I cant speak for the sister But...I feel like the husband had plenty of access to janette so if he wanted to kill her why would he choose to do it at the store during business hours? Sounds way too risky. I still think one of the 2 brothers who ran the store would be the prime suspect
Sept 17 2019 includes some pics of the basement and maps. UNSOLVED MICHIGAN CRIME: The 1983 Murder of Janette Roberson "Her sister Lana was quoted as saying, “I believe someone was infatuated with her -- had a crush on her. My sister was very friendly and naïve, really. Whoever did this could have gone there to make a move and she rejected this person, and boom. That was all it took…..Someone out there knows something. They need to finally come forward. The scary thing is the person who did this is out there somewhere. That’s terrifying, because Janette was killed in a horrible way. What’s stopping this person from doing it again? We need to get them off the streets.” There is a Facebook page dedicated to solving this crime that you can check out here. Every year on the anniversary of Janette’s death, walks to the crime scene are organized in hopes of someone coming forward with legitimate tips on the case. You can find out more about the annual walks HERE." Read More: UNSOLVED MICHIGAN CRIME: The 1983 Murder of Janette Roberson | UNSOLVED MICHIGAN CRIME: The 1983 Murder of Janette Roberson
I'm not convinced that the sister's theory is correct. If someone had been infatuated with Janette, it seems like people around her would have been able to suggest that person as a possible suspect—not that I have a better theory.
What about the woman he was said to be having an affair with? I've read no mention of her.. Why? I'm assuming this Gambles was similar to the old Kresge stores like we had down in Detroit many years ago. They basically sold a little bit of everything and even had a little pet department with gold fish, parakeets, hamsters, and so on. Assuming Janet's murderer would have had to of walked through the upper floor of the store to get to the basement and commit the murder, and then walk back through the upper floor to leave the store; it seems unreasonable that nobody seen him/her. According to one of the above news articles: the guy (now retired) who was the Reed City police chief at the time is quoted as saying that who ever murdered Janet was filled with a great deal of anger and rage. So I guess I would have to agree that her sister's theory that it was someone who had an infatuation with her is incorrect.
My understanding is Janette's husband was having a relationship with the kid's babysitter. Classy, I know. But I do believe he has been cleared. Janette was reportedly having some sort of relationship with a high school student. It is not known if that relationship was sexual, however. My understanding is that the HS student was probably still at school at the time of the murder, so he isn't or wasn't a suspect. Why do I think one of the two brothers that ran the store should be the top suspect(s)? Simply because of access. And they would have known (better than a customer) how to leave the store without being detected. Here is a scenario...just a theory....let's say one of the brothers was making sexual overtures towards Janette...maybe even had a relationship with her. Then one day Janette says something like 'im going to tell your wife' He snaps and kills her in a fit of rage. sounds plausible to me. Perhaps there were even clothes in the backroom that the brothers would have known about that they changed into in order not to leave the store in bloody clothes. just a theory...
I should make perfectly clear that as far as I know no hard evidence links either of the brothers to the murder. It is likely they have been investigated and cleared by the police.
JANETTE ROBERSON – 1983 HOMICIDE – REED CITY Case Information Name: Janette Roberson Date: January 19, 1983 Location: Reed City, Michigan 27 year old Janette Roberson was brutally murdered in Reed City, Michigan on January 19, 1983. The incident took place between 1 and 4 p.m. in the basement of Gambles store, now Reed City Hardware. Janette was working in the pet department of the store when she was severely beaten and sexually assaulted. Other employees and customers were upstairs at the time, but no witnesses have come forward. Janette, her husband and their two young children had moved to the small town of Reed City about eight months prior her death. How to Submit a Tip If you have any information in Janette Roberson’s case please contact the Michigan State Police at (989) 773-5951 or Reed City Police Chief Chuck Davis at (231) 832-3743. Tips can also be submitted to the Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-SPEAKUP. In The News/Media Brutal Murder of Young Michigan Mother Janette Roberson Still Haunts Small Town – NBC News Cold Case: The Janette Roberson Story Part 1 – 9&10 News Cold Case: The Janette Roberson Story Part 2 – 9&10 News Walk Planned to Help Bring Unsolved Murder Case Back to Life – Up North Live Mysteries of Northern Michigan: Janette Roberson Murder – 9&10 News Family & Friends Still Seeking Answers in Murder of Janette Roberson – Pioneer Family of Reed City Cold Case Murder Victim Still Seeks ‘Justice for Janette’ – 9&10 News “Justice For Janette” Participants Seek Answers in Cold Case Murder – 9&10 News Reed City to Release Records in Murder Case for the First Time – Cadillac News News Articles on Janette’s Case – Jeni Decker Podcast About Janette’s Case – Already Gone Janette Roberson - 1983 Homicide - Reed City - Michigan Cold Cases
Intriguing podcast, thanks for posting. Not that i think this is likely, but thinking of Janette's young children, her J Witness religious association and her interest in cars am reminded of one of FBI's most wanted persons and his interest in cars, JW and children... Not suggesting it is him, but perhaps someone like him..fwiw, imo, speculation. U.S. Marshals Service, 15 Most Wanted, Frederick McLEAN, Case Overview CA - Frederick Cecil McLean, Pedophile, armed and dangerous
Don't know if this was already posted but its from another podcast Who Killed Janette Roberson? • Morbidology I think this case will be solved with genealogy since there is DNA and the suspect was not in the crime registry before. I wonder if he's still alive after 37 years.
This tragic murder took place 3 blocks from my childhood home. One block north and two blocks south. I was in school the day it happened. The Gambles store was (and still is) six or seven blocks to the north from the high school. I’ve never heard any talk of her having a relationship with a high school boy or girl. Also, there are (or were) tunnels connecting each of the buildings in the “downtown” area providing accessibility to downtown buildings for anyone aware of the them. There are a great deal of “secret lifestyles” under the surface in this community now as there were then. I believe this horrible murder of Janette is the culmination of some of those secrets.
Somebody knows something, has a tip, or saw something that could help solve the crime, said Roberson’s sister Lana Jarvie. “If you were ... in town the day she died and if you were down in the basement the day she died, and you saw something, whether you thought you saw something or not, you need to step forward and tell somebody,‘ Jarvie said. “If your uncle’s cousin’s brother’s son told you they did this, turn them in.‘ Walk set for Saturday to call attention to cold case murder
