NE NE - Mary Kay Heese, 17, Wahoo, 25 March 1969

Too bad the online article didn't have more details. If they thought the suspect was a man who killed himself, why were they taking DNA of a 60 year old woman? Maybe she was a relative?
 
Some snippets describing the crime:

Note this article was dated Thursday, Sep 21, 2006

"Mary Kay Heese was 17 on March 25, 1969, when she was stabbed 12 times after track practice in Wahoo. She died that day."

http://www.fremonttribune.com/articles/2006/09/21/news/news1.txt

Note this article was dated September 14, 2006

"Mary Kay Heese was a teenager when she was found brutally killed, and the circumstances of her death have remained a mystery.

"Her body was located about a mile or two outside of town. She died from 12 stab wounds," said Saunders County Attorney Scott Tinglehoff."

http://www.officer.com/web/online/Funding-and-Management-News/Grant-Allows-Nebraska-Police-To-Reopens-12-Cold-Cases/4$32634

Note that the date of this article is dated 09 JAN 09:

"Heese, a Wahoo High School junior, was stabbed multiple times in the chest and stomach. Her body was found after midnight on March 26, 1969. The weapon used to kill her was never found."

"On the day she was killed, she attended track practice. Walking home, she stopped at the Wigwam Cafe in downtown Wahoo for a hot chocolate about 4:30 p.m. At 5 p.m., residents recalled seeing her walking home, about six blocks from her family's house on the edge of town."

"Authorities believe that she voluntarily got into a car with someone familiar to her. At 12:30 a.m., a local farmer contacted police after finding schoolbooks scattered along a county road about four miles southeast of town. Nearby, law enforcement officers found Heese's body, fully clothed, her white gloves soaked in blood. Evidence at the scene indicated that she had bolted from a vehicle and had run down the rural road, chased by someone. Eventually, she and her attacker came face to face, struggled on the road and then into the ditch, where her body was found. There was no evidence of a sexual assault."

"At this point, Frank said, circumstantial evidence points to a man in his early 20s from Wahoo who had been in scrapes with the law. He was an older kid who was drinking heavily that day,' Frank said. He killed himself within a few years of Heese's slaying.Authorities have been unable to establish a DNA link between the man and Heese, Frank said. DNA samples obtained from the man's relatives did not match DNA from the scene."

http://www.southwestiowanews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20237749&BRD=2703&PAG=461&dept_id=627131&rfi=6
 
Well how can they say "case closed" when the DNA doesn't match? Sounds like someone else got away with murder and now the case is closed.
 
If anyone see this reply please let me know. I am curious to find out if anyone knows how this case can be reopened or investigated. I have heard that someone started to look into this case and they then received threatening phone calls.
 
http://omahanewsstand.com/articles/2009/12/04/the_ashland_gazette/news/doc4b13ea87650f8261257015.txt



Twenty-nine more cold cases remain unsolved, including the 1969 murder of Wahoo teenager Mary Kay Heese. It is the oldest cold case in the files, and may never be solved.

“We think we know who did it, but the suspect has passed away,” said Frank.

That doesn’t mean Frank won’t keep working on the Heese case and the others in his charge. He continues to work cold cases even though he was recently promoted to lieutenant in charge of the Headquarters Troop Investigations.

Published: Monday, November 30, 2009 10:34 AM CST

Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Bob Frank is listed as having that case and working it in Nov of 2009. I would start there Lsolve. Just my opinion.
 
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http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Cold-Case-Warming-Up-After-45-Years-255118171.html

In March 1969, the body of Wahoo junior Mary Kay Hesse was found in a ditch southeast of town. She had been stabbed more than a dozen times. A farmer found Mary Kay's school books scattered on the road.

Investigators believe someone tried to take her down the road to a secluded area known for partying called "The Grove." Investigators said the victim got out of a car and tried to run away, but footprint photos show someone caught her. "It appears she tried to fight back," said Scott Tingelhoff, County Attorney.

After track practice, Mary Kay had been seen walking home. "I don't think she would have gotten in a car with anyone she didn't know," said Dorothy Heese, mother. That's why investigators believe someone known in the community murdered Mary Kay Heese in 1969.

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Witnesses-In-Cold-Case-Murder-Fight-Subpoenas-284031661.html

Saunders County authorities have two persons of interest who lived in the area then and moved away. Both have been subpoenaed before a grand jury which is encouraging news for the victim’s family...

