WI WI - Stephanie Casberg, 17, Racine County, 6 July 1969

[Quoththeraven]

Stephanie was missing since Sunday, July 6, and was found Thursday, July 10. The Kenosha News, July 11, 1969 stated, "Authorities believed she had been dead two days when found."

She was held alive from one to three days. I wish authorities would reveal whether any DNA was found on her body parts, the newspapers, the cardboard box, the shoe, the remaining earring or the paper bag containing the head. Of course, DNA evidence wasn't used until 1986. Now, there are very advanced ways of getting fingerprints and DNA off evidence that couldn't have been done before. I wonder if any of the evidence was re-submitted for these advanced tests? I also wonder if any of the evidence is still in storage after 50 years?

July 6, Sunday
July 7, Monday
July 8, Tuesday
July 9, Wednesday
July 10, Thursday

Also, the July 12, 1969 issue of the Kenosha News stated that, out of the evidence that they have, there were found Stephanie's purse, items in the purse, a ripped up photo and a pink blanket north of the Eight Mile Road Bridge.

I believe those items were staged by the killer at those locations to mislead investigators into thinking this was a lover's spat gone wrong. I also believe the reason the rest of the body parts were found on 92nd St in a Sunkist box is because the killer may have been scared off at the first dump site. A blue Chevrolet? had been seen in the area earlier to the body being discovered. I also believe that the body was cut up in order to remove it from the kill site without discovery. This tells me the killing was done in an urban setting rather than a rural setting.

Last but not least, Wisconsin has been using familial DNA searches but can only submit 6 cases per year after certain criteria has been met. I think detectives should utilize this method and if they have, at least say so.

Wisconsin DOJ website:
"Due to the additional time and resources this tool requires the DNA Databank team is only able to perform six searches a year. Additionally, the tool is only approved for use with unsolved, violent crimes where all investigative leads have been exhausted. Finally, the case needs to have a suitable STR DNA profile searching in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and a Y-STR DNA profile (male DNA testing). If you have a case that you believe may be suitable for familial DNA searching, you may send the case information to Melisa Wittkowske (wittkowskeml@doj.state.wi.us) or to the DNA analyst who worked your case. They will be able to investigate and determine whether the case has met all of the initial science requirements."

Familial DNA Search | Wisconsin Department of Justice

Last, but not least, waunakeegan, a WS member, did a case summary for this case (#32) and highlighted a suspect where a witness went to LE in 1988, 1989 and accused that suspect of the killing. Det. Luedtke/RSD & Det's. Skip Blazer & Erv Krause/MPD 5th Precinct handled that interview, FWIK. Instead of investigating the witnesses claims, they released a statement to the media. I read that article myself in The Fond du Lac Reporter. obviously they didn't put the witnesses name in the paper but if the suspect saw it they would have known immediately who the witness was.
If they would have investigated, that would have led them to another witness who had important information on this case.

Either way, the MPD needs to update their skimpy 57 word write up on their cold case page, which, I guess, is better than the Racine Sheriff's Department's webpage. They have nothing up.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I realize this is an old thread, however this misinformation must be corrected for anyone seeking further information on this case. The last possible proof of life of miss Casberg was found in Franklin, in Milwaukee County. No kill scene was ever found nor proven, and her body parts that were found were scattered on both sides of the Milwaukee/Racine County line.

This case echos heavily in my memory for two reasons, the first being that the newscaster on radio station WOKY that announced her name stumbled on her last name, making it sound like that of a branch of our family, and the second, being young, it was the first time I ever heard of a dismemberment killing, and was the taking of my "innocence".

"I realize this is an old thread, however this misinformation must be corrected for anyone seeking further information on this case. The last possible proof of life of miss Casberg was found in Franklin, in Milwaukee County."

Wrong. Milwaukee Detective Inspector Leo Woelfel said it was believed the girl was last seen alive when she left her job in the hamburger shop about 12:30 a.m. This location, in Milwaukee, was the "last possible proof of life of Casberg."

There was no "last possible proof of life found in Franklin, in Milwaukee County." The blanket, purse and torn up photo is not a "last proof of life." Also, those items were more than likely staged. Why would someone lay out a blanket and purse to make it look like Casberg had been there, leave them there and then dump her body parts across the Racine/Milwaukee County line by the Eight Mile Road Bridge and 92nd St.? There was no evidence that she was killed where the blanket and purse were found. Also, the hot humid July weather with all the gnats and flies biting is anything but romantic if this was even a "lover's quarrel gone bad."

