If ever there was a child crying out to be identified, the “Boy in the Box” is the one. Also called “America’s Unknown Child,” the little boy was found deceased in a cardboard box in a debris-filled empty lot in northeast Philadelphia on February 25, 1957. Ever since, police and others periodically have assembled at […]
Pennsylvania
John David Watson Jr (1959 – 1974)
John David Watson Jr (Oct 18, 1959 – May 2, 1974) was fourteen years old when he left his home in Wheeler, Pennsylvania, around 9pm on May 2, 1974. He never came back home. He was found murdered on May 3, 1974. His murder was never solved. While reading up on his case, I found […]
1991 East Allentown John Doe
NamUs profile #UP16506 is about the unidentified 1991 East Allentown case that was uploaded on April 7, 2017. This case remains unsolved so I made it the Case of the Month for September, 2020. The Case On Sunday, April 28, 1991 around 6pm, two hikers on a hillside near Albert Street, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, found scattered […]
Missing: Wendy Eaton
Wendy “Whizzie” Eaton (May 26, 1959 – missing May 17, 1975) was last seen on May 17, 1975. She is from Media, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Wendy was a sophomore (10 grade) at Penncrest High School. She got good grades, loved scouting, camping, and church activities. She plays piano, guitar, and is a skilled singer. Her case […]
Moira “Holly” Branagan murdered 40 years ago
Moira “Holly” Branagan (Dec 8, 1962 – March 28, 1979) was murdered 40 years ago today. In 2014, it looked like the 1979 case was breaking open. However, Det. Thomas Galloway, in charge of the investigation, did not release any information except for this: “I have developed a suspect, but we’re not ready to move […]
Daniel Dougherty: third trial
On March 27, 2019, the third trial started for Daniel Dougherty. In 2000, Daniel Dougherty was found guilty of the 1985 arson that killed his two sons, Danny (4) and Johnny (3). Police arrested Dougherty in 1999 after his estranged wife and mother of the two children claimed he had confessed. A jury found him guilty […]
The 1953 Murders of Gail and Paul Schultz
Gail Lee Schultz and Paul G. Schultz Jr., two siblings, were murdered on March 7, 1953. They were bludgeoned to death with a blunt instrument. Their cases are officially labelled cold by the authorities. The chance that we will ever find out who killed Gail and Paul Schultz and why they had to die, are very […]
New trial for Daniel Dougherty
On October 31, the Pennsylvania Superior Court gave Daniel Dougherty what he has coveted: a new trial. For the third time. The defense and appellate courts agreed: Daniel Dougherty had two unfair trials. The three-judge panel of the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that Dougherty should get a new trial. They cited three crucial errors the […]
Three Wrongful Convictions in the news
Three wrongful convictions in the news. These men served between 13 and 36 years in prisons for crimes they did not commit. I hope that we will continue to investigate these murders. Someone else was responsible in all these cases. These victims should not become forgotten files in an archive. Kaj Linna, Sweden (single person […]
Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962-1979)
Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962 – 1979) was murdered 37 years ago today. Holly was found stabbed 18 times in the back with a 10-inch kitchen knife. The autopsy showed she had 15 serious knife wounds, three less serious wounds, and two defensive wounds on her hands. The crime The attack was so violent that the […]
Suspect in Branagan cold case
When I checked StatCounter I saw that many people had look up the Moira Holly Branagan case. I asked on Twitter whether there was anything new I might have missed … and YES! An article came up in Allentown’s Morning Call newspaper on Sunday. Hat Tip to @deathunderglass! “For the first time since Holly Branagan‘s murder 35 […]
Help NCIS solve the cold cases of Erickson and Corriveau
The NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) needs help solving the cold cases of Daniel Erickson and Robert Corriveau. Daniel Erickson (Minn) Daniel Erickson, then 20, was home on leave back in 1975. He was to celebrate his birthday and drive his car from St. Paul (Minn) to California to his new assignment aboard the USS Durham. […]
Moira Holly Branagan Alert
The Grand Jury is making progress in the cold case of Moira Holly Branagan. New material have been sent to the labs to be examined for DNA, and a report is expected at the end of the month. Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962 – 1979) was found stabbed 18 times in the back with a 10-inch kitchen […]
Update Moira Holly Branagan
We have renewed activity in the Branagan case. Currently, we are actively investigating Holly’s former friends, classmates, and neighbourhood kids. What we are looking for is: abrupt behavioural changes right after the murder which one of her former friends/classmates committed suicide which one of her former friends/classmates has been committed to a psychiatric hospital which one […]
Paula Ream: cops need your help
The cops need help to find out who was or were responsible for the theft of Paula Ream’s remains last August. They have no leads, no eye witnesses, no tips, nothing! Police said someone went into the Riverview Memorial Cemetery along the 1200 block of South Duke Street in Lancaster and dug up Paula Ream’s grave. […]
Remember Betsy Aardsma
I am very glad to report that police are waiting for DNA test results of Betsy’s red dress that she wore the afternoon she was killed. Betsy was stabbed in her heart and nobody heard her scream. She died on November 28, 1969. Betsy was a lively young woman, a reader, a great cook, and […]
Remembering Dana Bailey
Update: Dana’s sister Tracy told me that the young woman who appears in many newspaper photographs is actually not Dana but Dana’s roommate. Tracy kindly gave me a photograph of her beautiful sister. We hope that by publishing this photograph and this post the discussions in Dana’s case will pick up again. On March 5, 1987, Dana Bailey […]
Paula Ream’s remains stolen
Lancaster, PA: Police are looking for the thief who dug up Paula Ream‘s remains and coffin and disappeared into the night. Police said someone went into the Riverview Memorial Cemetery along the 1200 block of South Duke Street in Lancaster late Thursday night or early Friday morning and dug up Paula Ream’s grave. Paula Ream was […]
Daniel Dougherty and Forensic Arson Detection
Daniel Dougherty was found guilty of deliberately igniting fires in his home that killed his two sons, Danny(4) and Johnny(3) in 1985. Police arrested Dougherty 14 years later, when his estranged wife came forward and claimed he confessed. A jury found him guilty on capital murder charges in 2000. He is awaiting his execution. His case […]
Different angles: Branagan Case
Different angles in the Branagan Case: I have been musing with my friends on Twitter about some of the cold cases on DCC and good remarks have led me to rethink some cases, go back over details, check where I might have missed something, or where I assumed something was clear while it only was […]