Jack McCullough and the Maria Ridulph abduction
The majority of the FBI documents and case file is here: Discovery File
The majority of the case events and transcripts is here: Trial Transcripts and case events
Since Jack’s release from prison, this website is slowly becoming a repository for case transcripts, evidence, and major events.
What happened (very short summary):
The FBI established that “Johnny” made contact with Maria and Kathy prior to 6:40 PM and was last seen at 7 pm when Kathy asked him “what time is it.” The abduction happened between 6:40 and 7:00 p.m. on December 3, 1957. “According to Mrs. Thomas Cliffe and a neighbor, Stanley Wells, Maria and Cathie were screaming as they chased each other around the trunk of a huge elm tree a little before 7 p.m., Dec. 3, 1957. It was cold and without street lamps, there were only the headlights of passing cars for illumination as the girls played in the dark.” (LA Times 12/6/07). Spokane Daily Chronicle, 12/4/1957 below states approximately 7 p.m.
From the FBI files obtained by CNN (link on respective page):
On December 7, 1957, MICHAEL RIDULPH, 616 Archie Place, Sycamore, Illinois, father of victim, advised of the following: On December 3, 1957, the family completed supper about 5:00 p.m. Mr. RIDULPH recalled that from that time until about 6:30 p.m. he read the paper in the living room. He thinks but is not certain that he began to watch television about 6:30 p.m. He thinks the program was “Cheyenne” or the “Jim Bowie” show or perhaps some other frontier program.
He cannot recall specifically but thinks MARIA went out to play about 6:15 p.m. He could not specifically recall her asking permission but assumed she would have consulted her mother before going out,
Mr. RIDULPH recalls that at an undetermined time while he was watching television, MARIA went into the living room and went to her “corner”. This is the southwest corner of the living room where she keeps some toys. After going to her corner for a moment, MARIA went out. He could not recall if she took anything from the corner or what she was wearing.
Mr. RIDULPH was still watching television when he heard KATHY SIGMAN, MARIA’s favorite playmate, talking to his son, CHARLES, who was listening to records in the den with his nextdoor neighbor chum, RANDY STROKBOM.
Maria body was found months later, eaten by animals 120 miles away from Sycamore. I have viewed the pictures of the body, and read the original autopsy, there was nothing but publicity to be gained by exhuming the body, so it was exhumed.
Where was Jack McCullough (John Tessier):
According to the FBI reports (below), Jack stayed in Chicago the night of December 2, 1957, went to a physical in Chicago on the morning of December 3rd for the Air Force. He then took the train to Rockford at 5:30 p.m., arrived at 6:45 p.m., called his father collect at 6:57 p.m. met with other military officers. Jack entered active duty in the Air Force on Dec. 11, 1957, later earning the bronze star for meritorious service in Vietnam.
Jack did not commit the crime, and could not have based on the FBI reports. These FBI reports were read by the prosecution, “cover to cover” by the investigators (Zulawski – email), and Judge Hallock, and were used in the arrest warrant.
What happened to convict Jack McCullough:
“You can say something over and over again… it doen’t make it true” — Clay Campbell
Janet Tessier:
Janet Tessier was the caretaker to Ami Lemberger, mother of Mark Lemberger, author of “Crimes of Magnitude” a book about the murder of a seven-year old girl. After spending three and a half years with the Lemberger family, and reading the book, Janet decided she had a “story” of her own. (See link to story at bottom of page.) Janet went to the police September 11, 2008 and told them her dying mother [DOD 1/23/1994] on a lot of medication, and pleasantly confused per medical reports in 1994 “She grabbed my wrist and said, ‘Those two little girls, the one that disappeared, John did it,’.” While this disagreed with what Mary Hunt (Tessier) recalls, Mary only recalls her mother saying “He did it” and the meaning of which needed to be inferred (9/13/2012 trial transcript, see “Comments on CNN” page for full transcript).
Janet claims to have called the police three times before 2008, yet no records exists of these calls. The report to the police which is recorded seems to have happened shortly after the death of Ralph Tessier, the last living witness to Jack’s where abouts on December 3, 1957.
The train ticket:
The police opened the investigation, and found a train ticket and an expert authenticated the ticket and said it had not been used. (Ann O’Neill, CNN 12/11/12) The ticket was issued 11/28/57 – stamped government issued. (It’s issued the day after Jack’s 18th b-day, who was trying to register for the air force ASAP.) It says on the ticket that there is a 30 day window to use it. And it is a ticket going to Chicago, not a return home ticket. Even in the Charging Papers (Charging_Papers) the prosecution agrees Jack was in Chicago, it is obvious the train ticket has no impact on the case, but it was still told to the media what an important piece of evidence it was, and for some reason needed to authenticated it had not been used. The ticket was not used in trial, it was just something to excite the press.
Court exhibit/Jessica Koscielniak/Getty Images for CNN
The eye witness:
Brion Hanley in September of 2010 was able to help (See #13 Defense Motion page) Kathy Chapman to positively identify Jack as the “Johnny” of 1957 after “refreshing her memory” for an hour or so, using a photo lineup with HUGE problems. (See #13 on the Defense Motion page, and the Photo line up page). Kathy made this “positive identification” after seeing the subject for one to two minutes (per trial transcripts), in the dark, in the snow on December 3, 1957. On December 22, 1957 Kathy positively identified thirty-six year old Thomas Joseph Rivard: DOB 4/16/22, m/w, blue eyes, dark blond/wavy/bushy hair, yellowish teeth w/ small spaces between, 5’4 ½, 156 lbs, ruddy complexion at the Dane County Sheriff (prior link) Office in Madison Wisconsin. When asked in court (9/11/2012) Kathy remembers going to the line up, but states “I don’t believe I picked anybody out.” Kathy can’t remember picking out Mr. Rivard, which she did per the FBI file. So, was it a 36-year-old 5’4” man that took Maria, or was it a 5’10” 18 year old your dad hit with his taxi on April 1, 1947? (link – taxi) Brion Hanley was able to help Kathy figure that one out (while “refreshing” her memory with Jack’s picture in front of him), maybe the only guy not wearing a suit and tie in the photo line up? Maybe the guy looking right at ya? Kathy Chapman’s memory of what happened changed a few times in 1957 (See LA Times 12/6/07 article, FBI documents from CNN), but 55 years later she was able to testify under penalty of perjury she remembered what really happened.
(photo from CNN, Trial exhibit)
The arrest:
On June 29, 2011 Jack was arrested, and interrogated for six hours till two am, with no attorney, as a 72-year-old man with no sleep on heart medication. Jack agreed to a lie detector test on June 29, 2011 (just has he had done with the FBI in 1957, see below) but quit the test after all the officers wanted to talk about was the Milton case. Just note: Jack was willing to take a lie detector test related to Maria, but quit because he did not want to answer questions about a 1984 case in Milton. (And there actually was no lie detector in Seattle, they lied to him about it.) Officers Cloyd Steiger and Michael Ciesynski noted about the interrogation: “but we caught him in so many lies.” (Seattle Times 12/14/2012) But the “lies” Jack was caught in was he just could not remember. It is noted 9/12/2012 trial transcript Mr. Steiger and Mr. Ciesynki both needed their reports to refresh their memories. A 72-year-old man is supposed to remember things happening 54 years ago, but detectives are not supposed to remember what they wrote one year ago. The FBI reports “were used during the conversation with the defendant. In fact Jack “Johnny” admitted that what he told the FBI was correct in the reports I showed him.” Zulawski It is not know what FBI reports were used, because Jack was firm after his arrest the Air Force records would clear him. The Zulawski email is interesting, I am not sure if Mr. Zulawski realized I had access to court documents, he makes some factually untrue statements in his email.
With no confession, Clay Campbell had zero evidence in the case, and exhumed the body of Maria the day Jack arrived in Sycamore, knowing because most of the internal organs had been eaten by animals, and the body had been outside in the weather, no DNA was even possible. Clay Campbell stated: “I am well aware of the precarious nature of prosecuting a case you cannot prove, but we are confident that Mr. McCullough killed Maria Ridulph.” (Seattle Times 7/12/2011) Well, Mr. Campbell just needed a few jail house inmates to support his precarious theory on the case, two of those would come the week of the trial starting.
