Maoma Ridings

It was August of 1943 and American patriotism is at a high. With World War II came new privileges and responsibilities for women outside of the home. Women could hold jobs and stay single longer. While divorce wasn't as accepted as it is now, it was more accepted than ever before.

During the war, the Women's Army Corp was created. This gave women the opportunity to serve the country in "appropriate" roles. The lovely, once-divorced Maoma Ridings was a member of the Women's Army Corps in 1943. She worked as a physical therapist at Camp Atterbury, just outside of Edinburgh, Indiana.

Maoma was born in Warm Springs, Georgia as Maoma Little. She worked as a therapist at the Warm Springs Infantile Paralysis Foundation in her early adult life before joining the Women's Army Corps. During her time at the foundation, she had the privilege of serving as a nurse to a patient who later became a notable figure of the time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was treated for polio at the foundation and fell in love with Warm Springs, Georgia.

Once Maoma was stationed at Camp Atterbury and divorced from her husband, she would frequently take a trip to Indianapolis on her weekend furloughs. She was known to carry large sums of money on these trips. Many people said that Maoma would frequent parties during these trips.

On August 28, Maoma was granted furlough and she embarked on her normal trip to Indianapolis for a weekend of frivolity. She had scheduled a date with a Corporal Emmanuel Fisher, that was to take place around 6 or 6:30.

Upon her arrival in Indianapolis, Maoma purchased a fifth of whisky at a local liquor store. It was about 4:45 in the afternoon, when the purchase was made. She then checked into her room between 5 and 5:15. By 5:30, she was settled in and had called for room service.

Maoma was known to be a generous tipper, which may have been why the hotel staff seemed to remember her well. A bellboy arrived delivering the soda pop  that she had ordered. Happy with the delivery, she tipped him 25 cents.

Shortly after this encounter, Maoma would call and request  ice. It would be delivered by Robert Wolfington, a bellboy, at about 6:15. She also tipped him 25 cents. While delivering the ice, Wolfington claimed to have spotted a dark-haired woman dressed in black lounging on the bed.

Corporal Emmanuel Fisher had been running late that evening. He attempted to call Maoma's room at 6:30, but no one answered. He had assumed that since he was running late, she had simply found someone else to go out with for the evening. The two weren't going steady so it wasn't a big deal.

At eight that evening, a house keeper was doing her rounds on the seventh floor of the Claypool hotel. She came to room 729 and knocked on the door. With no response, she unlocked the door so that she could complete the tidying.

In no way was she prepared for the horrendous scene before her eyes. Next to the bed, in a pool of her own blood, was the body half-naked of Maoma Ridings along with a quarter not far from her hand. After rushing to call an operator so that the scene was reported to police, the housekeeper returned to room 729 and laid a sheet over the lower half of the body to preserve the woman's dignity.

Originally, the military had taken control of the investigation, but decided two days later that the case belonged to the Indianapolis Police Department. This complicated matters and it seems that vital evidence, such as finger prints because DNA wasn't being used yet, may have been lost or simply not collected.

Ultimately, after some debate, the cause of death was determined to be a blow to the head. The blow came from the very whiskey bottle that Maoma had purchased earlier in the evening. When an x-ray was taken, no skull fractures were found. There were lacerations on her neck, torso, and wrists. These were believed to have been made from the broken pieces of the whiskey bottle.

The examination revealed that while the jugular had been cut, it had not been severed. Also, the cuts inflicted on the victim's wrist were inflicted post-mortem. Police thought that this may have been done to try to stage the murder to look like a suicide. When the contents of Maoma's stomach was examined, it showed that she had consumed approximately 10 ounces of 100 proof whiskey shortly before her death.

The examination determined that prior to her death Maoma had intercourse. The experts said that they were unable to tell from the body whether or not she had been raped or had consented to the act. Investigators like Saul Raab believed that she had been raped prior to her death. This conclusion mostly came from the violent way in which she was murdered and the fact that she was found nude from the waist down.

Another possible motive other than rape was robbery. While Maoma was known for carrying large sums of money, only 46 cents was found in her room. This would not have been enough to cover the cost of her room at the Claypool.

At this point the investigation takes off and muddles itself very quickly. Police received a note on September 1, 1943 that they originally thought was a clue, but was later believed to just be a publicity seeker. The day after the murder a bloody pair of trousers were dropped off at a dry-cleaners and the shop-worker called police. The pants owner came forward and declared that he got blood on them when he had "a friendly scuffle" with his wife. Little pieces of information continued to pop up and blur the line between fact and fiction.