"her body parts that were found were scattered on both sides of the Milwaukee/Racine County line."

Wrong. The sites where her body parts were found in the Town of Raymond, Racine County and Franksville, Racine County, several miles apart.

 

[mysuspect]

As far as the blanket and purse being part of something that may have been staged, where there reports as to how they were found? I don't recall anything specific.

 

[Quoththeraven]

One story stated that, in addition to other feminine articles, the purse contained several postcards, photographs and earrings, but none of the earrings appeared to match the single pendulum bronze earring found attached to the girl's left ear. That was found by a Franklin policeman only a short distance from where the body parts were found and that near the purse was a pink blanket. That story stated the torn up arcade photo was found nearby.

An AP news article (below) described the same scenario, but with the photo being found beside a Franklin road.

 

[Quoththeraven]

...
A blue Chevrolet? had been seen in the area earlier to the body being discovered...

Correction, that should be a blue Plymouth.

 

[Quoththeraven]

The cause of death was probably a stab wound to the neck.

 

[Quoththeraven]

mysuspect: Here's the article showing the pelvis, rib cage and leg bones found on 92nd.

 

[Richard]

Stephanie Marie Casberg, 17
Murdered 7 July 1969

BIRTH 11 July 1951
Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, USA
DEATH 7 July 1969 (aged 17)
Wisconsin, USA
BURIAL
Mount Olivet Cemetery
Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin, USA

LINK:
Stephanie M Casberg (1951-1969) - Find A Grave...

 

[Richard]

Gruesome cold case murder of Milwaukee teen Stephanie Casberg remains unsolved 50 years later

 

[Quoththeraven]

Gruesome cold case murder of Milwaukee teen Stephanie Casberg remains unsolved 50 years later

Does anyone have access to this small Friday, February 19, 1988 full article from the Fond Du Lac Reporter to share?

Search - Newspapers.com

 

[waunakeegan]

Does anyone have access to this small Friday, February 19, 1988 full article from the Fond Du Lac Reporter to share?

Search - Newspapers.com

@Quoththeraven I've attached the article you were looking for along with another longer article that came out the day before.

 

[Quoththeraven]

@Quoththeraven I've attached the article you were looking for along with another longer article that came out the day before.

Waunakeegan, thank you for both articles. I read the first one back in the eighties but wasn't aware of the second one which is a little more in depth. That woman is deceased, btw. The article doesn't disclose whether detectives or the FBI got a hold of the POI or not or his reaction.

Sheriff's Lt Gary Heck states in the article, "We're certainly not convinced the guy's involved." I'm convinced he's involved and two others may also be involved.

What are the odds of a body being dumped on land where the POI hunted in the past and within a mile of property owned by the POI's relatives and not considered a suspect?

What about the odds of the POI being a coworker who worked with Stephanie the night she disappeared and not being considered a suspect?

What are the odds of there being not one shred of DNA belonging to the POI on the evidence consisting of the purse, blanket, purse contents, torn up photo, cardboard box, newspapers, woman's shoe or body parts?

What are the odds of the evidence still even being in the evidence room after 51 years and it being 14 days away from the 52 anniversary of her murder?

 

[Quoththeraven]

As far as the blanket and purse being part of something that may have been staged, where there reports as to how they were found? I don't recall anything specific.

Here are two articles mentioning where they were found.

 

[AimHon]

I have just recently ran a cross this case, was there ever a reason the family gave for not reporting her missing? Yet if I understood correctly, her father thought right away that it was her body found.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I have just recently ran a cross this case, was there ever a reason the family gave for not reporting her missing? Yet if I understood correctly, her father thought right away that it was her body found.

On occasion she would stay at one of her girlfriends. Her parents assumed that was the case here. Her father had told the Racine Sheriff that Stephanie had been missing since Sunday, when she failed to come home from her job. He told the Sheriff he had heard radio reports late Wednesday of the body being found and was afraid it might be his daughter. He said no missing person report had been made had been made to the Milwaukee police because she sometimes stayed overnight with a girlfriend rather than make the trip home that late at night. Her hours were 6:30 PM to 12:30 AM, five nights a week. She was working the night she went missing.

Initially there was confusion as to whether she had worked that night. Someone at her place of work created that confusion by saying she hadn't been working that night, IMO. Right there the police should have checked the work schedule. If it showed she hadn't been working that night but others said she had, then whoever made out the schedule had changed the schedule.