Subpoenas to Reporters:
Mr. Campbell did try for the report’s notes for those interviewing Jack while he was in jail in Seattle, but; “[Judge] Stuckert, who likened them to a prosecutorial “fishing expedition.” denied the subpoenas. (Chicago Tribune, 11/8/2011)
The RAPE:
The case languished for a year before going to trial, during which time Clay Campbell charged Jack with a 1961 rape of Jeanne Tessier. See page on the Rape Trial.
The Trial:
After Clay Campbell was able to convince Judge Hallock to ignore the FBI files (after Hallock read them), trial began. At trial the conflicting testimony of three inmates (more to be added on the inmates testimony), Janet’s testimony of her mom’s statement, and Kathy’s photo identification were found to be very compelling by Judge Hallock, and Jack was found guilty.
The Sentencing:
At sentencing Charles Rudolph claimed Jack had raped his sister. One more statement made lacking any evidence at all. There were a lot of people who received their five minutes of fame; Jeanne Tessier, Janet Tessier, Clay Campbell, Brion Hanley, Larry Kot and others, but there never was any evidence to convict Jack McCullough.
Today:
Jack is now home after being taken away from the wife and family that cares about him for five long years. All because of a vindictive step sister Janet Tessier, the fraudulent investigation of Brion Hanley and Larry Kot, the prosecutorial misconduct by Clay Campbell, and a Judge who was complicit.
Please inquire if you have any questions on the case. There is a 99% chance I have the answer, or could send you to someone who does.
FBI Reports. Clay Campbell, Judge Hallock and investigator Brion Hanley read them, so should everyone else. See the Discovery File for the entire case file with FBI documents.
(Remember, Jack’s legal last name was “Cherry” in 1957, he changed it to “Tessier.” This was because his mother has never changed his legal name to her husband’s Ralph Tessier.)
FBI Report, page 25
SUSPECT – JOHN SAMUEL CHERRY, aka. John Samuel Tessier
On December 6, 1957, Deputy Sheriff GEORGE GOULD, DeKelb County Sheriff’s Office, Sycamore, Illinois, DeKalb, advised SA JEROME P. NOLAN that he had just received an anonymous telephone call from a woman who refused to identify herself, but stated that a boy named TRESCHNER, age about 20, blond hair, lived in the neighborhood of the victim. Deputy Sheriff GOULD stated that there was no further conversation nor information supplied by this woman.
On December 10, 1957, Deputy Sheriff GOULD was re-contacted by SA DAVID L. BURTON and he advised at this time that the TRESCHNER previously reported to SA NOLAN was in fact a TESSIER family who reside at 227 Center Cross in Sycamore. He stated he did not have any reason to suspect any member of the TESSIER family as possibly being involved in the disappearance of the victim other than the fact that the oldest TESSIER boy is named JOHN and he meets the general description of the Unknown Subject. He also stated he has never heard of any member of the TESSIER family being involved in criminal action.
On December 8, 1957, Mr. RALPH TESSIEH, 227 Center Cross Street, Sycamore, Illinois, advised SAs PRANK L. MELLOTT and DAVID L. BURTON that he had discussed with his wife, EILEEN, the fact that their son JOHN TESSIER might fall under suspicion inasmuch as he is approximately 5′ 8″ tall, 19 years of age, has blond hair, and his first name is JOHN. He stated that his son was in Rockford, Illinois, at the Air Force recruiting office on the evening of December 3, 1957, and that he placed a collect call from Rockford to the TESSIER home at about 7:10 p.m. on that evening. He further stated that his son had been in Chicago, Illinois, on the Monday preceding December 3, 1957; after being rejected for induction into the Air Force because of a spot on his lung he had returned to Rockford on. December 3, 1957.
FBI Report, page 30 (Jack McCullough – CHERRY)
The following information was received by SA JOHN W. ROBERTS, Jr. on December 10, 1957:
Staff Sergeant JON OSWALD, Rockford, Illinois, advised telephonically that CHERRY had been sent to Chicago on December 2, 1957, for a physical examination, being rejected at that time because of a spot on his lung. He stated that CHERRY had been requested to stay over in Chicago for a re-examination, which re-examination was afforded him on the morning of December 3, 1957. He was again rejected for the same reason.”
FBI Report, page 31 (Jack McCullough – CHERRY)
OSWALD stated that CHERRY told him that he was given a train ticket to Rockford, Illinois by the Air Force. OSWALD stated that this is a highly irregular procedure and that he telephonically contacted Chicago to verify this story, at which time he learned that the train ticket had been furnished by the Army Reserve unit located at 615 West VanBuren, and no verification of the information could be obtained at the time of calling. OSWALD stated that in his opinion, irregardless of who issues the train ticket, it would have been highly irregular that a ticket to Rockford would have been issued when CHERRY’S home is in Sycamore and papers reflecting CHERRY’S home would have been in front of the person issuing the ticket.
OSWALD stated that CHERRY had told him that after his rejection he had visited some burlesque shows in Chicago some time between 12 noon and 5:15 P.m. However, the names of these places visited were not mentioned. CHERRY further stated that he took the 5:15 p.m. train, which according to OSWALD would have arrived in Rockford, Illinois, at approximately 6:45 p.m.
OSWALD stated that CHERRY apparently proceeded to the Post Office where he personally contacted Colonel FNU LIBERWITZ Air Force Reserve Commander, at approximately 7:15 or 7:30 p.m. It is noted that LIBERWITZ is reportedly the co-owner of the Liberwitz Brothers Machine or Manufacturing Company in Rockford.
CHERRY reportedly told LIBERWITZ that he had been directed by the office in Chicago to report to the Recruiting Office in Rockford, Illinois, which story LIBERWITZ found difficult to believe inasmuch as it is known that the Recruiting Office is not open in the evening. OSWALD stated that LIBERWITZ expressed the opinion that CHERRY gave the appearance of being a “narcotic”, and told LIBERWITZ that he had been rejected because he was unstable.
According to information, LIBERWITZ directed CHERRY to the 3rd floor recruiting office where CHERRY contacted Technical Sergeant JOHN FROOM. FROOM, according to OSWALD, stated that during his conversation with CHERRY, CHERRY appeared bewildered and looked and acted like a “lost sheep”. FROOM also stated that CHERRY said to him that he was going to contact his father in Sycamore and have his father come and get-him.
FBI Report, page 32 (Jack McCullough – CHERRY)
On December 4, 1957, OWSALD stated that CHERRY returned to the Recruiting Office in Rockford, and during the course of their conversation, CHERRY mentioned that is was a good thing he was not in Sycamore last night because of the disappearance of the girl. According to OSWALD, no details of the disappearance were discussed except that CHERRY mentioned searching parties had been all over the area looking for her. CHERRY further mentioned that he would not be considered a suspect because his girlfriend’s father was a Deputy Sheriff. OSWARD stated that his conversation with CHERRY was interrupted by a phone call from his landlady, Mrs. Grimes, and that during the conversation with her he mentioned her name. At the conclusion of the conversation, CHERRY asked something to the effect, “Is she related to the GRIMES girls?”, whereupon OSWWALD said he had no idea and asked for details, at which time CHERRY appeared well read on the GRIMES case in Chicago. During the course of their conversation OSWALD stated that CHERRY showed him a “little black book” which contained the names and addresses of the girls in Sycamore, as well as their bust and hip measurements.
OSWALD stated that he had not seen CHERRY on the night of December 3 and his first contact with him was on the morning of December 4, at which time CHERRY was wearing an odd colored, flashy shirt (apparently conventional type, not slipon) with a string necktie. The color of his slacks was unrecalled. He was wearing a brown jacket made of a fuzzy material and no hat. OSWALD said he notice a slight cut across the upper lip of CHERRY but added the cut appeared to be fresh and could have been done while shaving.
No further investigation is being conducted regarding the above suspect, in view of the above information.
FBI Report, page 4 (Jack McCullough – TESSIER in this report)
Note: page 3 is missing.
…..
of the unknown subject and was further suspected because of his eagerness to assist in the search for the missing girl on the night of December 3, 1957. SA DAVID L. BURTON assisted in this interview.
The recorded reaction on the polygraph charts did not reflect evidence of guilty knowledge or implication by TESSIER in this matter. It is believed that he was a proper subject for such a test and would have reacted significantly if he had been involved.
