water or if she was returning to meet her sister and was told there was an accident, and she decided to leave for help, it might take some distance to catch up to her with a struggle ensuing. I have no idea what the quarry looked like physically, if there was a heightened ledge involved or on level ground, how far from a main road it was, if it was operational or abandoned. All of this is pure conjecture as to what MIGHT have happened.

The thing that struck me in the Wetterling case was the information given that the killer used a bobcat from a nearby construction company to dig Jacob's first gravesite. (I hate the term disposal site.) The killer "just happened" to know where the keys were located and how to operate a bobcat? Riiiight! On one of the Wetterling WS threads, someone mentioned a construction/excavation company in Paynesville, MN. This makes me wonder if the killer was familiar with the (construction/excavation?) business and the quarries.

I am also struck by the fact that there are other missing/murder cases that happened in or around construction people and sites and quarries. The Majane Case in Moorestown, NJ, 22 Aug 1975, comes to mind. Her body was unearthed in a marsh area where neighborhood youth congregated and called the Texas (something or other) that was being rehabbed for construction of homes. The description of the area along with the name the kids had given it "Texas ?" piqued my mind toward the FT Worth area description where three girls went missing in 23 DEC 1974.

I think if I was LE, I might be checking out some construction sites, companies, employees in and around the time of these missing/murder cases.

I know, it is three different areas of the country, but my mind took in the similar circumstances with the first two cases, and the confessed killer of Jacob Wetterling tied/added construction and familiarity with construction/excavation sites, construction equipment, and water (quarry/marsh) areas. I could be wrong, but I have long believed that many of the missing/murder cases are related in some way--even if not committed by the same perpetrator--perhaps individuals trying to "outdo" each other in evil. Even if you discredit the "conspiracy" part, consider the similarity in physical surroundings and circumstances.
 
I don't know anything about this case, but with the Jacob Wetterling news, MN cases have some interest.

If I understand correctly Mary's body was found 40 feet below the surface of the water. That is pretty deep for an unweighted body in still water unless it possibly entered the water by dropping from some height or was taken below the surface and killed in the water. The body being nude may also lead to the possibility that she may have been "skinny dipping" or considering it. Suzanne's clothes were found near her body, if I remember what I read correctly, and the body was found somewhat away from the water, which makes me wonder if she was running away from someone and perhaps putting up a fight.

If I had been on a secret rendezvous with my sister and her boyfriend, and they went into the water together and only he came up, I would be at first be shocked and hoping she would come up. The same would be true even if what happened looked like an accident (falling in-although that might be less likely to be in the nude and would not account for the stab wounds--unless Suzanne had left them to their privacy when Mary disappeared). Very shortly though, I think I would be wanting to leave to get help, but the attacker might not want someone to leave. They might try to convince the other person to help look in the water with him. If he was trying to entice Suzanne into the water or if she was returning to meet her sister and was told there was an accident, and she decided to leave for help, it might take some distance to catch up to her with a struggle ensuing. I have no idea what the quarry looked like physically, if there was a heightened ledge involved or on level ground, how far from a main road it was, if it was operational or abandoned. All of this is pure conjecture as to what MIGHT have happened.

The thing that struck me in the Wetterling case was the information given that the killer used a bobcat from a nearby construction company to dig Jacob's first gravesite. (I hate the term disposal site.) The killer "just happened" to know where the keys were located and how to operate a bobcat? Riiiight! On one of the Wetterling WS threads, someone mentioned a construction/excavation company in Paynesville, MN. This makes me wonder if the killer was familiar with the (construction/excavation?) business and the quarries.

I am also struck by the fact that there are other missing/murder cases that happened in or around construction people and sites and quarries. The Majane Case in Moorestown, NJ, 22 Aug 1975, comes to mind. Her body was unearthed in a marsh area where neighborhood youth congregated and called the Texas (something or other) that was being rehabbed for construction of homes. The description of the area along with the name the kids had given it "Texas ?" piqued my mind toward the FT Worth area description where three girls went missing in 23 DEC 1974.