Also, her parents did receive calls from the restaurant AFTER she hadn't showed up for work. One would assume that if she hadn't showed up for work the day she disappeared that her parents would have received a call that day, too. They did not. Someone at her place of work lied to the police. What say you, MPD Cold Case Detective Nathan Butz?

 

[Quoththeraven]

A short 1970 article from the Racine Journal Times article with some historical background on the bridge. I believe that barricade was the same barricade that was there in 1969 and doesn't look stationary, though that barricade and the one on the other side of the bridge may have been fastened to the bridge railing. I believe I read somewhere that teenagers would just move the barricade to drive across the bridge.

Racine County Sheriff Blessinger, the sheriff at the time, speculated that the body parts had been dumped from the bridge and whoever did it came in on foot. He also stated that whoever dumped the body parts had to have known his way around and would have been familiar with the area. He said it was such an isolated spot that it would would be difficult to get to unless the killer knew the area.

The bridge over the Root River, which had been closed since June 2oth, 1969, was demolished probably that same year (1970). It was located on Eight Mile Road. South 27th Street is on the right. The other body parts were found on 92nd St. between Seven and Eight Mile Road about 5 miles west of the bridge.

Google Maps

Last month was the 52nd anniversary of her death.

 

[Rush4087]

I have just recently ran a cross this case, was there ever a reason the family gave for not reporting her missing? Yet if I understood correctly, her father thought right away that it was her body found.

It does seem odd. It at least seems to indicate that she and her parents didn’t communicate on a regular basis. The parents did have lots of kids to deal with though

Am I understanding this correctly: that she worked Sunday from around 6:30 pm to just after midnight (which would have been :30 am Monday). This is when she disappeared. When SC didn’t show up again for the same shift on Monday at 6:30, I believe the day mgr called SC’s home to see if she was there (I assume the day manager spoke with a one of her parents). The same thing then happened again on Tuesday: a manager at the restaurant called SC’s home after she failed to show up to start the same shift on Tuesday 6:30pm.-:30am Wed.). I’m still shocked that SC’s parents didn’t ever notify LE that there daughter was missing (sleeping with friends aside). She was gone for 3 days by the time some of her remains were found under the bridge

Her father heard that some remains had been found late Wednesday afternoon/evening, and reports said that he instinctive knew they were SC. Again, why didn’t parents alert LE earlier?

Lastly, did she get a ride to work on Sunday from a guy with a yellow car. I think this is what her brother reported. I think the confusion on this was not so much about the report, but whether it was indeed the last sighting (it was not). I understand the person in the yellow car was checked out.

 

[Rush4087]

Waunakeegan, thank you for both articles. I read the first one back in the eighties but wasn't aware of the second one which is a little more in depth. That woman is deceased, btw. The article doesn't disclose whether detectives or the FBI got a hold of the POI or not or his reaction.

Sheriff's Lt Gary Heck states in the article, "We're certainly not convinced the guy's involved." I'm convinced he's involved and two others may also be involved.

What are the odds of a body being dumped on land where the POI hunted in the past and within a mile of property owned by the POI's relatives and not considered a suspect?

What about the odds of the POI being a coworker who worked with Stephanie the night she disappeared and not being considered a suspect?

What are the odds of there being not one shred of DNA belonging to the POI on the evidence consisting of the purse, blanket, purse contents, torn up photo, cardboard box, newspapers, woman's shoe or body parts?

What are the odds of the evidence still even being in the evidence room after 51 years and it being 14 days away from the 52 anniversary of her murder?

If LE has named a POI, can he be discussed here?

 

[Richard]

Stephanie Marie Casberg, 17
Murdered 6 July 1969

LINK:

51-Year-Old Murder of Milwaukee Teenager Stephanie Casberg Still Unsolved ~ True Crime Diva

 

[Quoththeraven]

If LE has named a POI, can he be discussed here?

I don't think the police publicly named the POI. The 18 Feb 1988 article from The Journal Times (Racine, WI) in post #71 above by waunakeegan doesn't mention his name. I don't think The Racine Journal Times ever followed up on that article. It's been 33 years, maybe they should.

Maybe if someone called the Milwaukee Police Department Cold Case Unit at 414-935-7360, they might answer that question as to whether the above unnamed person is still a suspect. It wouldn't hurt to ask.