IN IN - Richard Sweeney 8, Jeffrey Burkett 15, & Donald Abell 19, Henryville, 1977

[Artisha1979]

I have not contacted the families because the retired police officer i spoke to advised against it...Said it would do more harm than good.

I am open for suggestions though

Mahononeys07 I went to hhs jeff and donnie were both in some of my classes and jeff was in my drivers ed class at the time this happened and i knew some of suspects listed and carr boy in my class i brung it up at reunion and flat ask him and I don’t believe that he had anything to do with it. Just wanted to put that out there also knew stargle and back then I don’t even remember hearing any thing about him being a suspect. I seen a lot of stuff on here that looks like hear say like town being tight lipped no everybody was talking about it rumors flying every witch way. and I know one of the families doesn’t want to talk about why I don’t know maybe they just want to forget about the evil that was thrown on them. I think the cops were more tight lipped than the town. I wish that it would be reopened and they would find out who did it and why. They found bones of a woman in the Clark State Forestry several years ago never heard another word about her either. And I always heard that c sweany was the one that left for florida. Later on sweany did go to prison for killing another one of my classmates Danny Guthrie don think they got him for Dannys death but did get him for putting pipe bomb under cops car. So thats just some other info I remember hearing. So he didn’t exactly go for Dannys death but for going after the cop that was investigating his death maybe. But I just wish they would open cold cases back up because there has been more suspicious deaths since those the zollman kid heard the ruled that a sucide in back of head? And DK for a fact thats where he was shot but if its true Don’t know how thats possible. Wish websleuths would do more digging. You might be to find out some info off of indiana court cases you can put names in there and bring up anybody thats been in court for something for free. And used to be able to see who own properties and how much they paid in property tax but now they make you pay cause nobody’s were complaining about the somebodies not paying as much. But this is how a small town works.

 

[Artisha1979]

Mahoney07
I do not know how to pm you. I was attempting to point out some questions I have from the posts I have read. One post stated that Flat Rock is in Clark State Forest and would come under their jurisdiction. I think Flat Rock is near but not on the forest property. another post referred to an assembly at the high school in late August 1977 where the students were asked for any information regarding the murders. My thought was that it is possible that school was not in session then and that the second murder had actually not happened yet. Another post referred to a church across from the pool hall; There was not church across from the pool hall. Several posts implicated the doctors son who had left town. He did not leave town. Henryville is a small town and did not, and as far as I know still does not have any local law enforcement.

Jeff died while drivers ed was going on i believe. And that was held while school was out and during the summer time.

 

[Artisha1979]

Yes and apparently the cover up has been going on for years-but people in the town have apparently forgotten about it and moved on. Such a "friendly" little town.

No just bad police ing they have not put out much.

 

[Artisha1979]

I've been following this thread for a while but haven't posted anything until now.

IMO, the person who sexually assaulted and killed Richard Sweeney, the 8 year old, is not responsible for the murders of the other two young men. It's a different MO, with the body left covered up in the barn loft, not left outdoors. There was not the brutality to the body that appears in the second murder.

Jeffrey Burkett was found with his hands tied together over his head. He had been sexually molested, beaten and dragged through the woods. Some reports say he suffered surgical style incisions and was tied with barbed wire. This was a very brutal assault.

Donald Abell was missing two weeks before his body was found. His hands were tied, and he had been beaten. He died of a skull fracture. Oddly enough, his shoes were missing.

I think it's possible that Donald Abell sexually assaulted and killed Jeffrey Burnett, and some people in the community may have suspected as much. Abell's murder sounds like vigilante justice - his hands were tied, and he was beaten, but he was not sexually assaulted. Rather than turn him over to the police, someone decided Abell didn't deserve to live.

This is only wild speculation on my part, but it would explain why Abell's family wants no investigation into his murder, and why others who ought to know something are unwilling to talk about it.

Does anyone else think this is a possibility? Or am I way off track??

No

 

[Artisha1979]

My aunt (also a HHS grad) told me today she thought there was a Rick Cissell (not sure on spelling) and that not only did he run with them she thinks he was an adopted child of Dr. Carr and thats why they were always together...back then they were called Joey and Ricky so that could be the riming names you were in search of also...

Yes i know rick he was a guy that said put out or get out so I got out in the middle of the night and started walking back home wasn’t giving it up to a piece of *advertiser censored* like that but did hear he is a state cop in texas now. As for Todd he was in my class don’t think it was him can’t condemn todd for knowing someone don’t think rick killed them either unless he swang the other way and they turned him down.