Going West: True Crime – Episode 530

Case: The Murder of Tess Hilt
Release Date: August 19, 2025
Host: Daphne Woolsoncroft
Co-host (absent): Heath Merryman
Podcast by: Dark West Productions

Episode Overview

This episode revisits the cold case murder of Tess Hilt, a promising graduate student at Northwest Missouri State University who was brutally killed in her apartment in August 1973. Host Daphne Woolsoncroft explores the historical investigation, examines various suspects and theories, highlights forensic evidence, and discusses ongoing efforts to renew interest in the unsolved case—even as the original evidence has been lost to time.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Victim Profile – Tess Hilt (02:45–07:10)

• Tess (Teresa Sue Hilt) was born in January 1951 in Chillicothe, Missouri.
• Only child of Mildred and Stanley Hilt—raised in a close-knit, loving family.
• Described as bubbly, active, highly accomplished in music and academics.
• Graduated with honors in 1969, pursued music education, then returned for a master’s in psychology, with her thesis focusing on substance abuse.

“Tess is remembered by those who knew her as bubbly and a friend to all.” (04:50)

2. Timeline: Tess’s Last Day (07:10–15:45)

• Friday, August 3, 1973:
  • Tess and neighbor/friend Ed Happel helped paint his apartment, then attended a party.
  • At the party, Tess reportedly drank more than usual—up to four mixed rum drinks, a departure from her normal habits.
  • They returned to Ed's apartment; friends Gary and Terry visited as well. Terry left at 12:15 am, Gary at 1:15 am; Tess left at 2:00 am, last seen alive.
  • Ed claimed their relationship was amorous but not sexual.
  • Tess walked down the hall to her apartment—that was the last known sighting.

“He later told police that they were, quote, amorous but did not have intercourse.” (10:25)

3. Discovery of the Body (15:45–20:35)

• Ed tried calling Tess multiple times the next day; no answer.
• He stopped by her apartment at 11:30 am, left “I want your body call me” on her notepad.
• After work at 4:30 pm, he tried again—the front door was unlocked.
• Tess was found face down on her bed, covered with a sheet; foot cold to the touch—Ed called police immediately.
• Tess’s murder was exceptionally brutal:
  • Naked, wrists believed bound by shoelaces, later removed.
  • Paring knife from her kitchen, used in attack, was clutched in right hand (no fingerprints found).
  • Stabbed more than a dozen times in the chest/abdomen, five stab wounds on left arm, bite mark on breast, strands of her own hair in her throat.
  • Tights wrapped tightly around her neck.
• Hairs with a rare genetic abnormality (Monilithrix) found at the scene—suspect aged 20–40, but this lead did not pan out.

“This was such a brutal, almost personal feeling murder.” (20:10)

4. Initial Investigation & Evidence Mishandling (20:35–23:40; 53:10–57:50)

• Scene was cleaned by the perpetrator—knife wiped, little blood spatter left.
• Tess’s wallet and traveler’s checks discarded nearby, possibly as a staged robbery.
• Hundreds fingerprinted and questioned, polygraphs performed (Ed cleared).
• Questionable investigative practices: Tess’s fingernails not swabbed for DNA; much evidence improperly stored or lost, now unavailable for new DNA testing.

“Fingernails were not swabbed for the potential DNA of her attacker… multiple samples were misplaced or improperly stored.” (53:30) Maryville Police admitted: “It was really poorly worked.” (54:30)

5. Suspects & Theories (23:40–53:10)

a. Ed Happel

• Last to see Tess, found her body, cleared via polygraph, generally presented as quiet and unemotional.
• Relationship ambiguity: “He really kind of did seem like the most logical person of interest here… but investigators confirmed that they were not officially dating. Just friends who maybe wanted something more.” (24:05)
• No later criminal activity; died in 2020.

b. Gary and Terry

• Friends present at Ed’s apartment that night. Little is known about them, and their involvement remains uninvestigated.

c. Michael Sparano

• Noted for stabbing and almost decapitating his mother in 1978. Murders share brutality, and suspect's description overlaps partially with witness sightings (but Michael is short, not tall).
• No evidence connects him to Tess, and authorities didn’t pursue his potential involvement.

d. Suspicious Unknown Man (White and Gold Car, Iowa Plates)

• Witness described seeing a 6-foot-tall, 185 lb man with greasy hair outside Tess’s building on the night of the murder. Never identified.

e. “Older Man” Theory & Professor Jared Stein

• Tess allegedly was seeing an older man, possibly a professor (“Jared Stein”).
• Theory: professor or professor’s wife, jealous over suspected affair, responsible for the murder.
• Stein later moved to Prague and died by suicide; no conclusive ties established.