ADMINISTRATIVE
RE SUSPECT JOHN SAMUEL TESSIER,
aka John Samuel Cherry
Mr. DAN SCHAEFER, general manager, Sycamore-Ogle Telephone Company, Sycamore, Illinois, on December 9, 1957, informed SA DAVID L. BURTON that his company records reflected a collect call was placed on telephone number 2-9297, Rockford, Illinois, on December 3, 1957, to number 3257, Sycamore, Illinois, at approximately 6:57 p.m. on that date. This latter number is listed to one RALPH E. TESSIER and according to his records, the call was made by one JOHN S. TASSIER. Mr. SCHAEFER was of the opinion that the spelling of the name TASSIER was merely a spelling error on the part of the operator who handled the call. He also stated that this call lasted until 6:59 p.m. and that it was accepted by the TESSIER family in Sycamore.
LEADS
Cg, will complete and report investigation conducted re the additional suspects.
REFERENCE
Reports of SA SOL E. DENNIS at Chicago dated 12/11/57 and 12/17/57;
Report of SA RAYMOND A. DRISCOLL at Chicago dated 12/13/57.
FBI Report, page unnumbered, SPO – 3071 at top.(Jack McCullough – CHERRY)
Mrs. EILEEN TESSIER, 227 Center Cross, was also interviewed on December 8, 1957, by SAs MELLOTT and BURTON and she stated that her son, John TESSIER, had been in Rockford, Illinois, on the evening of December 3, 1957. She advised that her husband, RALPH, had gone to Rockford and picked up their son at approximately 8:00 p.m. that evening after he, JOHN, had called collect at about 7:10 p.m. to advise them that he was in Rockford and was ready to come home. She stated that she had discussed with her husband the possibility that a question as to their son’s whereabouts on the night of December 3, 1957, might arise due to the similar nature of this [word illegible] and the description of the Unknown suspect which she [words illegible] in the newspapers.
References (if any links don’t work, please email me):
1. The FBI reports are on page 26-31 of the “August 2012 court documents.pdf”:August 2012 court documents
2. Doug Moe’s story of Janet Tessier’s stay with the Lemberger family:http://host.madison.com/news/local/doug_moe/doug-moe-tragedy-leads-to-answers-for-family/article_da32dd3e-0381-11e2-8655-001a4bcf887a.html
3. The Defense Motion 10.12.11:Defense Motion 10.12.11
4. LA Times December 6, 2007: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2007/12/girl-kidnapped.html
5. Spokane Daily Chronicle, 12/4/1957, time of abduction about 7 p.m.:https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By6pJVDDKQ-bT1hVZXEyRDZKaFE/edit?usp=sharing
6. Seattle Times, 12/14/2012: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/How-Seattle-police-helped-solve-nation-s-oldest-4116762.php#ixzz2LkVUaJnA
7. Seattle Times 7/12/2011: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2015588899_apus1957killingrecords4thldwritethru.html
8. Chicago Tribune 11/8/2011:
9. Charging papers: Charging_Papers
10. Trial transcript – Available from: Sandra Foord [sandy-foord@comcast.net], Official Court Reporter, DeKalb County Courthouse
Contact information:
Casey Porter: Casey1167@gmail.com
Janey O’connor: janeyoconnor77@gmail.com
Janet Tessier: braingirljan@yahoo.com
Jeanne Tessier: jeannemtessier@yahoo.com
Clay Campbell Law offices: (815) 786-7770, (815) 899-1400
Julie Trevarthen: (630) 337-8102 jtrevarthen@blass-law.com
Jack McCullough 
Thank you Anonymous for your comment. However, you do have some of your information wrong and seem to be mistaken about things Jack “admitted to”.
Now, if Jack was on trial for his “credibility as a human being” then certainly every mistake he had made starting when he was a child should be scrutinized. Jack was convicted of murder and the evidence supporting that conviction is lacking. As an American I am bothered that “beyond a reasonable doubt” is not always the case and evidence and proof are not required for a conviction. I understand for many people it is uncomfortable to believe that our justice system is so flawed, that evidence is not necessary for a conviction, and that a judge with zero experience in criminal law could decide a person’s fate and it is easier to focus on the two accusations of sexual misconduct/pedophile/pervert instead of looking at the actual evidence presented in this four day trial.
On a side note it is possible to express yourself without using offensive language and your statements and comments have a tendency to come across as more insightful and intelligent if you leave out the bad language.
Many people who are close to perpetrators and have not personally experienced abuse by them have a very hard time believing they would abuse anyone. I think it’s because it means that person would no longer be the same person they cherish and love and they just don’t want to give that up,they don’t want to lose the person they love.
It would be like someone telling you your father was an abuser imagine for a moment that it was true how would you feel? Pedophiles are very manipulative they have to be in order to perpetrate their crimes because most of us are against such behaviour they must create situations where they can act out exp.they need access to victims so they gain trust from others who can provide it, my uncle molested my sister and I for years but never touched my other sister nor did he molest his 3 stepdaughters does that make me and my sister liars no not all pedophiles are the same most control themselves better then others so they can molest safely without getting caught thus ending immediately access to victims and alerting everyone around him what he or she is also making it difficult to act out again. Most are narcissistic because they don’t care if young children are suffering because of their disgusting actions all that matters is their own satisfaction and sexual needs however perverse. Maybe Jack had something to gain by good to you and your mother a family stability but that doesn’t mean for a minute that he’s not a pedophile which he certainly is if he like he says played around with his young sister and the young girl he took into his home my god the police treated her so shabbily when she first came forward with her complaints about Jack,if your daughter came to you and said some man did something inappropriate and his family said well he’s never done anything to us would you turn to your daughter and say well honey you must be mistaken think about it why would both these women lie. There have been many perpetrators who have committed horrible acts and treated their families very well .
And as for being so wonderful to his wife he seemed to have a lot to apologize for according to the letter she read on Cnn but over the course of a marriage everyone has something to apologize for,still when you look at the whole picture no matter what angle it doesn’t look good.
@Eve,
Regardless of how it “looks,” what evidence is provided that he explicitly murdered that little girl?
In the end, it must be FACTS that convict somebody, not feelings; the Magna Carta and several hundred years of changing law are, both, being undone; the ruling class used to get convictions all the time due to their ability to know better than the working class; U.S. society, law and culture were created to address that imbalance; however, this conviction overturns hundreds of years’ progress in law.
Irregardless of how I, you, the judge, the prosecutor, his sister, my aunt Betty, or anybody else FEELS, or even believes, the law should require direct (as opposed to circumstantial) evidence in order to get a guilty verdict in such a case.
God forbid Mr. McCullough is assaulted while in prison only to be later exonerated through new evidence! That would be the exact antithesis to justice!
If Mr. McCullough is convicted, it should be with direct, factual evidence, and nothing else.
Questioning his family on their feelings and loyalty is not in good taste; and, it completely removes from them the ability to reason and judge the circumstances for themselves.
If I were in their shoes, I would want solid, factual evidence to justify my father’s (step-father’s) conviction. Nothing less would be satisfactory.
Hey Steve,
“Irregardless” isn’t a word. You mean “regardless”.
Usage Discussion of irregardless from Merriam-Webster
Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.
@Janey
Heck, if I, or most anybody else, were on trial for our “credibility as a human being,” it would be difficult to explain certain choices, decisions and actions, especially given 50 years of passing time!
Unfortunately, this seems to have been a hatchet job by the prosecution. I honestly hope he gets a more fair trial than the one he received. With everything presented so far, nothing is direct enough to link him to that murder and he should not be imprisoned.
what is creepy is that he hardly remembers anything from 1957-1958 even doesn’t recognize his own photo, but he remembers even moment in perfect detail of when he met Maria from her sweet smile right down to his description of her pretty dress and shoes, what’s creepy is that he met the little girl before which make him more of a suspect. He seem to be very obsessed with this little girl when he was 17 not really normal for a young man.
There is a lot of evidence. HIs mother gave a deathbed confession that she lied about his alibi. What about the three convicts who testified against Tessier? They received no reward, so what motive would they have to lie about something like that? Also, Tessier acted guilty.
This guy is lucky that his parents lied for him. He’s a sexual predator.What he did with that run away little girl is a crime and those types of crimes are particularly heinous.
Janey, jack was convicted of rape and sexual assult, how could you ignore this? Offcourse, you are the step daughter whom has believed Jacks lies, he killed poor little Maria, May he rot in hell the filthy bastard!
