The first victim, Mary Fleszar, disappeared in July 1967. [123] Judge Conlin set a trial date of June 1. Fournier deniedCollins' accusations, noting that the Free Press asked him for the letters. Davis pointedto the laundry room. Although earlier attempts to enforce news blackouts as to the discovery of Basom and Kalom had proven unsuccessful,[60] on this occasion, police successfully ordered a news blackout relating to the discovery of this latest victim. Larry said John was memorable because he was a great athlete. Each ruling stated no evidence existed to suggest extensive publicity had interfered with pretrial or trial proceedings, and that police had not broken any protocol in showing two eyewitnesses photographs of Collins prior to his arrest and their being asked to identify him in a police lineup. In an email to the Free Press sent this week, Collins maintainshe is innocent. University of Michigan graduate Alice Kalom was next, found in a field with her throat cut, stab wounds, and a gunshot to the head. [86] Upon their return from their vacation, Leik's wife, Sandra, had noted numerous paint marks covering the floor of the family basement, and that several itemsincluding a bottle of ammonia, a box of laundry detergent, and a canister of black spray paintwere missing from the household. Karen had been tortured before her death, beaten on the head, had been strangled to death and dumped, naked, off Riverside Drive. Shortly before the body was discovered, the murderer had again returned to the body, which he had moved a further three feet.[13]. The address has been changed to "College Place" to try to thwart groupies, but at the end of the name list on the Mailbox, we put "John Norman Collins" as a joke. Right after Alice Kalom was killed in June '69, Collins and a friends took a road trip to Salinas, California. he was in the same building as me interesting is now because I just moved to ypsi and live four blocks from where he did. David Leik. Collins then offers a similar account, but in more detail, that he gave the detectives. "The Leik children, the three boys were all white blonde little guys and that hair, color wise, the first original look at it, seemed to be a fit," Larry said. [60], By July 1969, as a result of the coordinated investigation into the killings, more than 1,000 convicted sex offenders had been investigated and eliminated as suspects; over 800 tips from informants had been actively investigated; and several thousand individuals routinely interviewed. "The town collectively went into shock," Fournier said. ", THE EVIDENCE LOCKER: What police discovered at 7 Michigan murder crime scenes, CHAPTER 1: Never-before-published letters, interviews offer clues in infamous Michigan murders, CHAPTER 2: Murders of Michigan women still unsolved 50 years later but cops had eye on 1 man. In 1967, John Norman Collins lived in a rental about one block south of EMUs campus. Born in Windsor, Canada, Collins istheyoungest of three, with an older brother and sister,Jerryand Gail. [81] Reportedly, Beineman herself insisted Goshe observe the man with whom she had accepted a ride, stating that she had made two foolish errors in her life: purchasing a wig; and accepting a ride from a stranger,[82] before stating: "I've got to be either the bravest or the dumbest girl alive, because I've just accepted a ride from this guy." Through interviewing acquaintances of Phillips, investigators established that she had been introduced to the individual she had referred to as "John from Michigan" through a 17-year-old friend named Nancy Ann Albrecht, who informed police she had herself become acquainted with Collins on June 29, and that she had mentioned her friend (Phillips) to Collins on this date. My mother was a student at EMU then and knew John's aunt. She had been slashed across the throat,shot in the head and stabbed in the heart. jc painted basement floor, uncle was suspicious had test done found blood, thats how jc got caught, "I was a 6th grader at Fletcher Elementary School and I can remember that my older sister knew Dawn. "I knew we had a good case but it was going to be a lengthy trial. They saw a clean-cut man sitting on a Triumph motorcycle and got a good look at him before he turned away. Formal sentencing was scheduled for 8:30a.m. August 28. For example, in the case of Mary Fleszar, investigators discovered that at the time of her disappearance, Collins had worked part-time in the Eastern Michigan University administration unit, and that his office had been located directly opposite the hallway from the office where Fleszar had herself worked. Eight days later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; he will live out the remainder of his days in the maximum security wing of Marquette Branch Prison. David Leik, had refused to divulge