“Was the divorce happening in part or fully because of an affair he was having, and then either she or he acted on it? Again, fully speculation here.” (36:15)

f. Woman as Perpetrator Theory

• Crime scene “tidiness” led early investigators to suspect a woman, possibly out of jealousy.
• One unnamed female student refused polygraph, but later participated actively in “Justice for Tess” online forums; remained a person of interest, but never charged.

“Detectives believed unanimously at the time… a man would have been sloppier.” (38:20)

g. Serial Killer Theory (Dennis Rader, BTK)

• Modus operandi aligned with BTK’s crimes: binding, torture, stabbing.
• Geography and MO fit, but there’s no direct evidence BTK was in Maryville at the time.
• Recent DNA advances ruled him out in another Missouri case; likely unconnected to Tess.

“I don't know about you guys. But to me, it feels pretty unlikely that Dennis Rader is behind this one.” (45:00)

h. Link To Other Unsolved Murders

• Reference to 25-year-old Helen Hansen, another NW Missouri State student murdered in a similar manner the following year and in the same social circles—but also unsolved.

6. Case Aftermath and Renewed Advocacy (57:50–61:10)

• Tess’s parents hired a private investigator, wrote a heartfelt public letter of appreciation for community support.
• Both parents have since passed away without answers.
• Michael Holmes, an old acquaintance, has kept public attention alive via JusticeForTess.com and is offering a $5,000 reward for information.

“It just is totally unfair that she's not a grandmother now. She really should be.” – Michael Holmes (59:05) “Her mom died wondering who and why? Why did you have to hurt her so even when she was not able to fight back… We will never stop looking for you.” – Michael Holmes, reading his anniversary letter (59:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Scene:
  “Inside he found a gruesome scene that had clearly happened over the previous evening. Now, lying on her bed, face down and covered in a sheet was Tess.” (16:45)

• Forensic frustration:
  “Technically, the autopsy remained inconclusive about whether or not she had sustained any form of [sexual assault]… But the coroner was able to confirm that Tess was a virgin.” (21:40)

• On Lost Evidence:
  “Most of the evidence has been lost or misplaced in the five decades since Tess’s murder, ruling out testing with all the new advancements that have been made in DNA identification.” (55:10)

• Profiling the Likely Killer (FBI input):
  “According to Keith, the FBI felt that the most likely culprit was a man who confused Tess kindness for romantic interest, and her brutal murder was his revenge.” (56:00)

• Advocacy and Grief:
  “She made an impact. She was a force.” – Michael Holmes (58:45)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:00–07:10: Tess Hilt’s background and family life
• 07:10–15:45: Events leading to the murder; last sightings; party with Ed and friends
• 15:45–20:35: Discovery of Tess’s body, details of the crime scene
• 20:35–23:40: Initial investigation, forensic evidence, witness reports
• 23:40–34:44: Analysis of possible suspects: Ed, Gary, Terry, Michael Sparano, and unknown man with Iowa plates
• 34:44–45:18: Alternate theories: jealous woman, professor, BTK angle, other unsolved cases
• 45:18–53:10: Mishandled evidence, cold case status, police admissions of failure
• 53:10–61:10: Advocacy from Michael Holmes, community support, ongoing reward, closing personal reflections

Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

Daphne maintains a compassionate, inquisitive, and at times frustrated tone given the lost opportunities and mishandled evidence. She is deeply empathetic to the pain of Tess’s loved ones and the continuing search for justice. Speculation is grounded but sensitive; listeners are encouraged to keep awareness of the case alive and come forward with any potential information.

“I still can't believe with all the evidence that they had, that it was lost and that we don't know who her killer is to this freaking day.” (61:30)

Resources

• Justice for Tess Hilt: justicefortess.com
• Report tips: Michael Holmes (tips4tessol.com)
• Maryville Police Department: 660-56-2320

For the most accurate representation, all key content has been curated and summarized from the hosts’ own language and perspective.