She’ll know if he gets out of jail and babysits her beautiful daughters.
I’m assuming you’re the granddaughter or whatever. I bet you can’t wait for uncle Jack/Johnny to get out of jail so that he can take you’re pretty daughters out for piggyback rides all alone. Am I right? 😀😘🙆
“I understand for many people it is uncomfortable to believe that our justice system is so flawed” no it’s not hard a actually. It’s run by people. People who dedicate their lives to others and sometimes make mistakes, but I think that most of the time they get it right. This case included. That’s why it works.
I understand that for many people (yourself included) it is uncomfortable to believe that our justice system is effective. You are so far in denial it’s laughable. Sometimes the creepy guy in the neighborhood is just a shy guy. Sometimes he’s a pedophile/murder who rapes and takes little girls on piggy back rides and they never.come.back.
You should be thanking the justuce system because without it your lovely daughters would have met a similar fate as if not far more gruesome as did innocent overlooked(by you) Maria. And there would be no justice system there to back you up. So this person with a family who loves them would do it again, and again, and again. And again. Have a wonderful day, hug your family 👪
I applaud your initiative to protect individuals from unfair trials, but it was zimmerman who needed this scrutiny in analysis, not Johnny boy.
I couldn’t support your cause, as factually correct as it might be, without some logical explanation for his scum-of-the-earth history. Does he have any rational defense for what he’s accused of? Such as, how he speaks about Maria extra lovingly, the sexual assaults, and why would any responsible & respectful single 40 year old take in a 15-yr old runaway stranger? You can split hairs over courtroom rules, but frankly, I wouldn’t care to see him enjoying the same freedoms I do after what he’s done to people. What you aren’t proving is that he’s worthy of support. A naked picture of his daughter? If he’s a victim, you could gain more traction by addressing the elephant in the room. Being scum isn’t illegal, but it sure doesn’t garner support of him being “victimized” by courtroom technicalities.
You are not supposed to have to prove that you are not guilty in a trial.
Not in America anyway.
Do you ever that when our constitution was created just how different both life & the world were? Times have changed dramatically since and it should be made mandatory to tweak set laws accordingly as a result if this. By a jury, by a court of law, one must be “innocent until irrefruitable evidence proves them otherwise”…it just doesn’t fit in today’s society…not anymore. That way allows some of the most dangers and viable predators to await their “fair” trial outside the confines of prison walls via bail…dies that fact seem legit in our present world any longer? Maybe not, But I wouldnt want anyone who has enough evidence against them to be charged for such crimes, circumstantial or otherwise, that holds enough weight to spend thousands of taxpayers dollars in a jury trial waiting to come only for the accused to be bailed back out and put in our society among us all. It makes more sense & would be more within the confines of the law if our constitution to wake up, be tweaked and realize that whats fair isnt meant for the accused anymore in these types of crimes and it would serve our society right to keep the accused locked up until they can be proven innocent without any reasonable doubt. Let it rest at a classic example of misfortune for the accused being at the wrong place…at the wrong time. Sorry…but its only “fair” to all of the innocent and potential victims left out there in a society with an “accused” among them causing fear of living life.
Thumbs up!!!!
“Irregardless” is not a word. For every sentence you post trying to sound intelligent, use of this word completely erases all of your efforts.
Michele that’s not even a real name. Michelle
I think “Johnny” is actually his mother’s brother/son. Wasn’t she abused by her father. She was an Irish war bride looking to start a new life in America! It is very obvious why the mother was partial to him over the other kids.
Question if you have nothing to do with a kidnapping then dont you think its strange to say and i quote”CHERRY further mentioned that he would not be considered a suspect because his girlfriend’s father was a Deputy Sheriff”
God does not do coincendices. YOUR BROTHER IS GUILTY
I feel extremely sorry for you. Like someone mentioned already, its difficult to grasp that this person you believe you know, could possibly commit such a horrific crime. As far as his credability as a human being, that alone would not convict a person but it shows the type of person he is, his track record of offenses, and what types of things he is capable of. Like it or not, that plays into how judgment is passed. If you have a straight laced man, that never had any issues, always held a job, had a good family, that would be in his benefit if accused of a crime that would not be in his character. This is clearly not the case here. Unfortunately for you and your mother, you have been manipulated by this man. You can say he never did anything to your mother, you or your daughter but you don’t know for certain that he hasn’t gone out and done anything to someone else while your family was his cover. Cases do get tried on circumstantial evidence and because this one happen so long ago, that is what they had to rely on. There was enough to convict him and rightfully so. That doesn’t take away all the pain and suffering he has caused in his lifetime but hopefully it brings some healing. Fortunately he is now put away and will hopefully rot in prision!
I think i couldn’t put it better. He uses them as cover after so many offenses. His family should go and find his missing daughter and ask him why he had a naked picture of her under a drawer. Casey take care of your daughter, yes you trusted your daughter because you thought we was a good individual or because it was cheap and you have your things to do, just like Casey Anthony -your stepfather role model?
Read the memoir, understand the pain of others and you will know that this person is no saint.
1. Was Jack’s car ever found and where was it?
2. If Johnny stays around the corner and everyone knows everyone in the neighbourhood, why didn’t Kathy identify him as the neighbour in 1957?
I agree with you. In what I have read, he was not proven guilty of the crime. The witnesses seemed to have very selective memory.
Do you know all faces of the people living in your block, of all???? If no, not make stupid questions.
Maybe the step granddaughter should be checked for any trauma or sexual molestation.
Regardless of who is stupid for knowing or not knowing their neighbors/friends/siblings, Janey: because of his character history, there’s reasonable doubt he did it. Can you address THAT instead of the semantics?
Was Kathy ever shown his picture? I don’t think so, because his mother said he was home all night. At that point, he was no longer a person of interest.
y
Frankly im more concerned of a government, run amuck to the point that they not only allow but participate in hysteria and mob rule, and forget the principles of a fair and legitimate justice system, founded on one of this country’s most precious beliefs- when in doubt it’s better that a guilty person be free, than a not guilty person be convicted. And there is a mountain of reasonable doubt here, so much that back in 1957 with all the attention and urgency on the situation, they found it fit – to declare this man – clear. This trial should have never happen it’s a disgrace. That’s what I think..
I agree completely with you. I wouldn’t be surprised that he also killed his daughter from his first marriage after all he had a nude picture of her hidden under a drawer. Such a coincidence she is missing. Being an ex-cop he has to had taken good care of disposing her body so that nobody can find her, no surprise he admires Casey Anthony, right Casey1167?
Whatever happened to Rivard when he was “identified” by Kathy? Was he investigated?
Janey, Scott, and Casey: I’m not going to lamabast and insult John Tessier/Jack McCullough, or call him a monster. Im simply going to state the reasons why I believe he is guilty of abducting and murdering Maria. There are simply too many clues pointing towards his guilt:
1.) The man who abducted Maria used the name “Johnny.” It turns out John Tessier was known to his girlfriend at the time as “Johnny” as well. Thats how he signed a note he gave to her back in 57.
2.) The man was described by Kathy at the time as having a narrow face, a high pitched, reedy voice, curled blond hair, a gap between his teeth (or admittledly, a missing tooth, although at night this would have been hard to tell the difference), and was wearing a multi colored sweater. Coincidentally, at the time, John Tessier had a narrow face, a high pitched reedy voice (still does) had curled blond hair, a gap between his teeth, and owned a multi colored sweater, which somehow was never seen after that night.
3.) He had offered to give Pamela Long, a girl who lived in the neighboohood, a “piggyback ride” as well a few years back. This “piggy back ride” is what “Johnny” offered Maria. What are the odds that another abuductor would offe rMaria a “piggyback ride”?
4.) He never used the train ticket he claimed to have used to get to Rockford IL. Why would he lie about this?
5.) McCullough and his family keep re-iterating that the abduction took place at 7PM. But there is no evidence to support this. When Kathy asked the kidnapper what time it was, he said “7PM.” THIS is where the time of 7PM came from…The kidnapper! The mother of Maria later acknowledged the time of the abduction may have been closer to 6PM than 7. If she was positive she last saw Maria at 6:40, she would have said so, but she wasnt sure of the time to begin with. Kathy’ mother said the girls were already playing outside at 6:02 PM. The oil heating delivery man who was across the street at the time said that he saw no one playing outside at 6:20, meaning the abduction most likely took place between 6:05 and 6:20 PM. If this occured, John Tessier could have committed the murder in the alleyway or kidnapped Maria, driven to the outskirts of Rockford by 6:57, and made the call to create an allibi, or perhaps out of nervousness to see if anyone was looking for Maria.