I think if I was LE, I might be checking out some construction sites, companies, employees in and around the time of these missing/murder cases.

I know, it is three different areas of the country, but my mind took in the similar circumstances with the first two cases, and the confessed killer of Jacob Wetterling tied/added construction and familiarity with construction/excavation sites, construction equipment, and water (quarry/marsh) areas. I could be wrong, but I have long believed that many of the missing/murder cases are related in some way--even if not committed by the same perpetrator--perhaps individuals trying to "outdo" each other in evil. Even if you discredit the "conspiracy" part, consider the similarity in physical surroundings and circumstances.
 
DD7761 said:
http://wjon.com/wjon-cold-cases-1974-reker-murders-still-a-mystery-video/

Hey all: I'm the writer of this story. I really have become quite interested in this case-just discovered these forums now and thought I would chime in. I really hope that the case is getting close to being solved: really seems like there may be several out there who know crucial bits of information.
Click to expand...

It was Labor Day: September 2nd, 1974, when Mary (15-years-old) and Susanne (12-years-old) left home around 11:00 a.m. to go shopping at the nearby Zayre Discount Store (now currently home to Save-a-Lot Grocery and Liquor). Rita recalls it being a beautiful summer day after a big family reunion the day before.

“I didn’t want them to go very badly but they needed some school supplies. They were going to be back quickly.”

They were last seen at the store at 1:30 p.m.
Click to expand...

Mary and Susan left their home at about 11 AM from 224 18th Ave N, St. Cloud, MN, after saying and waving goodbye to their father, Fred Reker, who was painting the house. They walked the .9 of a mile to 13 North 24th Avenue, Zayre Shopper's City.

Google map of their home and the discount store.

https://goo.gl/maps/QXV3iYqVZ6A2

They were last seen at 1:30 PM, that afternoon, at Zayre Shopping City. Their mother said they needed some 'small' school supplies and would return quickly. Minus the 18 minute walk from their home to the store, that leaves 2 whole hours to shop for some 'small' school supplies at one discount store. I believe I read somewhere that Susanne was quoted as saying to her sister, "I don't want to go with that man." I think the older girl used the need for school supplies as a ruse to go to the mall and she involved her younger sister for what turned out to be false security against whom she was going to meet. (On a side note, I noticed in an obituary for Notch's brother that he belonged to Narcotics Anonymous, not that he had anything to do with the murder but the proximity of drugs to the suspect through his brother.)

Who was that man? Who worked at Zayre Shopping City? One employee who did was Herbert Daniel Notch, who, along with James A. Wagner, was charged in the rape and attempted murder, robbery and kidnapping on September 25, 1976 of a 14 year old girl who was abducted from a St. Cloud grocery store where she worked, driven to a rural area, stabbed and raped.

Notch worked at Zayre Shopper City, where the Reker girls were last seen, which was located in the Plaza West Shopping Center. He also lived near the shopping center in the 200 block of 1st Ave North as seen in the Google map below.

https://goo.gl/maps/wArcafayqco

The quarry where the girls were found can be seen just west of those locations.

Herbert Daniel Notch's mug shot can be seen on this forum on Websleuths several pages before this one.

The WJON video below, at 2:44 and 5:17, shows that Notch, identified as Mr. X, called WJON and said he wasn't the killer but that a patient at the St. Cloud's Veteran's Hospital was the killer and had committed suicide 11 days after the murder of the Reker girls. That was disproved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnW5xx5MF-I&feature=youtu.be

Herbert D. Notch currently lives in Montevideo MN.

His father's obituary:

http://sctimesinteractive.com/obituaries/?p=detail&id=581
 
The correct name of the store is Zayre Shopper's City, not Zayre Shopping City. I posted it wrong.
 
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