the blood type(s) of his family to defense attorneys. [109] She had been strangled to death and, as with several Michigan victims linked to Collins, one earring was missing. He gave her a ride to the wig shop, and thenshe rodewith Collins tohis uncle's house to feed the dog. You need help desperately. And I'm with you we should NEVER forget that something like that Can & DID happen here. From his second floor window he would have been able to see the very women he chose as some of his victims. and Delta Faucet/ Sonetto sink, stainless steel appliances, subway tile backsplash, ceiling fans throughout the home, Almond Darien vinyl flooring in Laundry Room and bathrooms. [42], Little physical evidence existed beyond eyewitness descriptions and forensic reports. [145], On August 19, 1970, John Norman Collins was unanimously found guilty of the first-degree murder of Karen Sue Beineman. To expand on their allegations that certain defense witnesses had been subjected to police harassment, and that eyewitness accounts had been flawed, defense attorney Joseph Louisell subjected Sheriff Harvey to a 45-minute cross-examination as to his contact with the two eyewitnesses prior to completion of this composite drawing. Collins' grip of terror on our community ended officially on August 19, 1970, when he was found guilty of first-degree murder. When his parents split during early life, his mother moved with the children just outside. There were no recent updates for the slaying of 17-year-old Roxie Phillips, who was slain in Salinas,California, law enforcement officials said. The first two witnesses to testify were Beineman's two roommates; each of whom discussed Beineman's character, and her movements on the day of her disappearance. She worked across the hall from where Collins had a student job," Fournier said. The corpse was badly decomposed, although the pathologist who examined Fleszar's remains was able to determine she had been stabbed approximately 30 times in the chest and abdomen with a knife or other sharp object, that her feet had been severed just above the ankle, the thumb and sections of the fingers of one hand were missing, and that one forearm had been severed from her body (these severed appendages were never found). But as Leik walked into the basement, he found a mess of the hair and there was blood on the basement floor. he writes. Another individual would be convicted of the murder of Jane Mixer in 2005. The moment for a confession, Harvey said, had passed. Photos, evidence in Michigan murders case against John Norman Collins A look at five of Michigan's serial killers and their crimes "He starts shaking.". beautiful ceramic fountain, and enjoying your concrete round gas fire pit. She was never seen alive again. He added that he "likedhim and thought well of him," but heard "he was having some HEALTH ISSUES" and asked, "if you ever come in contact with him again kindly tell him that I wish him nothing BUTT Good Health the rest of his retired years.". "That was tough on Leik. The moment passed and they continued their ride uneventfully. But back then, DNA profiling didn't exist, and. Collins ends his email, with a request: "You can say whatever you want about me" butleave "my Dear Mother" out. Hidden In Plain Sight: Terror In Ypsilanti | WEMU-FM My brother and I, walk down the rickety steps down the basement as it explained in the book.with the cobble stone walls.let me tell you, something came over me it's hard to explain.but I cried uncontrollablyI will never forget that night ! Welcome to 11826 Caminito Rihely In 1970, John Collins was tried for the murder of Karen Beineman. Each item had been deliberately placed in this location, indicating that the murderer had returned to the scene of the crime and that the two homicides were definitely linked. He tries to give his cousin a glimpse of prison life. It's one thing,Chapman said, Collins can take with him to the grave. "He reveals himself by what he doesn't say, as much as by what he says,"Fournier said of Collins. Schell had intended to travel to Ann Arbor to visit her boyfriend, and her roommate had accompanied her to the bus stop. They met at 11 or 11:30 a.m., in front of the U-M student union, chatted and went to Burger King for a bite to eat. [137] On this date, Collins was formally sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole. Still, in the police interviews and the letters, Collins steered clear of outrightconfessing to killing anyone, and in his email to the Free Press last week, he claims he has been exploited and wronged that in a way, he isthe victim. "[155] This appeal motion was partly upheld upon the basis that Dr. Guinn's testimony relating to probabilities was based upon on the statistical probability of another prosecution expert, and therefore, this part of his