6.) His mother told the FBI/police he was home that night. So did he. But his sisters said he never came home that night. He said he had a date with his girlfriend that night, and was “20 minutes late” but she said they never went out that night.
7.) Kathy Chapman picked him as the man who had abducted her friend. She said there was “no question” it was him.
8.) Not one, two, but THREE Jailhouse informants said he confessed in jail.
9.) He claimed to not recognize himself in the photo shown to him in Seattle. The same photo his 1957 girlfriend and Kathy had seen. How do you not recognize your own photo??
10.) The air force recruiters who interviewed him appx 7:15 in Rockville that night said he seemed like he was on a “narcotic” and acted like a “lost sheep.” Why would you show up to a interview for your new career in the air force acting this way? Unless maybe he had a guilty conscience for kidnapping and possibly murdering a girl an hour earlier.
11.) John Oswald, the air force recruiter who interviewed him the next day, Dec 4th, said that he had a “fresh cut on his lip.” Yes that could have been from shaving. But once again, this could have been from Maria fighting back. Her parents said that Maria would frequently scream and cry if something wasnt right, and the cut could be from an altercation he had with her the previous night. This is just too large a coincidence in my mind.
12.) His own father was according to Jeanne and Janet, responsible for molesting the daughters. He may have covered for Jack. He told investigators he picked Jack up that night from Rockford (Jack later changed his story and said he hitchiked, which ironically may have been true), but his daughter remembered that he picked her up at 8PM, the same time time he was supposed to be picking up John from Rockford.
13.) John Tessier told the cops he had been in Chicago all day, but his car was seen in town the day of the kidnapping between 2 and 3PM. Why lie about this as well?
14.) He was supposed to hang out with friends that night, who said that he stood them up without a reason.
15.) He told the cops he went looking for Maria with a friend a found some dirty magazines. His friend said he never saw John that night, never went looking for Maria with John and never found any dirty magazines. This pattern of Jack hinting that other dirty pedophiles were really responsible for the murder or recovering “dirty magazines” that never were found was a prelude to Jacks “dream” of who killed Maria years later in which he insisted another local boy named “Brooks” probably killed her.
FIFTEEN COINCIDENCES? How can someone be innocent with FIFTEEN pieces of evidence pointing towards guilt. In my opinion this is what happened back in 57:John Tessier knew he was going into the air force and was leaving town soon. He probably had uncontrollable sexual urges to molest a girl before he left town, and hatched a plot to get away with it. Its possible he never intended to murder Maria or maybe he did. She either fell off his shoulders during the piggyback ride, or he purposely took her behind the alley where the doll was found. She may have fought back after his advances so he strangled her, stabbed her, threw her in the trunk of his car, then realized on the drive to Rockford he needed an allibi, so he calls from the outskirts of town at 6:57, and then shows up to his interview. Then he disposed of the body in Galena, throws his sweatshirt away, and then drives or hitchkikes back into town the next day.
Another scenario is that John Tessier never meant to kill Maria only molest her, but after he dropped her or brought her around the corner to the alley, he accidentally smothered her to keep her quiet, and so “accidentally” killed her. In his mind this wasnt murder, which gives him the right in his own mind to say he never murdered anyone.
Blaming the murder on the “truck driver” who died in 95 or “John Hilbrun” is convienient, but ignores all 15 of the “coincidences” listed above.
Mrs. OConner, PLEASE ask your father if he “accidentally” killed Maria, and what really happened that night. You might be the only person who learns the truth before he dies.
I agree with your facts. I also find it interesting that the body was found on a farm in Woodbine which is a direct route west of Rockford on US 20. He may have spent the night in a hotel in Freeport and disposed of the body early the next morning. They reported it unlikely someone could have found a spot where the body was located during the night.
Allow me to reply:
1.) Why WOULDNT John Tessier use his real name? He said his name was “Johnny”. The guys wasnt a mastermind. Maybe he didnt think it through. He may have planned only on molesting her at first, and since according tolhis sister he had gotten away with it before, maybe he thought he could get away with it again.
2.) Jack saying he wasnt married or not married doesnt mean anything which way when he met the girls. I dont remember the FBI reports saying what he was wearing on the night of the 3rd when he showed up for his interview. And if he was wearing the sweater, it doesnt mean he didnt have Maria in the car and then stabbed her later that night after the interview. And no the piggy back ride isnt ridiculous. What are the odds that a man who offered a Piggyback ride to another little the girl down the street then offers one to Maria?!
3.) The train ticket was going in the right direction and why wouldn’t a ticket be punched? You are reaching here.
4.) I dont remember seeing any proof that Cheyenne was the show he watching, or what time it started. And I remember that he said the was atching a western when he was TOLD she was kidnapped. What neighbor claimed to see them at 6:30? Kathy’s mother said she saw the girls playing outside at 6:05, and Kathy said they were only playing a few minutes when “Johnny” approached them, making the kidnnappin much more likely to occur around 6:15 then 7:00.
5.) I dont know where it is written that Jan Edwards claims he made the date, but assuming he did, then so what? Does it say what time he showed up? Maybe Maria’s body was still in his car at that point.
6.) No Kathy didnt have trouble picking out the lineup. She quickly eliminated 4 of the 6 men, then looked at the last two, and then said “that’s him.”
7.) Which snitch recounted their story? Id like to read about that online.
8.) Why would Jack not pick himself out of a photo? It wasnt that bad of quality? And if so, who cares? How can you not reocgnize your own photo?!
9.) The interviewer said that Jack sounded like he was on a “narcotic” and a lost sheep” and the next day talked about his alibi and why he wouldnt be charged with another recruiter. This isnt just a bad impression. This is downright disturbing.
10.) The term “fresh cut” is relative. I’ll concede that could have come from shaving.
11.) I dont get a sense that Jeanne or Janet are “out to get poor Jack.”
I saw them on the 48hr special and they looked downright credible.
12.) The car was very easy to identify because of the flames and if someone identified the car as being seen driven around town in Syacmore that day, then why would Jack lie to the FBI? Hmmm…he changed his story over and over about how he got around that night/day. Could it be he was lying?
13.) His friend said he never saw Jack that night even though Jack told the cops/FBI he went with his friend looking for Maria and found dirty magazines…that didnt exist! He LIED about his whereabouts that night. This night was remembered by everyone in Syacmore, and his friend Dennis Twadell says he never saw Jack that night.
Casey, what more evidence do you need!?
Just stumbled on this case and what a fascinating one it is.
Im always dubious when the evidence is totally relient on what someone says, without video evidence or DNA, blood samples, etc, because lets face it some people will say anything if they do not like the person who is accused. Given this was over 50 years ago i find it hard to believe someone can recall events of such accuracy, despite not being able to do so in the immediate aftermath of the murder.
Im 29, a young adult and id like to think i have a better memory than someone double my age, but i was looking at a school photo from my 1989 class the other day from when i was 5 years old trying to put names to the faces and there was alot of them i could not remember. Add another 20 odd years on top of that and it would have been an even bigger struggle.
It is possible he did do it, but on the evidence presented it is not strong enough for a conviction.
Another thing which puzzles me is if John’s mother on her deathbed from 1993 said ‘it was John’ then why did it take over 15 years to follow that up? I’ll tell you why, John and the woman Kathy have had a fall out and this was a perfect opportunity to get back at him.
what is creepy is that he doesn’t remember hardly anything from back then that is understandable but what’s creepy is that he can explain in great detail of when he meet Maria going into great details of what pretty dress she wore right down to her shoes and socks, sounds like he was pretty obsessed with this little girl. Or maybe he saw her photos countless times in the newspaper and taking his comments from there, seeing her photos and reading about her i think everyone will agree that she was a very cute and sweet little girl but his a suspect and it doesn’t make him look good going into great detail when talking about her.
But i think his guilty of murdering this child) probably was following the family around and keeped an eye on Maria.