The Six Suspects

Robert A. Watts:

Wiona Kidd and William Luallen: photographs unavailable

Jack Anderson Wilson (the black dahlia theory):

Marie Simpson (drunk woman): Photograph unavailable 

Robert De Armon: photograph unavaliable

Robert Wolfington (the Bellboy):

As the investigation into Maoma's death continued, investigators ran out of steam quickly. Rumors swirled that the military was not cooperating and sharing information, as if they were trying to cover something up. Meanwhile, the federal government offered FBI lab services because President Roosevelt had been fond of Maoma when she was his nurse while he was being treated for Polio.

The suspect list grew quickly. Some suspects made the list for numerous reasons. Some fit the "profile," while others were in the wrong place at the right time. More bizarrely numerous individuals confessed to the crime and put themselves and others on the list. Stranger yet is the theory that Maoma's killer is the same man that some believe is responsible for The Black Dahlia Murder.

The first suspect that I wanted to talk about is Robert A. Watts. Watts appears to have made the list because he fits the profile and it would have been easy to pin the murder on him. He grew up in the slums of Indianapolis at the time. His father was absent and his mother was a known drunk, according to neighbors. Some would later attribute his long rap sheet to these factors.

Watts confessed to the murders of two Indianapolis women in 1948. These murders were classified as "sex-murders," meaning that the motive was rape. Interestingly, Saul Rabb was the judge for Watt's murder trial. Saul was also one of the head investigators in Maoma's case. The fact that the three murders had involved sexual assault was the connecting factor.

It was revealed upon Watts' arrest that he had a long rap sheet for sexual assault and attempted sexual assault. He was a city employee at the time. His conviction was the driving force behind the city requiring fingerprinting for all of its employees.

When Watts was found guilty of the murder of Mrs. Mary Lois Burney, he was sentenced to death. Hours prior to being put to death in the electric chair, Watts ate a last meal of fried chicken and met with a spiritual advisor. He was also questioned about the murder of Maoma Ridings at the time. He denied any involvement. With nothing to lose, there is no reason for him to not confess.

The next suspect I want to cover is actually a pair. William Luallen and Wiona Kidd had been married and in love, until William was sentenced to serve ten to twenty years for larceny. Upon his sentencing, Wiona filed for divorce.

Fourteen months after the murder of Maoma Ridings, William Luallen confessed to prison officials that he had killed Maoma and his wife had been the woman in black seen in the room at the Claypool. He claimed that they had met Maoma at a few parties on the weekends prior to her death. When he describing the murder to the police, he said that he did not get blood on his clothing, but only on his hands. He stated that he wiped his hands on the back wall of the closet in Room 729 of the Claypool hotel.

Meanwhile, Wiona Kidd had gone back to Knoxville, Tennessee where she was from. At this time Indianapolis Police officers had burglary charges pending against Wiona. Police had already picked Wiona up for the burglary charge. She waived her extradition back to Indiana.

She was quoted as saying "if he knows so much about it, he must have done it himself," when she was asked about what she thought of William's confession. She denied any involvement. William would later withdraw his confession and claim his ex-wife had not involvement. He stated that he didn't want her to be able to run around with other men while he was locked up.

Third possible suspect is the most unlikely in my opinion. Jack Anderson Wilson was not a police named suspect, or at least not that I could find after hours of research. Instead, Wilson has been the subject of many books and the fixation of many authors since his death in 1982.

In numerous books, Wilson has "been tied" to the Cleveland Torso Murders, the murder of Georgette Bauerdorf, The Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short), Maoma Ridings, and numerous others. Some authors even claimed that Wilson was a member of the mob. Wilson became sensationalized and it is as if truth and fiction co-mingle when telling his story.

In the book "Corroborating Evidence," which can be found in the source list for part one, the author claims that Wilson was a cross-dresser. His cross-dressing allowed for him to be the woman in black that had been seen in Maoma's hotel room just shortly before her murder. It seems like a stretch to me, but we will never know. Wilson died in a hotel fire in 1982.

The fourth possible suspect was Marie Simpson. Simpson admitted to the murder during a display of public drunkenness. Marie was charged with vagrancy at the time, so that police would be able to hold her. This charge was meant to discourage homelessness originally, but was often abused during this time. Police often used this charge to hold poor individuals when they were suspects in a different crime.

 She was 27 years old at the time and admitted to knowing Robert Wolfington, one of the Claypool bellboys, for three years. Her confession didn't match the facts or evidence in the case. So she was removed from the suspect list.

The final two suspects are the most compelling in my opinion. If one of these suspects committed the murder, he was not working with the other. I simply saved them for the end because the two were the most heavily questioned.

Robert Wolfington, the 23 year old bellboy, was a suspect of convenience. He was the last person to admit seeing Maoma alive in her room, when he delivered ice to the room. When police went through hotel records and didn't have paperwork for the ice request, Robert was made a formal suspect.