testimony was impermissible. They took him at his word. In 1969.my family had a coney island in Annarbor.across from the Michigan theater..we all remember it well.I read the book and took the same tour.but at that time the old farm house was still standing.my brother and I went there late at night, and we walked the property.when U drive up the short driveway..when U reach leavel.that's were the lilac plums were placed togather..one extra flower to indicate there is an other death comming soon ! Aside from being the last person seen with Karen and living directly across the street from Joan Schell, there was more to link John Collins to the murders. The testimony of Joan Goshe was further supported by Patricia Spaulding, who testified as to having observed Collins for between three and four minutes as he had waited for Beineman to return to his motorcycle. Sowhen DNA matching Collins turned up on Alice Kalom's clothing, it was significant. In response to questions as to her personal character, Goshe further conceded she had previously lied under oath on two occasions (one instance of which was unrelated to the trial). In the case of Joan Elspeth Schell, two separate witness accounts had placed the victim both entering a car with three men on the night of her disappearance, and walking alone in the company of a man believed to be John Collins later that evening. I asked him what was wrong and he just said something like, 'Come and see.' [134] Although subjected to intense cross-examination by Joseph Louisell as to the reliability of his findings, Holz remained adamant the color, length, type and diameter of the hair samples found upon Beineman's panties were a precise match to those found in the Leik family basement. Your site is great and detailed really nice.In 2003 I actually live in the house right behind Mary Flezlar appartment we never understood why we always heard females crying and yelling. During the trial, Collins sat more relaxed than before: He smiled at attorneys, his mother, and his family. I knew he was guilty as sin,' " Harveyrecalled thinking when he read Collins' own words. [84], On July 27, Arnold Davis testified as to his being in the company of Collins throughout the late afternoon and evening of July 23, 1969 (hours after Beineman had last been seen alive). [12], Almost one year later, on July 5, 1968, the partially decomposed, mutilated body of a 20-year-old art student named Joan Elspeth Schell[15] was found by construction workers on an Ann Arbor roadside. I spent one year in Marquette and knew john. MATURE CONTENT WARNING: This story contains descriptions of gruesome crime scenes. Enjoy dual pane vinyl windows, high 9' ceilings top & bottom floors, a spacious loft 10' x 10' that can be used as a bedroom or game room, a 10 x [n 4], The defense contended that although the murder of Beineman was a "vicious, sadistic attack" which had degraded her body "almost beyond human comprehension,"[102] the prosecution's case that Collins was the perpetrator of the crime was a weak one at best. Arnold Davis also informed police Collins had been in the company of victim Alice Kalom on the evening of her disappearance. Three days later it was discovered, and this set a strange sequence of events into effect that would eventually lead to the capture of who many had dubbed the "Ypsilanti Ripper.". Samples recovered from both locations would prove to be a precise match. An autopsy revealed Mixer had been shot twice in the head with a .22-caliber pistol, then garroted with a nylon stocking which, the pathologist noted, had not belonged to her. Reading this book should be required for all college students, especially females. 'The Michigan Murders' is one of those rare books you re-read because Kalom, who graduated from the University of Michigan not long before she was killed, was described as a "wholesome-looking girl" with "a vivid imagination." John Norman Collins - Age, Bio, Personal Life, Family & Stats - CelebsAges [43] These factors led police to publicly conclude the same perpetrator was responsible for at least three of the murders thus far committed. Collins last victim was 18-year-old Karen Sue Beineman, another EMU student. One of the personal items missing from Fleszar's body was an Expo 67 Canadian silver dollar she is known to have worn around her neck; this item was discovered in Collins' dresser when police conducted a search of his room. Secondary full Now, 40 years later, I find that a close, (unnamed), old girlfriend of mine was one of the last people to speak to Karen alive. Everything matched the belt and that swatch, which connected the two," Fournier said. For those of us who lived here during those years, the palpable fear in the air at the time will always be a strong memory. I was only 5 and 6 yrs old when the murders happened