I seem to be a few years late to this post, but hopefully someone sees this - Regina was my 3rd cousin, she was killed 2 days before my mother's 7th birthday. I've tried for many years to find information online about her case, but always end up back in the old Marion news archives. I grew up in the area but live out of state now, and intend on doing better sleuthing when I come to visit - but I'm so interested in what anyone has to say on this - how many people outside of little Williamson county have heard of her story? I don't seem to know much more than what's already been commented, but again - hopefully someone will see this & spark the conversation again
It's a very sad story, hopefully you and your family will find answers some day.
On the positive side, at least you have local LE (ISP)
who is willing to do all they can to solve this case.
These days, it seems a good way to draw attention to a cold case murder is to see if you can get one of the big true crime podcasts to cover the story. It can bring more attention to the case. Who knows, it might put pressure on the killer, too.
This story, from the link above, seems a little odd
Merle Dillow of Carbondale told officers Monday that he gave the young mother of a two year old boy a ride in his car from Herrin to Carterville. He said he and some friends took Mrs. Castillia to Herrin from the Carterville Dairy Queen where she had gone from a birthday party at the home of David Hampton of Carterville. He said he let her out of his car at the corner of Cherry and South 16th Streets.
Is there some backtracking in that route?
1. Around 7:30 pm Regina drops off her son at her parents' home in Herrin, IL. She's driven there by a friend, Molly Forquer
2. Allegedly goes to a party in Carterville, IL (about 6 miles away at the home of David Hampton). Was she driven there by Dillow and friends or by Molly Forquer?
3. Around 11:30 pm, Dillow says he and friends gave Regina a ride from the party in Carterville to a street corner in Herrin, IL (why didn't he just give her a ride home?)
$. Regina's body discovered the next morning around 7:30 am on South Market St, Marion, IL. That's about 12 miles from the street corner in Herrin, IL where Dillow claims he dropped her off.
Dr. Thompson, a pathologist who examined her body said there was no indication of sexual assault. (Did he test for semen or just do a visual examination?)
Did Mr. Dillow say why he dropped her off at the street corner in Herrin? Did she tell him if she planned to meet someone there? If so, whom? Did she plan to meet up with someone she had seen at the party?
It seems unusual that there was no sexual assault. Her clothes had been removed and left nearby. Her body was nude. Why would a man kidnap and kill a woman, then dump her body over a bridge if SA wasn't involved? Anger about something? Revenge? Strangling requires strength and control. It is sometimes considered a personal, hands-on form of killing.
It's reported that her ex-husband was out of town at the time Regina was murdered. Was his alibi checked? Were any of his close friends at the party that night? What was her relationship like with her ex-husband and his family? Did she have problems with anyone prior to the night of the party and murder?
As a relative, will whichever LE agency has Regina's file allow you to read through it? If so, can you make notes of any details, tips, etc. that hadn't been discussed before?
Can you view the AR to make sure a thorough exam was done to rule out sexual assault? Sometimes the SA evidence can be in other pieces of clothing, not necessarily on underwear, etc. It can be on a shoe or shirt, etc. Othram and their affiliates might be able to assist in examining Regina's clothing or other evidence for traces of DNA. IIRC, some of their partners are affiliated with SE Missouri University in Cape Girardeu, MO which isn't far away from the Carbondale/Marion area.
Has LE gone back to re-interview any witnesses from that night? Sometimes stories and alibis can fall apart years later. Someone who was persuaded to lie for a friend, partner or relative may no longer feel the need to protect them.
These are a few suggestions. I hope you have some success. Do as much homework as you can before you leave on your trip. Take notes, etc. Let us know how it goes. Good luck!
ETA: Don't assume everything that LE discovered in the initial investigation is the solid truth. No reflection on them, but there are probably some people who lied and got away with it. It sounds like LE focused on people who drove around with Regina and attended the party. You may want to consider the report that Regina's friends dropped her off at a corner in downtown Herrin that night is false. JMO, I would assume that probably didn't happen. If it did happen, it's possible there were people from the party who followed Regina with the intent to victimize her.
Also, here's a link for Othram.
Othram is revolutionizing how forensic cases are solved, justice is served, and families are mended.
othram.com