In order to hold Robert, the police charged him with vagrancy. A judge ordered that his bond be set at $2,500. Police officers would end up grilling him in 7 hour intervals without ceasing. It was during this type of interrogation that it was discovered that Wolfington had attempted suicide in the year prior to the murder. The reason for his attempt was the breakdown and eventual end of his marriage.

Police latched on to this information because whoever killed Maoma slit her wrist after her death to make it look like a suicide. It's important to note that Wolfington did not slit his his wrist in his attempt. From my research, it seems like he tried to poison himself.

Eventually, it was established that it was common practice for the bellboys to take room service orders directly, some of the heat was taken off of Wolfington. He had cooperated and been extremely straight-forward with investigators throughout the process. On September 3, 1943, he was released and no longer classified as a "serious" suspect.

Meanwhile, in the background of the newspaper articles, a more sinister suspect lurked. His name was Robert De Armond. The man worked at the hotel as a steward during the day and at a local amusement park in the evenings. On the day that Maoma was murdered he clocked out of the hotel at 3:18pm and didn't arrive for work at the amusement park until 7:34 that evening.

Robert's lack of an alibi is not the only the only thing that made him a compelling suspect. Maoma had intercourse, more than likely was raped, prior to her death. This fit Robert's bill.

Ten years earlier, in 1934, Robert was a 30 year old school teacher at Franklin County Schools. He was married and had a small child. Life was good. That was until, he raped a ten year old girl in Brookville, Indiana. He was tried, convicted,and sentenced to two to twenty years in a state prison.

In 1939, he was transferred from the prison to a state mental hospital to serve his sentence. The superintendent of the facility stated that Robert responded well to treatment, but still showed "marked sexual tendencies." One might speculate that these tendencies either involved rape, violence, or pedophilia. Robert also escaped the same facility during his stay, but was quickly recaptured.

In April of 1943, Robert was released into the custody of his father. His father was required to write and submit reports about him to the state. Robert began working at the Claypool Hotel two months prior to the murder.

He was arrested on September 3, 1943, on vagrancy charges, by the Indianapolis Police Department. He was now 40 years old. The judge set his bail at $1,000. Due to the vagrancy charge, Robert had violated his parole and was going to go back to prison. While in custody, he escaped, but was captured again without incident.

While in custody, Robert was questioned about the murder of Maoma Ridings. It was observed that he had a large cut on his left hand. He could provide no explanation of the cut. When officers questioned him about what he had done between the hours of 3 and 7 that afternoon, he was incoherent and evasive.

Officers even took Robert De Armond back to the Claypool. They asked him to walk them through what he had done on the day of the murder. He refused to take this serious and investigators were frustrated. As of October 1943, he was ruled out as a suspect without explanation. He was never able to account for his time that day.

The murder remains unsolved even today. Maoma Riding's murder most likely will never be solved. Her killer is more than likely dead him or herself. Anyone who has information is still asked to contact police and authorities.

________________Source_______________________

"At Your Leisure: The Downfall of a Landmark." Jeff Kamm. HistoricIndianapolis.com. January 2015. http://historicindianapolis.com/at-your-leisure-the-downfall-of-a-landmark/

"Bellboy Put on the Grill For Seven Hours." The Indianapolis Star. September 1943.

"Coded Letter in Chandelier Offers New WAC Death Clew." The Franklin Evening Star. September 1943. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3002822/clue_found_in_maoma_ridings_case/

"Corroborating Evidence." Rasmussen, William T. 2004. Available for Purchase.

"Divorcee Is Due Today For WAC Murder Quiz." The Indianapolis Star. October 1944.

"Ghost Hunter's Guide to Indianapolis." Page 89. Sankowsky, Lorri. Young, Keri. Pelican Publishing Company 2008. 

"Historic Indianapolis Crimes: Murder and Mystery in the Circle City." Fred D. Cavidner. The Historic Press, 2010. 

"Indiana Unsolved: The 1943 Murder of Cpl. Maoma Ridings at the upscale Claypool Hotel remains 

a mystery." Diana Penner. The Indy Star. October 2013. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2013/10/01/indiana-unsolved-the-1943-murder-of-cpl-maoma-ridings-at-the-upscale-claypool-hotel-remains-a-mystery/2901193/

"Indiana Unsolved: Maoma Ridings Murder at the Claypool Hotel." The Indy Star. October 2013. https://www.indystar.com/picture-gallery/news/history/retroindy/2013/10/01/indiana-unsolved-maoma-ridings-murder-at-the-claypool-hotel/2902219/

"Jack Anderson Wilson." The Black Dahlia Murder: The 1947 Murder of Elizabeth Short. http://blackdahlia.web.unc.edu/jack-anderson-wilson/

"Maoma Little Ridings." Find a Grave.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125470671/maoma-ridings#

"Question Woman of WAC Slaying." The Call-leader Newspaper. Elwood, Indiana. October 1944.