so never heard about them.. (I said) 'the polygraph is sitting over here'. After Kalom's body was found, Collins writes, Davis"admitted to killing her.". "Butwhat you want him to do is admit things that you can investigate. She researched the key suspects past, dug through hundreds of evidence photos and newspaper clippings and worked with Witsil to uncover new details in the cases. By '69, he was a senior at Eastern Michigan University, studying to be a teacher. Not something a mom wants to think about.". In rebuttal to the testimony of Dr. Golub, the defense recalled Dr. Walter Holz on August 12 to testify as to the samples he had himself taken to Dr. Golub for identification; Dr. Holz affirmed that he had taken twenty magnified photographic slides of samples retrieved from Beineman's panties to Dr. Golub's laboratory for analysis, and that they had contained numerous man-made fibrous materials. A few days later, Roxie was found in Pecadero Canyon outside of Salinas. [146] He remained impassive upon hearing the jury foreman announce the verdict, although many spectators gasped audibly,[102] and his mother and sister left the courtroom in tears. In the 1970 trial, Joan Goshe, the owner of Wig's by Joan in Ypsilanti, testified that she saw Collins and Beineman the Eastern Michigan University coed from Grand Rapids outside the shop. Collins claimed he never killed anyone and he even agreed to take a polygraph test. All-American boy John Norman Collins was . [75], The 47th and final witness to appear for the prosecution at Collins' trial was a University of California chemistry professor named Dr. Vincent P. Guinn, who testified on August 5 as to his conclusions that the hair samples retrieved from Beineman's panties bore "a remarkable similarity" to those retrieved from the Leik household and that, upon statistical calculations he had begun the previous month, the odds of erroneous matching of the hair samples earlier testified to by Walter Holz were quite low. Her birthday was on Christmas, and she sought toget into U-M's graduate school for social work. [132] Mrs. Leik also testified to having cut her children's hair in her basement two days prior to embarking on a vacation with her family, and that when they had returned home, she had noticed that several items from her basement had been moved, that she had discovered a wet, soiled cloth containing hair aside a laundry tub, and that other itemsincluding a nearly-full bottle of ammoniawere missing.[76]. Andunlessauthorities uncover more evidence sometime soon,he just might. John Norman Collins, 22, of Center Line Collins, a 22-year-old Eastern Michigan University student, never fit anyone's image of a killer. Collins went to trial and on August 19, 1970, was found guilty and sent to prison for life with hard labor.John Norma will mark his 40 th year of incarceration in 2010. In the spring of 1969, he is connected to two murders, a 23-year-old Michigan law student named Jane Louise Mixer, and a 16-year-old Romulus High School student named Maralynn Skelton who was last seen alive hitchhiking in Ann Arbor. But they also found something unusual, more than 500 short clipped blonde hairs. "We've never met," said Chapman, 47, of Mississauga, Canada, near Toronto. A low-maintenance backyard with irrigation is the perfect place to relax and entertain guests. Davis had reported this incident to police, and later handed them the knife Collins had allegedly asked him to hide. True story, but I will protect my lady friend's privacy and withold her name. Just basicallyfraternity rivals and that.". Almost one year later on July 6, 1968, student Joan Schell was found dead in Ann Arbor with 47 stab wounds. The clerk at the chocolate shop next door was a motorcycle enthusiast and also noticed the bike and the handsome man sitting on it. She said that the girl was an informant. Greg Fournier who attended EMU and wrote a book,"Terror in Ypsilanti: John Norman Collins Unmasked,"and blog, Fornology.com spent years gathering informationwith his researcher Ryan Place. At the time of his arrest, hishigh school girlfriend, Burnadetta Hudak, describedCollins aspolitewith "manners galore," opening the door for a ladyand standing when a woman or older personentered the room. It would seem unlikely he didn't know Mary. The detectives made special arrangementsto allow Collins to keep one of the pictures with him in prison. Both roadmap the journey of the book and John Norman Collins, who was convicted of one of the murders and linked to six of them, in the years after the original 1976 publication date. He told me that he tried to get her into his car, BUTT, he couldn't because of the dog barking in the driveway. I finished reading the book "Michigan Murders" today and am looking at the Internet for more information. In 2011, asearch