GUILTY IN - South Bend, 2 suspects charged in 1988 death of Miriam Rice, 7 Jul 2018

[cybervampira]

2 arrested decades after murder of ex-teacher from GR

Two people are facing charges in a cold case murder of a pregnant mother who taught in Grand Rapids.

Miriam Rice was a teacher at Immaculate Heart of Mary School before she moved to South Bend, where she was killed.

Investigators say on June 24, 1988, Rice told her husband she was taking her nightly walk with their dog. When an hour passed and she hadn't returned, Rice’s husband called police.

Investigators found the family dog cowering under a car in the 1000 block of Riverside Avenue, with its leash still attached. On June 30, searchers discovered Rice’s body hidden in foliage down an embankment about three miles from her home. Detectives said Rice’s bra and earring were missing.

An autopsy concluded Rice died from repeated blows to the head and was the victim of a homicide. Rice was four months pregnant when she was killed, and left behind a 3 ½ -year-old son.

The search for Rice’s killer went cold until March 2, 2016, when a woman’s quest for answers pushed an ex-con to come forward and “clear the air.”

[...]


Left to right: George Kearney and Barbara Brewster, who were arrested in connection to the 1988 murder of Miriam Rice.

[...]

Authorities say Kearney, now 77, was arrested in South Bend, Indiana on July 6 and remains in jail without bond. He’s expected in court on July 17.

Brewster, now 55, was arrested in Weaver, Alabama a day later. She remains in custody, awaiting extradition.

Arrests made in 1988 murder of South Bend's Miriam Rice

2 suspects charged in 1988 death of Miriam Rice

Two suspects arrested in 1988 death of Miriam Rice

Man speaks of friendship with Miriam Rice murder suspect

Crime Watch: Miriam Rice

 

[Betty P]

Poor woman, I'm glad she and her family will finally have justice served.

The murder sounded very gruesome. Brewster's son said he was with the two of them when Miriam Rice was killed. He was just a kid. What a horrible thing to live with all these years. It sounds like both perps participated in the murder.

Also sad to read that Miriam's husband was the target of rumors from some claiming he killed his wife.

 

[iulia]

Murder suspect in South Bend cold case to be in court Monday

 

[colette]

There was a hearing for today and trial will be Dec 10, 2018. Hearing expected today in 1988 South Bend cold case

 

[iulia]

Woman accused in 30-year-old South Bend cold case murder is expected in court

 

[iulia]

Guilty plea in 30-year-old South Bend cold case murder

Today 76-year-old George Kearney pled guilty, without the benefit of a plea agreement, to murder in a 1988 South Bend cold case killing.
[...]
Kearney's sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 29th.

Brewster has a hearing tomorrow.

 

[cybervampira]

Indiana man dies in jail two weeks after pleading guilty to beating pregnant woman to death in 1988 | Daily Mail Online

An Indiana man has died in jail less than two weeks after he pleaded guilty to the 1988 beating death of a pregnant mother.



The St Joseph County prosecutor's office says George Kearney was found unresponsive in the county jail's medical unit on Saturday night. He was pronounced dead early Sunday.

The 78-year-old was terminally ill and had reportedly signed an order with jail medical staff to take no lifesaving measures if he stopped breathing.

Results of an autopsy are expected to be released Monday.

Kearney entered a guilty plea in the slaying of 28-year-old Miriam Rice on March 11 and faced up to 60 years in prison at his sentencing on Friday.

He was serving prison time for an unrelated crime when he confessed and named his co-defendant, 56-year-old Barbara Brewster, as an accomplice. Both had been charged last year.



Rice left her home to walk her dog in South Bend on June 24, 1988, and was reported missing an hour later.

Her dog was found the next day, and her body was discovered four days later on June 29 about two miles away at Pinhook Lagoon, a man-made body of water off the St Joseph River.

The victim, who was four months pregnant and had a three-year-old son, had suffered multiple skull fractures.



[...]

 

[scriabina]

What a terribly sad and horrifying story. The victim looks so kind and sweet in her photos. It seems she was the victim of a random act of brutality at the hands of two despicable people. I feel sorry for the children of the female murderer, too. Also, it's really terrible that no one followed up on the tip that was called in 30 years ago. The killer woman was free all this time. She looks just awful now -- at least 20 years older than her actual age. Hope she rots in jail, although I can't imagine how she'd get any more rotten than she already is now.

 

[iulia]

Trial to begin for woman accused in 1988 South Bend cold case murder

Today the trial begins for a St. Joseph County woman charged in a 1988 cold case murder.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Murder trial begins in the 1988 slaying of Miriam Rice

 

[iulia]

The Verdict Is Guilty For A Woman In A South Bend Cold Case From 1988

After listening to a few days of testimony in Brewsters trial, the jury deliberated for about an hour and a half before returning with the guilty verdict. It brings closure to Brewster's family, said St. Joseph County prosecutor Kenneth Cotter.
[...]
Brewster will be sentenced in August.

 

[iulia]

Woman to be sentenced in 1988 cold case murder

Brewster's sentencing is set for 10:15 a.m.

 

[iulia]

Woman sentenced to 60 years in prison for 1988 cold case murder

A more than 30-year-old murder case has come to an end.

Barbara Brewster, who was convicted of helping beat a pregnant woman to death in 1988, has been sentenced.

Investigators gathered in court and saw their more than 30 years of hard work pay off.

The judge ruled that Brewster should serve the maximum sentence which is 60 years. He called this the ‘worst of the worst type of murder’.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Corbett considers Brewster’s two children the heroes. They put their nightmarish childhoods aside (they were even forced to clean up the murder scene at ages 6 and 7) and testified against their mother.
St. Joseph County's 'cold case' crew are volunteers