The mystery behind an unsolved case arouses curiosity and anxiety. We know that terrible crimes were committed and that people got away with it. But in a few cases, no matter how long they have committed crimes, the long arm of the law catches up to these criminals to deliver justice.
The kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph on December 3, 1957 is one such example. Her disappearance shocked not only the peaceful small town of Sycamore, Illinois, but the entire country. Her decomposing body was found in April 1958, about 100 miles from where she was taken.
On December 3, 1957, around 6 p.m., Maria and her friend Kathy Sigman went outside to play in the freshly fallen snow. They were approached by a young man who called himself “Johnny” and asked if they liked horseback riding. When police questioned Kathy, she described the man as about 18 to 20 years old, tall, blond, with a big tooth in his grin. He then puts Maria on his back while Kathy runs home to get the gloves. When she returned, both Maria and “Johnny” were gone.
An 18-year-old high school student named John Tessier is the lead suspect. He lives around the corner from Ridulph’s house. John, also blonde, has a noticeable gap between his front teeth. When investigators visited his mother, she said he was home the night of the abduction. However, John said he was in Chicago that day to enlist in the U.S. Air Force and arrived late that night. However, his sisters Catherine and Jenny later testified that their mother lied about Tessier’s absence that night.
At the time, he seemed like the perfect suspect — on paper. But after a thorough investigation by the FBI, John was removed from the list of suspects. He left Sycamore the next day to begin basic air force training. For the next 55 years, the case remained unsolved. In 2008, however, the case was reopened following a series of events that led to the arrest of Maria Ridulph’s killer.
Cold cases, especially unsolved murders, are fascinating. They take us into uncharted territory and invite us to speculate and play detective so we can tell others what happened. However, remember that there is more than one way to tell a story, and certainly don’t assume that all are right.
Directed by: Matt Orchard