I find it strange that the police believe that “Johnny” was lying when he told the girls the time was 7 PM to create an alibi. At that point how did he know he could grab one of the girls and make it to Rockford by 7 PM to give himself an alibi. It doesn’t sound like this murder was planned out at all much less enough to know to lie about the time to create an alibi you have no way of guaranteeing you can make.
Also why would he have needed a train ticket, or made a collect call to have his stepfather pick him up in Rockford, if he was driving around in his car? Was he planning on leaving his car in Rockford and having his dad drive him out at a later time to retrieve it? And how the heck could he explain that without coming across as incredibly suspicious?
On top of that how could he have calmed himself down enough in such a short time to be able to talk to an Air Force recruiter without risking giving himself away? What was going on with Maria in his car during said interview? Either she was unconscious, and could have possibly awoken while he was talking to the recruiter, or she was dead and bleeding all over the car and/or trunk. Surely somebody would’ve noticed something in either scenario. Blood is hard to clean out of a car. Based off of the post-exhumation coroner’s report she was stabbed to death so I would expect a lot of blood in the car had she been already dead while he was talking to the recruiter? Also why drive from Sycamore to Rockford to Galena to hide the body?
I agree that John Tessier has done some incredibly bad creepy stuff but I really don’t see how he could have been involved in Maria’s kidnapping/murder based off the timeline. I think his Mom always suspected he was involved with the murders but it doesn’t sound like she had any actual proof.
Does anyone know if the call that he made to his girlfriend, which he said he made right after the one to his father, was a collect one as well?
Came across this story while looking up a search for cold case murders. All day have been thinking about a family that has been withholding the truth about the murder of one of the children in the family, but he was 21, by the father. So this led me to finding and reading this case and then to the blog.
I am certainly not Nancy Drew, or any expert in criminal investigations. I do have a J.D. and watch more than my share of true crime shows. I KNOW how families hide the sexual inappropriateness and often outright sexual molesting of and /or rape of females.
It’s unfortunate the photo array was not of pictures that were all similar, with casual backgrounds, taken by amateur, not professional high school year book photographer and background.
A timeline from 55 years ago? When cars could easily go 90 MPH, when there are no cell phone records/video cameras on every corner. OTHER criminals have been pulled over by police with a LIVE girl they later murdered, right after a kidnap, in their TRUNK!
Some sociopath/narcissists can and do perfect their lies and charades, just because they love it and can pull it off. HE went to the recruitment interview perhaps to now cover the kidnapping…maybe she wasn’t dead yet. Maybe someone HELPED him with all of this, someone in his family, most likely his mom or stepdad MAY have seen evidence, in his car,, on his shirt, in their garage or in their basement. HE could have stashed little Maria somewhere tied up and gagged ( body found so long later, who knows) until he was done with his interview and THEN raped her, …or whatever he did do to her , and THEN kill her.
Anything is possible. I’d bet, if I were a betting girl…that HE is responsible for her death. He was near his house/her house. Had seen her around. Liked to give neighbor girls piggy back rides…had a gap in his teeth and wild, blond hair…
Has then, and thereafter a practice of, a propensity toward sexual involvement with minors, his sister, pictures, photographing young girls. Perhaps he didn’t “mean to kill” her and it ended up happening…
His sister isn’t the PERSON she is today, because nothing ever happened to her. Someone did things to her, and she has no reason to NOW say it was her half brother if it wasn’t. THE mother has lived with this guilt…just like my friend’s mother has lived with the guilt of knowing her husband killed their son….it wasn’t “on purpose’ either. But the law would say it was murder.
I am ALL for releasing people from prison who are INNOCENT, based on scientific evidence. If there was any to exonerate him, let it be brought forward. I don’t feel that he is getting the full sentence the US hands out daily to child murderers/rapists. I’m certain he raped his 14 year old sister. If he isn’t guilty of this murder, then he still is where he should be….just because he can “Hide” his evil side to his wife and step daughter..doesn’t mean he didn’t do it. I am sure that IN that household, the parents and siblings knew at the time, that Johnny sounded like their JOHN, exactly..,,
But families have a way of making excuses for and feeling sorry for these murderers. They go on to hurt/destroy countless lives, and those people children’s lives, and grandchildren’s lives by their depraved indifference and assaults on their victims. I’m sure he will get his just reward/punishment SOME day by the Greatest Judge. NO evidence or testimony necessary.
you know what is scary is that Jack says he knew Maria, he has met the little girl. But Charles Maria’s brother said he has never seen him before. I read somewhere that Kathy played over at Jack’s home. In Jeanne Tessier book (sister of Jack) she was 9 years old in 1957 when Maria was abducted and describes her in a chapter of her book she remembers playing with Maria very briefly describes her as “shy, quite, sweet and a beautiful little girl” Maria seen playing mostly with other kids on play dates. I believe that Jack (Johnny) was watching Maria play and seen the little girl play countless times. Jeanne remembers that night Maria was abducted on the 3rd dec, and that Jack was acting very weird that night and when the cops questioned their mother about Jack’s whereabouts on that night Jeanne knew her mother wasn’t being honest with the questions and knew she was lying for Jack.
Think about this information and tell me isn’t this very odd about Jack…. what is creepy is that he knew the little girl Maria. How do you know if Jack met little Maria on other occasions and played with her but told Maria not to tell anyone and offered her candy ect.
I was just searching on newspapers.com site about this case and came across heaps of newspaper articles about the abducted/murder of this little girl. One of the articles dated December 5 1957 it mentions that a man was high on the list he was recently discharged from the air force he was known as ‘Commando’ he has been known giving piggy back rides to children. This suspect seems very similar to Jack McCullough, Jack was known as Commando and he was discharged from the air-force (he couldn’t get in the air force). On the 48 extras a women got interviewed saying when she was a little girl she was offered a piggy back ride from a much older boy (a few years before Maria was abducted) he was known as Johnny.
I believe Jack killed the little girl. He was a huge suspect at the time of Maria’s disappearance, the article description of the suspect is very similar to Jack’s, and Jack’s name back then was ‘John’
Did the FBI ever interview Theodore Liberwitz? It looks like him and John Froom are the only ones that actually saw him in Rockford. This “Oswald” guy says that all of the info that he had was McCullough’s report to him of what he had done the night before.
Why is everything surrounding Jack McCullough/John Cherry/ John Tessier, whatever you want to call him, shrouded in mystery. His entire life was a series of terrible coincidences? Every creepy comment he makes, he answers,”I don’t care how it sounds! Its true!”. Why didn’t you go down to help the search for your missing daughter in Texas, ( who was found dead later)? Oh, you didn’t have the money. Why did you admit to sexual misconduct with a minor while you were a cop in Washington? That’s right! you didn’t have the money to hire a lawyer. Where is your solid proof that you weren’t in sycamore that night? Yeah… those documents burned up in a fire that only struck the military record floor, Army and Air Force sections in particular, in the year that you left the military. The world is just picking on you right?
That many coincidences don’t happen.
Maybe its true that the case against you wasn’t strong enough to convict you beyond a reasonable doubt, but you deserve every bit of punishment that comes to you and more.
“Maybe its true that the case against you wasn’t strong enough to convict you beyond a reasonable doubt, but you deserve every bit of punishment that comes to you and more.”
What a crappy standard to apply in a criminal trial. We can’t prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, but hey — you probably did something and you are a creepy guy, so you deserve it.
This attitude that “you must be guilty of something,” while it plays to our desires for retribution and punishment, should not carry the day in our courts — especially in a bench trial. None of us are safe when the standard to convict is watered down to “I don’t like you, you give me the creeps, and you probably did bad things in your life.”
I think what happened to Maria was terrible. I want justice for her. But if we have to throw away our constitutional protections to get it, then count me out.
I totally agree. It doesn’t matter how creepy someone appears. Ted Bundy had many people believing he was the least creepy guy on Earth and we know they were wrong. If the evidence doesn’t prove Jack McCullough is guilty he shouldn’t be punished for the crime. PERIOD.
Reasonable doubt does not mean what most think. If a reasonable person such as society would believe the testimony then you go with that verdict. It does not mean without a shadow of doubt . Unless you were there when the crime was happening in front of you there will always be a shadow of doubt. Did the prosecutor prove the case. I think they did. Circumstantial evidence adds up. I believe that both his parents knew he did this crime and the mother knew that she did no it want to carry that bitron to the grave.