"Sheriff Studies His Confession." Wildhack, William H. The Indianapolis News. October 1944.

"#TBT: August 8, 1943- The Corporal Maoma L. Ridings Murder; Case #24670-A." IMPD NEWS Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/IMPDNews/posts/954165531301345

"The Kingsbury Run Murders: a.k.a The Torso Murders." The Cleveland Police Museum. http://www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org/collections/torso-murders/

"WAC Death Tale Denied." The Times. Munster, Indiana. October 1944.

"Woman Held as Slaying Suspect." The Daily Banner. October 1944. https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=TDB19441026-01.1.1

"7 Hotel Mysteries That Will Send Chills Down Your Spine." Janmejai Singh Rathore. Storypick. September 2015. http://www.storypick.com/unsolved-hotel-mysteries/

"Attempt at Suicide by Wolfinton, WAC Slaying Suspect, Is Disclosed." The Indianapolis Star. September 1943.

"Bellhop is Grilled in WAC Slaying." The Franklin Evening Star. September 1943.

"Court Guards Increased as Escape Tip is Given." The Indianapolis News. January 1948.

"'Drunk' Woman Who Admitted to WAC Slaying Is Questioned." The Franklin Evening Star. September 1943.

"Hotel Employe Questioned In Slaying of WAC." The Times. Munster, Indiana. September 1943.

"Jack Anderson Wilson." The Black Dahlia: The 1947 Murder of Elizabeth Short. http://blackdahlia.web.unc.edu/jack-anderson-wilson/

"Judge Orders Slaying Case to Open Monday." The Indianapolis News. January 1948.

"Murder Mase is Still Big News in Capitol City." The Tipton Daily Tribune. September 1943.

"Paroled Rapist, Sentenced at Brookville, WAC Slaying Suspect." Palladium-Item. Richmond, Indiana. September 1943.

PODCAST:

The Trail Went Cold. Minisode 21. Maoma Ridings.

As always feel free to contact me via email at studyofindianacoldcases@gmail.com. Follow me on twitter @ColdIndiana. If you ever think that you have information related to a case please contact the proper authorities a tip made in good faith is always a positive thing. Thanks for reading and I am sorry that some of your emails did not get replied to, they were sitting in my spam folder for some reason.

A House Fire

On October 31, 2008, family and friends gathered at an Indianapolis funeral home to bury a loved one, who at only 30 years old was gone too soon. Angela Fulcher left behind her parents and a daughter. She was permanently taken from her family on October 10, 2008.

In the early morning hours of October 10th, firefighters responded to a house fire on the East side of Indianapolis. The house was believed to be empty, until neighbors informed responders that an individual might be inside. It was then that the firefighters found the body of an approximately six-months pregnant woman.

Police believed early into the investigation that Angela, who had yet to be identified, was the victim of homicide. When K-9's were brought into the house it was indicated that a accelerant had been used.

It would be almost two weeks after the fire before investigators would announce that the remains had been identified as those of Angela Fulcher. DNA test were conducted to see if Angela was the victim after family came forward. Family members contacted police after they had lost contact with Angela and seeing news coverage of the finding of the remains.

It was later determined that Angela Fulcher had been strangled prior to the home being set on fire. The fire was more than likely a means of covering up the murder.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Indianapolis Metro-Police Department. You can reach them at (317) 327-3375.

_____________Sources______________________________________________________

"Angela Fulcher." Obituary. The Indianapolis Star. October 29, 2008.

"Angela Fulcher." Indiana Cold Cases & Missing Persons. RTV 6 The Indy Channel.

"Body of Pregnant Woman Found in Burned House." October 10, 2008. The Indy Channel RTV6.

"Pregnant Woman Identified as Fire Victim." October 24, 2008. WTHR 13.

Tracy Sissom

Tracy Sissom, 33 years old, was packing up her apartment to move back into her mother's place on September 20, 2004. She was borrowing her father's 1995 Black Chevy Trailblazer. She was using the vehicle to load up her stuff to move back in with her parents. Her apartment was near 30th and Post Road in Indianapolis. Her mother also lived near or in Indianapolis.

At about 7:30 pm, Tracy called her mother to let her know that she was finishing up and would be heading back. She probably felt melancholy. She was moving because she was now estranged from her husband. Some describe the relationship as toxic, others said that the couple just weren't good for one another. Rumors swirled about whether or not Tracy was recovering from drug addiction.

