IL IL - Debbie Fijan, 10, DuPage County, 11 Feb 1966 - #2

Anything new HELPFUL 1? You mentioned the below on 09/24/2019. Please help/contact the DPC Sheriff's Office at 630/682-7256.

Yes, I would be willing. Sorry I've been away for so long.

 

Debbie Fijan was just 10 years old when she was stabbed 19 times and left in an ice-crusted ditch on Lies Road near West Chicago on Feb. 11, 1966. The fifth-grader had stayed after school for a basketball game and was waiting for her mother to pick her up when she disappeared. The last person to see her, her Benjamin Elementary School teacher Loren Schofield, was charged with the killing, but the judge soon realized the evidence didn't match up. The case has been unsolved for 50 years.

LINK:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/visu...lved-murder-photos-20160210-photogallery.html

 

Information provided 5/1/2020.

 

Hardback book: "In the Name of the Children", by retired FBI Special Agent

How a true crime book and a DNA hit led to an Iowa man being charged with murder in 3 cold cases

 

A recent FOIA I filed was disregarded, since the information on file "was destroyed years ago by a previous administration". The info. I was hoping to get was the dates & time period(s) that John Schofield and/or other relatives served as WTHC. If I recall, JS served as HC for 2-3 terms, up until his death in 1967. I might follow up with the DPC Election Commission for election results if available (i.e. uncontested/contested, who ran for HC, etc.).

 

Olde North Pancake House To Close After More Than 57 Years

Kind of IT, but thought the locals who knew Debbie might be interested in the above information.

I wish the neighbor who found her would make some kind of comment about this case. At this point enough time has passed and there is about no chance anyone would be charged. At best we can hope to see the case solved and closed......

 

Debbie Fijan, 10
Murdered 11 February 1966

 

First Sonny Acres Farm, now ONPH. I have many great memories of both. Many of the owner's kids from Sonny Acres attended Benjamin School in the 1960's when Debbie was there. One of them and I were both classmates of Debbie's. Another classmate of ours lived directly across the street (St. Charles Rd.) from ONPH on the south side, before this area became Timber Ridge FP. I can't remember his name right now, against WS "rules" to post anyway. A bunch of us would always go/walk to ONPH. Most, if not all of the area along the south side of St. Charles road was farm fields back in the 60's as some of you might recall. This classmate that lived close to ONPH had an unfinished car. All it had was a frame, wheels, engine, and seats - no doors or body. Quite hilarious. We'd drive that thing in the fields. Shh... "All names have been changed/excluded to protect the innocent". Hard to believe we were doing something like this at about the age of 11/12 with "no stinkin helmets" or "helicopter parents" - HA!!

Thanks for posting Cubby. Very memorable for me, but also sad thinking about Debbie's unsolved case.

 

Sonny Acres is still around.

sonnyacres – A family owned and operated pumpkin farm since 1883.

I keep seeing various local cold cases being solved despite the perpetrators being deceased. Every time I see or hear of a local cold cases being solved, I wonder when is it going to be Debbie's turn?

Two local serial killers have made recent news, Bruce Lindahl and Samuel William Legg III.

 

It would be wonderful if Debbie could get justice at least , her life was stolen and imagine her family's life turned upside down. Forever changed. MOO

 

Great to read that the new owners grew up in the area, and they will not be changing things at Sonny Acres. Thanks for posting Cubby. I had read in the eTrib last year, or 2018(?), that the original family owners were going to sell SA. There aren't many wooded properties with 100+ year old large Oak trees left in DPC. That's much better to see SA "preserved" vs. a new development with asphalt parking lots, office buildings, or apartments.

 

I recently followed up with the DPC Election Commission (FOIA) on the above, and records/information was denied. Apparently, my request was not specific enough. Their "cover their a$s" response was full of reasons, and references to court cases and legal jargon/"MUMBO JUMBO" as to why the dates that John Schofield served as WTHC could not be provided. How simple can that be. It's not like they were using an Abacus, had "hanging Chads", or the election was in Cook County. Maybe there was never an election, just "keep it in the family". No wonder JS told Loren to "keep his mouth shut" the first day JS met Loren in jail after his arrest. I'm so cynical. Gee, I wonder why after 54 years of inactivity by DPC and the DPCSO. Hmm... DPC and their "officials" must still be afraid of something. "Not giving up for Debbie"