After reading some of these comments, I fing myself actually “commenting” for the first time to any blog. I believe that everything happens for a reason & that God works in mysterious ways. While all the evidence pertaining to this case isnt obviously given, I am sure there is valid reason as to why this “Johnny” man is finally a convict despite all the years it took for him to gain that title. I live in Delaware which is where the first case occured where a sick, twisted demon was found guilty of murder without a body. Testimony is what ultimately brought justice to the beautiful victim whose life he stole. Playing God with the life of another, especially young and innocent children, will ultimately catch up to those sick & selfish & stupid enough to try out that role & I am not a religious person at all but I do believe that one always reaps what they sow…no matter how long it takes, no matter how that reaping appears.
Irregardless is not a word and if it were it would be the opposite of regardless!
“Irregardless” was a “word” used by the FBI in the above report. For this page, of this blog… we will consider it a word.
Jack/Johnny does not deserve life in prison! That sick bastard deserves to be tortured to death. This is my opinion from information hear and watching the program on lifetime. May God be with little Maria and anyone that this man has disregarded as a human being. Unfortunately he has gotten so lost in his own lies and thinking everyone owes him an apology that he will never be able to admit his guilt or offer an apology to any of his victims. I hope he rots in the hell the minute after he takes his last breath. That day will never come soon enough. Wish we had an option of where our tax dollars went, I would definitely unchecked the box next to feeding these worthless pieces of shit the state of Illinois thinks we should not kill due to human rights laws. He would probably end up like the guy in Texas that got a bad batch of lethal injection!
I have now watched the TV show about this case twice and read all of the comments above, both pro and con.
There is no doubt in my mind that justice has prevailed, so far. I hope it continues to prevail through the appeal, and that Jack dies in prison, never to see freedom again.
That would still be a far cry from what little Maria lost so many years ago, or what his sister lost when he raped her, or the other girl lost when he raped her. He has had a full life, apparently unbothered by the guilt which his character does not let him feel. I do not believe he is insane….he knows right from wrong but does not feel that responsibility applies to him.
This so called man Johnny is a pedophile, liar and a killer! I’m not an expert on body language or reactions when answering questions or making statements, but it is so obvious he’s a narcissistic human that turns my stomach because he has no remorse! He is a coward and any man or woman that believes he’s innocent should have him live in your household with children. These pedophiles put on a good front with being a great family man! I know first hand how good pedophiles can manipulate people! Yes that old saying he’s such a wonderful man! Look beyond his eyes and you’ll see the devil.
A few people say he shouldn’t have been convicted with no physical proof well sometimes you don’t need physical proof. His sisters didn’t come up with their stories overnight! They lived with it and lived the fear all these years. And someone states that they couldn’t remember their friends names from 20 years ago? Well if you were with one friend who disappeared while you were with her/him you’ll always remember that face of the kidnapper! It’s easy to remember bad than good at times!
What makes me shake my head are the people out there believing or making excuses for this pedophile that he didn’t recognize his own picture? One person stated it could of been the quality of the picture! Are you kidding me? Yet he describe Maria as if he was reliving the day he took her! Every detail! This is what turns him on and you give him that much credit? He should rot in HELL.
He should redeem himself and admit and tell the truth about what he did to Maria, his sisters and God know who else.
The mystery of Maria’s doll the one she took outside to show Johnny, which was found in a neighbours front yard when the neighbours where looking for the missing little girl. The whole neghbourhood looked everywhere and found nothing in sight, then out of nowhere Mara’s doll was found in plain sight in a front yard which wasn’t there on the first search. Where did her doll come from? I think either her kidnapper was in the search team and drop her doll there or their was a second person, two people involved one who taken little Maria and the other who planted her doll who was part of the neighbours seaching for the child.
Just wondering why you’ve misspelled Maria’s name: “Jack McCullough and the Maria Rudolph abduction”
Thanks, I corrected.
I believe Jack’s step father could have killed Maria. Reading the book Footsteps in the Snow by Charles Lachman, made me think Ralph Tessier was a child abuser and child molester. It mentions that in the book Jeanne when she was 6 years old she was outside wearing no underwear under her skirt and she said she like the cold breeze on her bottom, She saw her father Ralph in the shed picked her up and felt her and noticed no underwear on then Ralph said to her “I can see what you want” Jeanne said her father had a appetite for ‘young flesh’ and started giving his 6 year old daughter anal and feeling her tiny cunt. Again she was raped by her father at age 9 years old in the backyard Jeannie came inside and started crying and telling her mother but the mother Eileen who was a selfish bitch and slap her hard on the face saying she was a liar.
I believe that maybe Ralph Tessier step father of Jack was the one who killed Maria. He was clearly a child molester who likes small little girls. I do believe that Jack did kidnap Maria but Ralph molested/raped and killed her when Jack brough her over to their house.
Here is my theory story below: (story is pretty graphic, pedophillia details, child’s private parts, child molestation/rape, if you feel uncomfortable please don’t read on)
My Story:
Jack McCullough was the kidnapper of 7 year old Maria. He was playing with two little girls 8-year old Kathy and 7-year old Maria and giving Maria piggyback rides and gazing at her doll. When he kidnapped Maria he brought her to his house. Ralph was inside maybe in the shed, Ralph saw the little girl which Jack was holding her hand, Maria has her doll in her hand smiling, Ralph says to Jack “what the hell is this” saying why he has this child with him. Ralph then starts yelling at his step son Jack saying he is a fucking sissy saying to him that he sees a grown man playing with little girls, saying that Jack is not a man, Ralph always looked down at Jack thinking he was a girly boy. Ralph then kneeled down to face little Maria, he kindly spoke to her and said is this your doll? she smiled and said ‘yes’ Ralph stood up and said to Jack “I will show you how to be a man” remember that Ralph has a hunger for very young flesh (little girls). He then violently grab Maria’s small arm and pulled her, Maria started to cry. Then Ralph took Maria’s jacket off, took of her shoes, pants and undies and then started giving the child anal, Maria was screaming!!!! “this is how you do a little girl’s tiny ass” and started molesting her and touching her tiny vagina. He told the little girl to shut up and yelling at her, she didn’t stop, Maria’s mother Frances said that her little daughter was a screamer when scared and you couldn’t keep her quite “someone would have to kill her to keep quite i was the only one to calm her down”.
In the book Footsteps in the Snow it was mentioned that Ralph went over to a couple’s house they had a baby and started crying all the time, he then said the the couple that “if that was my child i would get a piece of string and tie hard around the neck so it couldn’t breath that would stop the child from crying” the couple was just shocked and looked at him, when Ralph, his wife and daughter Jeanne was going home in their car and said that “that made them shut up when he told about chocking the baby with a string and started laughing’. This could be the reason why Ralph murdered Maria because she was screaming, he couldn’t stand children screaming, crying and because when Maria would not stop screaming he chocked her tiny little neck so she stop and then killed her in the result of doing this. Ralph then noticed he killed this little girl, and then violently blamed Jack as he was the one who brought her here, if Jack didn’t brought this child in the house she wouldn’t be dead. Ralph then drove to Galena to dump the child’s body, and Jack took her doll to dump it in a neighbours front yard while the whole neigjbourhood was searching for the missing child.
So that is my theory, Ralph was a child moleter a man who raped his daughter at age 6 and again at age 9. Maybe he even molested other little girls as well, but his hunger for young children i believe he was the one who killed Maria.
Wasn’t Jack’s dad the one handing out flashlights as he owned the hardware store?
yes but that is my theory. Maybe Jack was the one who drove down to Gelena and Jack’s step father Ralph stayed in Sycamore pretending to help to search for the missing child, and he had her doll and throw her doll in the neighbour’s front yard. It could be Ralph all along. The death mother’s confession throught it was her son.
I have studied Jack’s case for quite some time and find it yet another tragic miscarriage of justice. Its unfortunate with these high profile cases that irregardless of the evidence or lack thereof, that once someone is in the sights of law enforcement a conviction is virtually assured…primarily to relive public pressure.
Could the judge have ruled the other way…sure, but at what risk to his career?
The inadmissibility of the FBI reports and the telephone call from Rockford is perplexing since that would have surely swayed the outcome in Jack’s favor. I question the rationalization of allowing the step sisters to testify, particularly soon after losing in the rape case. And the deathbed confession of the mother, heard only by two sisters who may have had an ax to grind against Jack….