When Tracy did not show up that evening, her mother began to worry like every mother should. Some sources say that Tracy's parents reported her missing within hours, others say that they reported it the following morning. Regardless, officers commend the parents for making a report to IPD so quickly.

When investigating the disappearance, neighbors claimed that a suspicious vehicle had bee present in the area on the night Tracy had disappeared, according to Police Sergeant Jeff Deckard. The neighbors described a dark SUV, which might be ruled out as being the vehicle that Tracy was using to move.

On October 4, 2004, a Marion County Sheriff Deputy spotted the trailblazer. The vehicle was found on North Oakland Avenue. When asking about the vehicle, police found that the vehicle had been driving erratically until it turned on to North Oakland Avenue. Once the vehicle was parked a witness claimed that a man and a woman fled from the vehicle on foot and did not return to it. 

When the vehicle was examined, police found a partial box of ammunition in the vehicle. They were unable to pull any finger prints or DNA from the vehicle according to some reports. This raises the question as to whether or not the vehicle had been wiped clean.

On the evening of October 7, 2004, a man was driving in a rural area of Brown County near Gnaw Bone when he hit a deer. He had a report made and was stuck dealing with the aftermath and damage to his vehicle. It was too dark to locate missing pieces of debris, so the driver decided to return the following morning. 

October 8, 2004 changed the driver's life forever. While looking along the edge of the road for pieces of his vehicle, made a gruesome discovery in the wooded area. He found a body wrapped in a blanket.

Police released information about the body hoping to identify it. The body was in a state of decomposition when it was found, which made identification more difficult. The remains were so decomposed that they could not tell gender. In order to help with identification, officer released a statement saying the remains had a tattoo of a chain on the ankle and a flower on the back of the leg.

The remains were not confirmed to belong to Tracy Sissom until December 17 of 2004. The Indiana University School of Forensic Science did the analysis that confirmed the identity via dental records. The cause of death has never been released, but officers have confirmed the death to be a homicide. At the time of her death, there were no drugs present in her system, which could put drug rumors to rest.

Tracy was laid to rest in January of 2005.

As the investigation was underway, detectives were unable to link Tracy to Brown County. None of her family or friends lived there. Detectives stated that they followed numerous leads, but they have led no where.

In 2006, the family offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the murder of their loved one. Tracy's children continue to grow up without a mother and that is heartbreaking. 

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Indiana State Police.

(812) 332-4411

______________Author's Note_______________

Thank you guys for all the feedback! If you have a case that you would like to cover, feel free to put it in the comments or reach out via email at StudyofIndianaColdCases@gmail.com

_________________Sources________________________

"Cold Case Expert Knows Persistence Can Pay Off." The Indianapolis Star. September 20, 2006. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126801462/

"Decomposing Body Found Along Brown County Road." The Times of North West Indiana. October 10, 2004. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/decomposing-body-found-along-brown-county-road/article_52e041a4-e059-5095-be94-b68eead2fa79.html

"Family Offers $10K Reward in Woman's 2004 Death." RTV 6. September 16, 2006. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/family-offers-10k-reward-in-woman-s-2004-death

"Family of Slain Woman Offers Reward To Find Killer." Jon Murray. The Indianapolis Star. September 20, 2006. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126801351/

"Sissom Investigation Continues." The Republic. May 4, 2005. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/149160080/

Maps Produced via Google Maps.

Johanna Weaver

Being a single mom is hard, even harder when you are stuck in a cycle of generational poverty and nothing is looking up. Many people stuck in the cycle turn to drugs for a pick-me-up when they face endless days with no hope in sight of things getting better. They say dying young is the fastest way to become a saint, which is true unless you're lower middle class or poverty level. 

This is the story of Johanna Weaver. Johanna was a single mom who fell into drugs like a lot of 20 somethings do when they are looking for an escape. She might have made poor decisions, but she always tried to shield her children from her troubled life. 

Johanna's mother would take the kids on weekends when Johanna would drop them off before she would engage in unsavory activities. Johanna was addicted to cocaine, which was quickly growing in usage in Indiana in 1995. The young mother would spend her weekends chasing highs and hanging out with less than decent people, so she would always leave the kids with her mother so that they were not exposed. 

Johnnie Huddleston, Johanna's mother, tried multiple times to put her daughter in rehab. Sadly, since these programs were not court ordered Johanna was allowed to leave at any time. Many times Johanna would start a program, but then leave before finishing. Her mother was left with no choice, but to watch her daughter continue to make poor decisions and try to protect her grandchildren from them. 

