WV WV - Sister Roberta 'Robin' Elam, 26, Wheeling, 13 June 1977

What about Fr. Sabadish, suspect in the murder of two girls in PA? He was on leave during Robin's murder.
 
I don't understand why Robin's whole thread was moved to trials, when it's not her case at trial .. but YAY for another killer being brought to Justice.

Sabadish was a real piece of work - major pedo, threatened women with rape.. suspect in little Carol Ann Dougherty's murder and his behaviour there was VERY suss..

There was less 'ritual' aspect to Robin's death than the other murders-in-church-grounds that have happened. Quite different, I think.

One thing I am noticing -- and I might be just linking things a bit wildly here - is that there seem to be a lot of murders around that part of the state involving hills, high ground, stones.. I must go back (over a literal ton of material, sigh) and see what I can find.
 
Of course it would be good to see this case solved and there is an upcoming documentary on the case:

Who Killed Sister Robin Elam?

Here is another page about the case:

Sister Roberta Elam

Here is a video about the case:


Here is another report about the recent TV documentary about this case. There is some information and nice photos of the unfortunate victim:

Who Strangled A 26-Year-Old Nun To Death Just 100 Yards From Her Convent?

Here is a video clip about the case:

Revisiting The Crime Scene Of Sister Robin Elam's Murder
 
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I wonder if her murder had something to do with her role in teaching religious education classes in some of those small towns. Essentially, she was on a "mission" for the church in these remote areas. Not everybody appreciates this. Maybe someone held a grudge and noted her patterns. The crime scene was out in the open but on a hill and difficult to see/view. Could have been someone prowling the park, golf course, woods who just happened to be observing that area and just came across her. Terrible...just terrible.
 
Some more unsolved PA murders:

Mary Grace Triolo 15
A ninth grader in the Fairless School district, she was found strangled in Bristol PA on February 20 1965.

Karen Monhollen 14
Body found in Lima quarry in Middletown Township. No cause of death.

Delores Dellapenna 17
From Philadelphia PA, Wildwood
Disappeared July 11th 1972 while walking to a trolley stop. Torso found July 22nd in Jackson Township N.J and legs found on July 29th, 1972 in Manchester N.J in wooded area.

Patty Bartlett 17
From Lower Makefield, PA
Stabbed to death on January 13th 1975 at Oxford Valley Mall.

Valerie Seibert 16
From Philadelphia PA
She[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] was discovered on 4 March 1975 lying in a field near Second Street Pike and Swamp Road in Wrightstown by a farmer. Seibert, who was an 11th-grader at George Washington High School in Philadelphia, was missing for two days from her home in on Chilton Road in Northeast Philadelphia. Police also said they believed that Seibert was shot twice on the farm. The case is unsolved. [/FONT]

Susan Rush 21
From Washington PA
Found in the trunk of her car in Washington PA, strangled. She was found on Feb 24th 1976.

Brenda Lee Ritter 18
Left her boyfriends house in Washington PA, her car was found the next day in South Strabane and her body was found the same day in North Strabane strangled, on May 18 1977.

Joan Rasperger 15
From Slickville, West Moreland County
She was found in a wooded area. No cause of death. Nov 1977.
Several years ago I started researching the Brenda Lee Ritter case. I subsequently found up to 10 more cases with very similar victimology, modus operandi, and fact patterns. One example is Barbara Lewis. She was 30 years old. Last seen walking to a bus stop for her job in downtown Pittsburgh. Her body was found in Churchill on 11/19/1976.
 
Several years ago I started researching the Brenda Lee Ritter case. I subsequently found up to 10 more cases with very similar victimology, modus operandi, and fact patterns. One example is Barbara Lewis. She was 30 years old. Last seen walking to a bus stop for her job in downtown Pittsburgh. Her body was found in Churchill on 11/19/1976.
While probably not all of these murders are connected, it is very likely that at least some of them were committed by the same killer. There are a lot of similarities and factors that could point that way. Certainly the type of victim, circumstances, method of killing and body disposal, as well as geographic locations, time of year, time of day, etc.

These are all Unsolved cases. A search of later Solved murders, abductions or attacks in similar conditions might produce some potential suspects.
 

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