IL IL - Deborah Lynn Rosencrans, 16, died 12 days after being found bound and badly beaten in a wooded area of Schiller Park, Sept 1977

[MadMcGoo]

There are quite a few articles about Debbie’s unsolved murder but I included the ones containing the most pertinent details. Some of these links contain photos of her while in the hospital prior to being identified that I have not included as some may find them graphic. Hopefully this can be solved someday.

Deborah Lynn Rosencrans (1961-1977) - Find a Grave...

She was found beaten in Shiller Park Woods on Sept. 6, 1977. She died a few days later,Sept. 18th, and remained unidentified for weeks in the hospital.This case remains unsolved. To read more about this case:...

www.findagrave.com

Sep 07, 1977, page 3 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Chicago Tribune dated Sep 07, 1977, page 3.

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She was discovered by a hitchhiker (Jerry Then) in the Schiller Woods just north of Irving Park Road and 200 feet east of the Des Plaines River in Schiller Park, a suburb of Chicago.

Police were searching for the driver of a white pickup truck that was seen in the area where she was found about 3 a.m. on September 6, 1977. Tire marks were found at the scene.

She was wrapped in a bloody blanket and bound with an intricately knotted 32-foot rope. It had been tied in 13 elaborate knots , including a hangman’s noose that had been draped over her head. Her injuries were thought to have been caused by a meat tenderizing mallet or the heel of a boot.

Sep 19, 1977, page 11 - The Dispatch at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Dispatch dated Sep 19, 1977, page 11.

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She died at the hospital on September 18, 1977, without ever regaining consciousness. A young female started calling the hospital right after she was found asking about “Barbara’s” condition. She called to the ICU every other day asking “How is Barbara?”, “Is she going to make it? Her boyfriend would like to know.”

Oct 04, 1977, page 2 - The Pantagraph at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Pantagraph dated Oct 04, 1977, page 2.

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Identified.

Oct 07, 1977, page 37 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Chicago Tribune dated Oct 07, 1977, page 37.

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A former mental patient (not identified in this article) who was known by Deborah is now a suspect in her murder.

Police are trying to find a boyfriend of Deborah’s known only as Mike or Michael, as well as the driver of a blue Oldsmobile witnesses says she was “pulled into” on Sept. 5th, the day before she was found .

Three people told police they picked up Deborah in their car at the corner of Armitage Avenue and Honore Street on Labor Day evening and drove her about a mile west of there. At that point, the Oldsmobile drew alongside their car, and Deborah, recognizing the driver, asked to get out. As she walked to the other car to talk to the driver, she was pulled into the vehicle and it drove off.

Oct 08, 1977, page 2 - Mt. Vernon Register-News at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Mt. Vernon Register-News dated Oct 08, 1977, page 2.

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Police circulated two composite drawings possibly of the same man sought in connection with her murder. This information is based on information heard during grand jury testimony.

First description of the man: 35-45 years old with salt and pepper hair, has a shuffling walk and may go by the nicknames “Sir Charles”, “Clubfoot”, “Clubfoot Charlie” or “Cowboy”.

Police say that same weekend Deborah was seen riding in a brown car with a thinner faced man, 40-50 years old, 5’6”-5’10”, wearing a brown or beige cowboy hat, talking with a southern accent and walking with some sort of impairment.

A witness to the incident with the blue Oldsmobile received an envelope containing a bullet and death threat.

The murder weapon is now described as a roofing hammer, with one blunt end and one end similar to a hatchet with tiny knobs at the end.

Oct 11, 1977, page 14 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Chicago Tribune dated Oct 11, 1977, page 14.

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[Oakie]

Is there a picture of the victim anywhere?

Edit: I found this (blurry) picture,

from this site: Unsolved: 1977 Murder of Debbie Rosencrans | What Lies Beyond

which has more detailed information.

 

[Moev]

This is reminding me but when I was reading the book Boys Enter The House which I've been having to look back on for a video I'm doing. It stated they thought Gacy could have been involved with the murder.

Gacy had stated to one of the survivors Robert Donnelly that he had killed girls in that exact park. Later he went on the record to state there was broads clothing found in the home.

Though, the alias Cowboy was used by one individual Robert Young who ends up tied into potentially having sent Nelson to his death, though he had also attempted to give job offers for Gacy's contracting business PDM to Nelson's brothers when they went to Chicago looking for him. Which this isn't included in the excerpt from the book, but is interesting to note.

This is also not included but Gacy and also Michael Rossi had been connected to giving job offers to women for clerical positions. Such as when John Mowery had gone missing Rossi who was his roommate at the time had given job offers to Mowery's girlfriend and her cousin to work for PDM in a clerical position when they had gone to Mowery's apartment. Same case with Gregory Godznik's girlfriend who had also been given offers for a job position when she went to Gacy's house for answers on what happened to her boyfriend.

The book had stated this but she had a boyfriend named "Mike" which couldn't be located.. Rossi often went by Mike other than Michael. Gacy also owned a oldsmobile but it was a black oldmobiles iirc rather than a blue oldsmobile. Though, sometimes witness statements aren't 100%.

Wanted to edit and add, Rossi based on the Mowery story often insistently would call and probe about specific things.