When Sunday night rolled around, Johanna would sober up and pickup her two small children. During the week she was a typical single mom, hustling to provide for her children. She was a semi-functioning addict who used prostitution to pay for her addiction according to many accounts. 

In June of 1995, a Sunday night rolled around and Johanna did not return to her mother's home to retrieve her children as she normally did. That was when her mother began to suspect that something was terribly wrong. Her mother managed to find help to watch the children while she went to work the next morning. 

Johnnie Huddleston, Johanna's mother, over the next week would receive a series of voicemails from her daughter that made her fear for the young mother's life. Nothing was explicitly said in the messages, but Johnnie said she could just tell from the tone. When she contacted the police over her daughter's absence, she was told that the voicemails constituted contact. Johanna could not be reported missing at that time. 

After all these years, Johnnie can't remember the exact day on which the voicemails stopped and the phone companies didn't keep those records for very long at the time. When they stopped Johnnie began to fear for the worst. 

On July 13, 1995 a mowing crew found the body of a thin, black woman under branches and debris in the median of the I-65 and I-70 slit in Indianapolis. The body had been burned and was unidentifiable.

After a week, on July 21, 1995, the body from the median was finally identified as Johanna Weaver. The picture above indicates where the body was found. 

In 2007, twelve years after Johanna's murder, a detective from the Indiana State Police was assigned to the cold case. Sergeant Jeff Coffey was the officer that took over the case. He was able to narrow down the timeline of Weaver's disappearance. He discovered that the last time Johanna was seen alive was on July 8 in 1995. Her "friends" had seen her with a man that they didn't know. This sighting occurred near 17th and Park Street.

(The highlighted box is the area in which Johanna was last seen. The highlighted road is an area in which she worked as a prostitute and where she obtained drugs.)

Sergeant still had a period of four days where he was unable to account for her. He tried reaching out to her "friends," but many have remained tight-lipped. This has proved problematic since DNA was recovered from the body that is believed to belong to Johanna's murderer.

Anyone who saw Weaver in those for days has been asked repeatedly to contact police. Call the Indiana State Police at (317) 899-8577 or 1-(800) 582-8440 if you have any information regarding the murder or disappearance of Johanna Weaver. 

_____________________Sources___________________________

"Indiana Unsolved: Four Days a Mystery in Death of Troubled Mom Johanna Weaver." Diana Penner. Indy Star. January 17, 2014.  http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/01/17/indiana-unsolved-four-days-a-mystery-in-death-of-troubled-mom-johanna-weaver/4582213/

"Indy Unsolved: Mother's Body Found Burnt Beneath 1-70 Overpass in 1996." Russ McQuad. Fox 59. October 24, 2016. http://fox59.com/2016/10/24/indy-unsolved-mothers-body-found-burnt-beneath-i-70-overpass-in-1996/

Maps via google maps.

IPS Cold Case Database.

Burger Chef Murders of 1978

Daniel Davis, 16.

Jayne Friedt, 20.

Mark Flemmonds, 16.

Ruth Ellen Shelton, 17.

November 17, 1978 was like most fall days in Indiana. It only reached 66 degrees that day in the Speedway area. The weather was dreary and rainy, more of a drizzle than a downpour with about an inch of raining falling that day.

At the time, Burger Chef was a Midwest founded burger franchise. During the peak of franchise, there were about 1,000 locations nationwide. The founders of the franchise were the first to patent the flame-broiler device. The company no longer exists. It was bought out by Hardees. Like most fast food joints, it was a right of passage first job for most teenagers.

Ruth Ellen Shelton, Mark Flemmonds, Daniel Davis, and Jayne Freidt were all working at Burger Chef that night. Jayne Freidt was the assistant manager at the speedway location that evening. All of the employees were scheduled to work for an hour or so after close. Just typical prep and cleanup. So it is believed that everything was going as it should until about midnight. The theory is that at this time, when one of the boys opened the back door to take out the trash the evening took a turn for the worse.

Later that evening, another employee who wasn't scheduled to work that evening had plans to meet the ones working after they got off to go do something. It isn't documented what they had planned to do. When this employee arrived, he found the building empty and unlocked, so he called the speedway police department.

Upon arrival, the officers did not suspect foul play. Instead, they thought that the employees had taken off with some cash from the registers. Only somewhere between $500 and $581 was taken from the registers, this varies depending on the publication where you find the information. $500 is close to $2,000 in today's terms. It was believed that the employees had just taken off on the company dime to party. The only thing was, why would the girls leave their purses at the restaurant? Why did no one take their coat? As someone who lives in Indiana, I can assure you that no one in their right mind would go outside without a coat in November.