of Collins' cell uncovered shards of metal, one of which was shaved to a point. [131], Although subject to intense cross-examination by defense attorney Neil Fink as to the credibility of her testimony, Goshe remained insistent in her identification of John Norman Collins as being the individual who had waited for Karen Sue Beineman to return to his motorcycle. The family took his surname. The same day, the head of the state police crime laboratory, Sgt. Some know John Norman Collins, now 74 and serving a life sentence at Ionia Correctional Facility, as "the Ypsilanti Ripper," or "the Co-Ed Killer." Collins grew up in Michigan. [127], The prosecutors at Collins' trial, William Delhey and Booker Williams, opted to charge Collins only with the murder of Karen Sue Beineman, with the state contending that she had been murdered by Collins in the basement of the Leik household. [147] In response, Collins rose from his chair and made the following speech:[148]. ", After her last prison visit, Chapman said, his aunt told the rest of the family her son confessed to killingBeineman,and aftershe died, left instructions in her will to give Collins nothing "for reasons that John is all too well aware of. She told me years ago that Maralynn was killed by a motorcycle gang. She worked alongside Witsil and Maxwell interviewing key figures into the investigation of the Michigan Murders cold case to produce a documentary video and portraits. [96], The same day, Leik was advised by investigators of his nephew's suspect status, and the level of circumstantial evidence unfolding against him. His mother worked as a waitress and told John and his siblings that their father had abandoned them. Collins adds Davis admitted to going back toBeineman's body the night the sheriff's deputies had it andquietly tried to set a trap for the killer by replacing it with a mannequin, which matches police accounts of the failed sting. The jury did not take its task lightly, but, I think things were blown out of proportion. This summer, as Bundshuh prepared to retire, he gathered the more-than-50-year-old files that he had become familiar with so he could ship them to the Michigan State Police headquarters in Dimondale so the state candigitize them. Bundshuh recalled during interviews with the Free Pressat his Adrian home. John Norman Collins Pros And Cons - 768 Words | Bartleby Hurkos proved to be of little help and soon the police had yet another body on their hands, student Karen Sue Bieneman. [161] He had further informed his roommate he had agreed to drive Schell from Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti the following day. The prosecution was therefore limited to questioning Davis with regards to whether the contents of this box included women's clothing and jewelry, without specifically describing any particular item. ", After 10 p.m., he claims an upset-looking Davis said he "needed to talk to me.". He also had a new story to tell them about Beineman. "He was in with John for about 45 minutes. Despite the evident distress of Sandra Leik throughout her testimony, during which she had testified that Collins had been as "close to me" as her own sons, For several years following his incarceration, Collins refused to grant interviews to the media; but six years after his conviction, Collins formally requested a personal interview with reporters from, In October 1977, Collins was transferred from Southern Michigan Prison to, In 1980, Collins legally changed his surname to that of his biological father, Chapman. Although forensic experts would deduce later that morning that the stains covered by the black paint had actually been varnish stains, one of the investigators discovered numerous hair clippingsmany measuring less than three-eights of an inchbeside the family washing machine. These motions were repeatedly contested by Collins' attorney, Neil Fink, who opposed and successfully delayed his client's extradition upon the grounds of due process. On August 18, investigators announced that all significant leads had been exhausted, and that the number of officers assigned to investigate the case had been reduced. "I may be off on the day/time etc. [126], Initial jury selection began on this date, and would continue until July 9. [68], The final murder attributed to the killer was that of 18-year-old Karen Sue Beineman, an Eastern Michigan University student who was last seen alive on July 23, 1969. [60] She was last seen walking home towards her apartment on Thompson Street, having attended a friend's party. I was in Ypsi when all this was happening. Lol, 12:41pm Mar 4didn't want to post this, detract from your wonderful honoring of the victims, but I remember this era well went to Huron Relays in ypsi shortly thereafter also I played football against JNC at Jackson Prison.