What I find equally troubling are the remarks of posters here, who in light of the obvious evidence exonerating Jack, fall into lockstep and not only cheer on his conviction, but ridicule those who attempt to stand up for him.
This is not Salem and this is not a witch hunt.
An innocent man is in prison only because inept law enforcement ‘s inability to find the true killer.
SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF PROOF
The burden of proof is always on the person making an assertion or proposition. Shifting the burden of proof, a special case of argumentum ad ignorantium, is the fallacy of putting the burden of proof on the person who denies or questions the assertion being made. The source of the fallacy is the assumption that something is true unless proven otherwise.
The person making a negative claim cannot logically prove nonexistence.
In the McCullough case, the State made no effort to prove Jack was in Sycamore the night of the murder, and instead focused on an unused train ticket dated November 25th 1958, from Rockford to Chicago. In doing so, they shifted the burden of proof to the defendant to prove his step by step account of that day.
It is impossible to prove an event did not occur without proving something else did. In shifting the burden of proof to Jack, it then became incumbent upon Jack to try to prove he was out of the area.
The State clearly did not meet the required burden of proof that Jack was in Sycamore that night and the ticket should have been inadmissible as evidence and a verdict of not guilty should have been rendered..
I was reading over the transcripts, the ruling and the appeal. In the ruling and specifically in the appeal Kathie was supposed to have identified Jack as the mythical Jonny because she was able to see his face clearly under a bright streetlight on the corner where she was alleged to have asked him the time..
Here is an image of that exact corner at the time of the crime as indicated in the CNN story “Taken”.
Link to story
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2013/08/us/oldest-cold-case/
What is obviously missing here is a bright streetlight..or any light at all for that matter.
As a person who is sixty three years old…I dug out my old school class pictures. I had two. One from second grade and one from third. I could not remember one name from the person or name from the second grade photo and maybe two from the third.
That Kathie can pick someone out of a line up 50 some years later is questionable to me. Especially since no one corroborated the photo.
Hi Francis Muldoon, Gunther Toody here. According to the Sycamore True Republican, 6 Dec. 1957, the nearest street light was 50 feet north of the corner, out-of-frame to the right in the picture. The True Republican on 24 Dec. 1957 again mentioned the intersection of Archie Place and Center Cross as being dark, and that the City Council referred the matter of installing a street light there to the Streets and Walks Committee. The next closest street light would have been a block south, at the corner of Center Cross and DeKalb Ave.
Sunset in Sycamore on Dec. 3, 1957 was at 4:20 pm. The moon was waxing, 86% full, four days short of the full moon on Dec. 7. But the skies were overcast, and it was snowing. Other light sources would have been the incandescent light emanating from neighbor’s windows, and the headlights of passing cars.
That said, Chuck Ridulph testified that the corner was well lit. Kathy testified that she stood under a street light observing Johnny.
The appellate court cited both Chuck’s and Kathy’s testimony as to how well the street corner was, saying it weighed in the State’s favor – untruths entered into evidence, reused for the appellate ruling.
Today there is a street light across Center Cross from the corner where Maria was kidnapped. It sits atop a tall pole and hangs out over Center Cross supported on a reinforced boom. I don’t know when it was erected, but today the street corner is well lit.
i have many original press photos i brought on the case of the abduction and murder of this 7-year old little girl on my blog. I written a post on this case on my blog.
well, you should leave the link
check out the interview with Maria Ridulph parents:
link:
If Jack really was Maria’s killer, where is his emotion for killing a little girl. I mean if you kill a little girl how would anyone in there right mind copy with that knowing they just killed a 7 year old little girl especially decades later knowing the child never got to live up. I have seen interviews of child killers and they always brake down or never wants to talk about it. They never just denie killing a child if they really did it.
Google the definition of…”sociopath”!!!
This case made me cry and feel so sad, here is this innocent 7-year old little girl her life taken away. I feel so sad for the parents and the Ridulph family, what they went through what her parents went through losing their little daughter. When watching the documentaries, reading articles on the case when i see the pics of this beautiful, adorable and sweet little girl with a smiling face, i ask myself what type of person/monster would kill a little 7-year old child, it makes me angry. If there is a time machine in the future i promise i will go back into time and save this little girl and tell her parents not to let her play outside at night and keep watch on their child while she plays. If i could not change the future i would just go crazy at her killer. I just can’t imagine what this little child went through on her last moments on earth, i hope she didn’t suffer and safe in heaven now. She was ONLY 7 YEARS OLD OMG.
I am not sure if Jack was her killer but if he did do it or admits killing this small child, his life would end. This goes for every child-killer out there who preys on children and kills them. I just can’t handle anyone who preys on children especially ones that kills children.
My blessings are towards the Ridulph family, relatives, Kathy Chapman (Maria’s best friend) and Maria’s friends and those who were in the 2nd grade with Maria. Maria will always be with you in your hearts forever.
If i ever killed a child i would shoot myself.
This is all I have to say, I’m not 100 percent sure if Jack was the kidnapper of this little 7 year old girl, but if anyone murders a young child and takes their life away they deserve the death penalty. Anyone who murders children should be shot to death. I was extremely sad when I first saw this story in 2011 she was a 7 year old little girl some evil person decided to prey on small children and kidnaps and kill this small precious little girl, she looked like a beautiful and happy child as well, her life cut so short she would of been a grandmother if she was alive today. But sadly evil people exists who preys on innocent children. I can’t imagine what her parents and family went through. Godbless to the Ridulph family. If your step dad really did murder this 7 year old little girl he will get what’s coming to him as in prison other prisoners hates child killers and pedophiles so he has his own death sentence.
https://www.facebook.com/Remembering-Maria-Ridulph-582370691819950/
I have gathered all the information about Maria Ridulph’s case on this FB page also a memorable page for the little 7 year old girl. Some of Maria’s famiily members have joined including Maria’s friend Kathy. I have writing a book on the case which will have some illustrations and will be a ebook. A family member of the Ridulph’s also uploaded on my page some photos from their photo album, one such photo is a very cute photo of 7 year old Maria dressed up in her halloween custom in October 31st 1957, another photo that was givin to me was a photo of Maria as a baby, and a spelling test from her 2nd grade (she got a perfect spelling test score).
If anyone reads this please join, i am always keeping an update on the news of the Maria Ridulph case.
Hi there, I would like to chat to you about this case. My email address is attached. Please send me through your address and phone number if you would like to talk on the phone.
Where is there a complete transcript of Jack’s questioning by FBI? Jack has offered different versions of his Dec 3,1957 alibi.
The FBI case files related to John ‘Tessier are at SAO-3070-3077, with the polygraph on 3153, and verification of the phone call on 3154.
When interviewed on 12/8/1957 John Tessier gave one version of his alibi. The FBI verified all of it except for the train ride Chicago-to-Rockford; the phone call to his girlfriend, and subsequent date later that night; and the pie and coffee at a nearby restaurant. Everything else was checked out, including the collect phone call which placed him at the post office in Rockford at the time Maria was abducted in Sycamore.
On June 29, 2011, he remembered almost nothing of his 1957 alibi. He knew he had one, but had the details all wrong. The most important thing he remembered going into the interrogation in Seattle was that he was not involved in the Maria Ridulph case.
During interrogation he was told several lies by David Zulawski, Brion Hanley, Irene Lau, and Mike Ciesynski, all of which served to scramble his brain. So, he used what the interrogators told him to synthesize a new alibi that had major differences from his 1957 alibi. He even changed various aspects of his new alibi as he became aware of problems with his new story. [I saw your other post about this.]
At one point while being interrogated by David Zulawski Jack leaned back in his chair and said, “This is bullshit.” At that moment, he was the only one in the room telling the truth.
There’s a valuable lesson to be learned here: If you’re ever taken into custody, cuffed, frog marched into a squad car, hauled downtown, and locked into an interrogation room, the cops think you did it. Your correct is to simply refuse to talk to them. DEmand a lawyer. Look around the room until you find the video camera, look straight into it and say, “Your honor, I’m demanding my right to legal counsel.” If the cops press you and/or tell you it’s OK to talk to them or some such, tell them to fuck off!
Victim shaming is gross. This website is gross.