The police still didn't find it to be to be suspicious. No pictures were taken at the Burger Chef restaurant that evening. The manager was called and the building was locked up. The next morning, the employees on the next shift came in and cleaned up the work that wasn't finished the night before. Business went on at the Burger Chef as usual.

At this point the families of the Burger Chef employees who had worked the previous evening had reported their children missing. It was when the reports came in that the kids were still missing, that the police started to suspect foul play. They returned to the burger chef located at 5725 Crawfordsville Road in Speedway, Indiana. The location is now a cash advance business.

The police reconstructed the scene to the best of their ability. Any critical forensic evidence would have been erased by the cleaning that had taken place. The same day, Jayne Freidt's vehicle was found. She drove a Vega, which was found a few blocks away from the Speedway Police Department. The vehicle was still not treated like a crime scene. No forensic evidence was taken. It was noted that the driver side door was locked, but the passenger side door was not. It was noted that the doors were manual lock.

The bodies of the four victims were not found until November 19, two days after they disappeared. The bodies were approximately 20 miles from the Burger Chef location in Speedway. The victims were found in a field in Johnson county.

(The picture above, shows the approximate location of where the bodies would have been found. Bodies were found close to state road 37, but near Center Grove High School on 700 East.)

The bodies where in three different places in the field that they were found. Two of the individuals, Ruth Ellen Shelton and Daniel Davis, were shot in way similar to an execution. A short distance from their bodies, Jayne Freidt was found. She had been stabbed multiple times. The blade of the knife had broken off in her chest. A distance away from them, Mark Flemmonds was found. He had been beaten around his head. It appeared as though it might have been done with a chain. His injuries didn't cause his death alone.

Mark drowned on his own blood when he fell to the ground. It is believed that if one of two other options had happened he would have survived. If Mark had been found one day earlier or had M fallen the other direction so that the blood didn't cause him to choke, it is probable that the police would have a living witness.

Another slew of mistakes we made at this scene. Some officers that were on the scene claimed that the Indiana State police department officers had moved some of the bodies before the forensic technicians or the corner even arrived. Officers also failed to rope off the field and department vehicles all over the field, this could have destroyed evidence of vehicle tracks. With the three departments on the scene, the Speedway Police, the Indiana State Police, and the Johnson County Sheriff's Department, the scene was hectic and haphazard at best. One officer was quoted as saying "too many chiefs and not enough Indians."

The same day that the four victims were found, Burger Chef held a press conference in front of the Speedway location. This particular location was closed on this Monday due to the tragedy at hand. The company offered a $25,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest in connection to the murders. Steak n' Shake added another $1,000 to the fund. The state wouldn't approve a reward until September 15 equal to that of Steak n' Shake.

When the quality of work of the Speedway Police Department came into question, the Speedway Police Chief at the time, Bill Burger, stated that it would be inappropriate for him to question the work his officers had done. He admitted to not being present at either scene, the Burger Chef or the field where the bodies were found. The chief also claimed that allowing the business to open without collecting evidence was the right decision. All of the departments gave statements claiming to be cooperating with the other one another, but anonymous officers came forward to say the lack of communication was sending the investigation into a tailspin.

Officers were not allowed to give statements to the media at the time the bodies were found due to the orders given by the Johnson County Prosecutor, Charles Gantz. Ken York is a retired detective turned private eye. He was on the case from the beginning. He didn't have anything to say nice about the way the scenes were handled during the numerous interviews he has given. He believes that all scenes should be treated as if the worst case scenario is at hand.

A witness came forward stating that on November 17 he had seen two individuals in the Burger Chef parking lot at about ten o'clock in the evening. At the time, it didn't seem suspicious until the bodies were found. He described the men as one being fair-haired and the other had a beard. Based on the witness description, the State Police had sketches made up. When the sketches were released to the public and didn't generate new leads, the Police had 3D clay models made up.

It is believed that this crime escalated from burglary or robbery to murder because one of the employees recognized one of the  perpetrators. Police speculate that the employee was Jayne Freidt. She had only been working at the Speedway location for a short period of time, before that she had worked at the Plainfield location. It has been suggested that one of the assailants was probably a regular at the Plainfield restaurant. 

Over the years many suspects have been vetted. In 1978, the same years of the murders, there was a report that a man had been bragging in a bar to his buddies about how he had committed the murders. When he was questioned by police, he passed his polygraph. The man did give up the names of individuals in a fast food robbery group.

Ken York was one of the officers that helped looked for the suspects that were given by the man from the bar. The search led them to Franklin, Indiana. The officers found a man that fit the description and didn't have an alibi, but this did not constitute enough evidence to take him. This man, who had a beard, was threatened with a lineup. This resulted in him shaving. York had known the man for five years, he had never shaved.