The case relies on more than forensics but also testimony from persons of interest and their relatives who may have heard incriminating secrets. So Nebraska investigators served two subpoenas in Florida and five in Pennsylvania.

Fact Finders has learned the five witnesses in Pennsylvania refused to accept those subpoenas and while they challenge them in the legal system there, the grand jury in Wahoo has been postponed not once but twice. That's frustrating news for the murder victim's family already waiting 45 years for justice.
 
Legal stuff confuses me. If the suspects refuse the subpoenas, can't they be extradited instead? I'm reading between the lines here but it seems like Nebraska LE has some pretty good evidence, including DNA against the suspects, if they are fighting this hard after all these years to get justice for Miss Hesse. Why are the suspects fighting the subpoenas if they are innocent? 48 Hours Mysteries or other such TV programs should do a show on this one.
 
Has there ever been an update on Mary Kay Heese or the killer? Ive read articles and live in Nebraska but I cant seem to find anything other than the DNA testing and that they suspected the male committed suicide.

Thank you :)
 
just read this story and its kind of like the case of like the case of Tina Davidson whos case and link on her but she was killed in 1973 in Wisconsin last seen with a man who was in his late 20's to 40's seen at a ice cream shop the night of her death 3-26-1973 she was found the next Moring beaten in the head and stabed 61 times
 

Mary Kay Heese was murdered on 26 March 1969.
The case remains unsolved.
 
2014 article on a lead...

...Police quickly began to trace the 17-year-old’s whereabouts throughout the day. The girl, who was described by many as “shy,” went to school as usual. Schoolmate Dan Givens recalled seeing Heese that day at the Safeway store. They were both there to buy food during their open-campus lunch. He remembers asking her whether the apple she was buying was all she was going to eat for lunch that day.

“She said ‘Yes, that’s all I’m going to have,’” recalled Givens. “That was the last time I ever spoke with her.”

After school, Heese attended track team try-outs. She was spotted in downtown Wahoo at the Wigwam Cafe at around 4:30 p.m. and shortly after that near the Baptist Church at the corner of Seventh and Linden streets.

Another report placed Heese at the corner of 12th and Linden streets at about 5 p.m. that was the last anyone saw of her until the early hours of March 26, when a farmer driving his tractor along the roadway spotted her school books in the roadway. He took the books to town and then returned with a police officer to the location about three and a half miles southwest of Wahoo.

Heese’s body was located in the ditch a short way from where her books had been found. She had been stabbed 12 times with some sort of sharp instrument.

Over the years, a number of investigators have put in time working on the case.

Although they were not aware of it, officials of the time preserved DNA evidence that might today help to identify Heese’s killer...

LINK:
New lead comes in old case
 
2014 article on a lead...

...Police quickly began to trace the 17-year-old’s whereabouts throughout the day. The girl, who was described by many as “shy,” went to school as usual. Schoolmate Dan Givens recalled seeing Heese that day at the Safeway store. They were both there to buy food during their open-campus lunch. He remembers asking her whether the apple she was buying was all she was going to eat for lunch that day.

“She said ‘Yes, that’s all I’m going to have,’” recalled Givens. “That was the last time I ever spoke with her.”

After school, Heese attended track team try-outs. She was spotted in downtown Wahoo at the Wigwam Cafe at around 4:30 p.m. and shortly after that near the Baptist Church at the corner of Seventh and Linden streets.

Another report placed Heese at the corner of 12th and Linden streets at about 5 p.m. that was the last anyone saw of her until the early hours of March 26, when a farmer driving his tractor along the roadway spotted her school books in the roadway. He took the books to town and then returned with a police officer to the location about three and a half miles southwest of Wahoo.

Heese’s body was located in the ditch a short way from where her books had been found. She had been stabbed 12 times with some sort of sharp instrument.

Over the years, a number of investigators have put in time working on the case.

Although they were not aware of it, officials of the time preserved DNA evidence that might today help to identify Heese’s killer...

LINK:
New lead comes in old case

There is DNA. I think the case can be solved then. There is still hope
 
Anyone had anymore luck on info in this case? I am looking into the story and murder or Mary Kay Heese as it is coming up as another anniversary of her murder.
 

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