GUILTY WI - Marilyn McIntyre, 18, brutally murdered, Columbus, 11 March 1980

In the last 24-hours, we revealed never-before released details about the death of Marilyn McIntrye.

Wednesday, investigators spent the day pouring over 27-years worth of evidence in Columbia County.

Tuesday night detectives were standing by live to take your calls as we asked for information about the murder of Marilyn McIntrye.

Wednesday, the Columbia County Sheriff's Department, Columbus Police Department and the state Department of Criminal Investigation met to discuss fresh leads in the case.

In March of 1980, 18-year-old Marilyn McIntyre was brutally murdered in her Columbus home. Her husband came home from work to find his wife beaten, strangled and stabbed. The only witness: her 3 month old son Christopher who is now 27-years old.

One year after her death, the McIntyre's home mysteriously burned down. Investigators believe evidence gathered at the time of her death could provide them with a DNA sample of the killer.

http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/11251061.html

Catching Up: Old Columbus murder still under investigation

The murder of Columbus teenager Marilyn McIntyre in 1980 remains unsolved despite renewed police efforts in the past several months.
Columbia County Detective Lt. Wayne Smith, who reopened the cold case last year and had the young woman's body exhumed for testing in March, says the science of DNA testing has opened up new ways to test the evidence that was collected in 1980.

More at link.

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/wonder/catching/311414

http://www.wisn.com/news/19015650/detail.html

March 25, 2009

DNA evidence cracked a Columbia County "cold case," as an arrest was made in a homicide case nearly three decades old.

Marilyn McIntyre was a wife and mother of a 3-month-old son back in 1980 when investigators said her husband came home to find her dead on the living room floor -- beaten, stabbed and strangled.

Her son, Christopher McIntyre -- now 29 years old -- said the family always suspected close family friend Curtis Forbes...

...Fast forward 28 years. After requests from the family, investigators reopened the case and exhumed Marilyn's body. They said DNA evidence helped identify Forbes as a suspect. He had since moved back to Columbia County -- remarrying and raising two children -- and was arrested during a traffic stop this week.

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Finally a hope for Justice for Marilyn and her family.

From February 2011:

http://www.wiscnews.com/news/article_23546f94-3fdb-11e0-9f01-001cc4c03286.html

Curtis E. Forbes, 53, of Randolph, was sentenced in Columbia County Circuit Court on Wednesday to life in prison after being found guilty of first-degree murder at a trial in November...

Because Forbes is convicted for a crime committed in 1980, he will be eligible for parole June 23, 2020, according to Assistant Attorney General David Wambach.

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Forbes' ultimate plan was to buy an inflatable raft, take a boat out into Lake Michigan and sink it, making it seem like he died in the accident. Meanwhile, he'd take the raft to shore, and escape. Unfortunately for him, police had also re-interviewed Attleson, who indicated she had indeed seen blood on his shirt the morning of the murder. They now had enough probable cause to arrest him.

Even worse for him, a recorded jail phone call between him and Attleson cemented his guilt when he didn't deny having blood on his shirt the night of the murder.

Forbes was charged with first-degree murder. In November 2010, after just three hours of deliberation, the jury delivered their verdict: Guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Cold Case Murder Of 18-Year-Old Mother Solved After Exhumation Scares Killer Into Plot To Fake His Death