The bearded suspect's next-door neighbor was another suspect in York's opinion. This suspect later served time on a charge related to a shotgun, thus earning himself the nickname SHOTGUN. The third suspect fit the description of the fair-haired man. He also served time on unrelated charges. Both of these suspects were offered a deal if they would give up information in the Burger Chef murders, they held their ground saying that they knew nothing about the case.

March of 1979 led police to checking Roger Dale Stafford. He was convicted of murdering fast food workers in Oklahoma. This led police to checking to see if he had been in the state at the time of the murders. He was cleared of any suspicion.

Two men that were convicted of a double murder in Milwaukee were added to the suspect pool in April of 979. They were ruled out without much effort.

In 1983, a Marion County inmate claimed that a man he had served time with admitted to be responsible for the murder. The suspect was in custody at the time. The evidence was substantial, but not conclusive. The inmate claimed that the suspect had said he was a drug enforcer and had gone to collect a debt from one of the employees, but then another employee had recognized him and there was no choice, but to get rid of the witnesses. No name was ever given to this suspect. This lead appears to be another dead end where there is no evidence to connect the suspect to the murders.

A year after the murders, State Police Superintendent John Shettle gave a press conference. That conference has been called a disaster. It was obvious that he was not familiar with the details of the case or how the case was making progress. He stated that there were no leads on the case.

In January of 1980, Ken York and another officer were on a special task force set up to solve this case. They approached the Johnson County prosecutor requesting arrest warrants for two suspects and were denied.

On the 35th anniversary of the killings, many local stations ran stories about the case. Sergeant Bill Vann of the Indiana State Police stated that he felt that the case was closer to getting closed. The clay 3D models that the department had made are still located at headquarters hoping that answers may still come forward.

Family members of the victims were also interviewed and they talked about how they have lost hope. Ruth Ellen Shelton's mother passed away before the interviews aired. In her interview, she told the killers that she hoped they would ask God for forgiveness. She didn't need justice, but they needed saved by the grace of God. Flemmond's father spoke similarly.

Ken York has stated that he believes that the three individuals that were involved in the murders have already been questioned and let go on lack of evidence. He believes that the bearded suspect from earlier played a part in the slaying. This suspect has passed away due to a heart attack. There have been claims that this man's son has confirmed that his father was involved in the slaying. The fair-haired man and Shotgun have never been charged.

This case hasn't been solved and is considered active. It doesn't have a happy ending, but it does still yield hope. In January of 2015, a young man, Jake Query, discovered that Mark Flemmonds didn't have a headstone. The family simply couldn't afford one. So Jake took to twitter. He and his followers raised enough money to purchase a headstone.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to still report that to the police. Call the Indiana State Police if you have any information in regards to this case (317) 899-8508.

___Sources___

"Authorities Report a Possible Lead in the Still Unsolved.." UPI. November 19, 1983. http://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/11/19/Authorities-reported-a-possible-lead-in-the-still-unsolved/7692438066000/

"Burger Chef Murders, a 25-year Old Mystery." 13 WTHR. Warren Mills. November 12, 2003. http://www.wthr.com/article/burger-chef-murders-a-25-year-old-mystery

"Detectives: Errors Hurt Investigation." The Daily Journal. November 17, 1988. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/154878563/

"Headstone Donated for Burger Chef Murder Victim." WISHTV. Abby Llorico. January 19, 2015. http://wishtv.com/2015/01/19/headstone-donated-for-burger-chef-murder-victim/

Jayne Friedt. Indiana State Police Case Overview. http://www.in.gov/isp/2551.htm

"Leads Sought in Local Cold Cases." Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Leslie L. Fuller. February 13, 2015. http://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/news/article_be470d62-b38c-11e4-a482-cfad2996ea37.html

Mark Flemmonds. Indiana State Police Case Overview. http://www.in.gov/isp/2549.htm

"Police Seek Clues in Kidnap-slaying of 4." The Chicago Tribune. November 21, 1978. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1978/11/21/page/5/article/police-seek-clues-in-kidnap-slaying-of-4

"Retro Indy: The Burger Chef Murders." The Indy Star. Dawn Mitchell. November 17, 2013. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2013/11/17/burger-chef-murders/3588927/

"Unsolved: Burger Chef Murders." 13 WTHR. Sara Galer. November 14, 2013. http://www.wthr.com/article/unsolved-burger-chef-murders

Weather Information. November 17, 1978. https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KIND/1978/11/17/DailyHistory.html?req_city=&req_state=&req_statename=&reqdb.zip=&reqdb.magic=&reqdb.wmo=

All Posts were originally posted on my wattpad account. https://www.wattpad.com/427499657-cold-cases-of-indiana-a-study-of-unsolved-cases-in