SOLVED: Chicago's Coldest Case 2

Summary

Murder: True Crime Stories

Episode: SOLVED: Chicago's Coldest Case 2

Host: Carter Roy
Date: September 4, 2025

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Episode Overview

This gripping episode revisits the 1957 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridolf in Sycamore, Illinois—one of America's oldest cold cases. Host Carter Roy weaves through decades of trauma, suspicion, and family secrets, exploring the deathbed confession that reignited the investigation and the thorny web of evidence, false alibis, and shattered lives. Ultimately, the episode confronts uncomfortable truths about whether true closure is ever possible for the victims’ loved ones.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Initial Crime and Early Investigation

• Maria Ridolf's Disappearance:
  On December 3, 1957, 7-year-old Maria Ridolf was kidnapped while playing in the snow outside her home. Her friend, Kathy Sigman, witnessed a man named "Johnny" approach and take Maria.

  • "Their number one suspect, 18-year-old John Tessier, fit Kathy’s description and lived just two blocks away from Maria. But he seemed to have a rock solid alibi." (05:17)

• John Tessier’s Alibi:
  John claimed he was traveling to enlist in the Air Force at the time, supported by family, train records, and a collect call from Rockport at 6:57pm. Polygraph tests appeared to back his story, so the investigation moved on.

• Chilling Anecdote from 1958:
  After returning from boot camp, John, affecting a "reporter" disguise, suspiciously visited Maria's elementary school, unsettling children present.

  • "He had a pencil mustache, a fedora... and a notepad in the other. According to 12-year-old James Cliff... something about the reporter made James nervous." (05:17)

• Maria's Body Discovered:
  Five months later, Maria’s body was found more than 100 miles away, and the case ran cold.

Family Trauma and New Accusations

• Abuse Within the Tessier Family:
  Years after the murder, John's half-sister Jean accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 14. John also allegedly assaulted other minors and exhibited a longstanding pattern of abuse.

  • "John reportedly sexually assaulted his 14-year-old half-sister, then encouraged two of the men staying in the boarding house to do the same." (05:17)

• John’s Later Years:
  After the Air Force, John became a police officer in Washington but was fired after being investigated for sexual misconduct involving minors. He served no prison time for these offenses.

  • "According to Dorothea and Michelle, John sometimes acted like a father figure... Other times he was a creep." (05:17)

The Deathbed Confession

• Eileen Tessier's Confession (1994):
  On her deathbed, John's mother, Eileen, confessed to her daughter Janet that John was involved in "those two little girls and the one that disappeared"—referring to Maria.

  • Memorable quote: "She looked in Janet’s eyes and said, those two little girls and the one that disappeared. John did it." (16:15)

• Family Reluctance & Police Inaction:
  Janet’s sisters were reluctant to go to the police due to lack of evidence and doubts about Eileen’s clarity due to morphine. When Janet reported the confession, authorities declined to reopen the case.

  • "He said that without her testimony, there was no point in pursuing the matter. He left without filing an official report." (17:17)

• Persistence for Justice:
  Years later, inspired by a chance encounter with a crime writer, Janet contacted Illinois State Police in 2008, finally securing a committed response from authorities.

  • "Now 52, she made one final attempt to reach out to investigators. And this time she went straight to the Illinois State Police." (17:17)

The Re-Opened Investigation

• Questioning the Alibi:
  A new investigation, led by Captain Tony Repatch and Detective Brian Hanley, questioned the original timeline. They theorized the abduction may have occurred an hour earlier, making John’s alibi less certain.

  • "Detectives theorized that John Tessier could have kidnapped Maria sometime around 6:20, then raced back to Rockford to place the collect call by 6:57." (17:17)

• Corroborating Evidence:
  Interviews with surviving witnesses uncovered John’s history of abuse and potential gaps in his alibi. A crucial piece was an unpunched train ticket from that day found among John’s ex-girlfriend’s memorabilia, casting further doubt on his story.

  • “Jan dusted off an old memory box and found a picture of her with John. Tucked inside…was a train ticket...the ticket was unpunched. It had never been used.” (17:17)

• Eyewitness Breakthrough:
  In 2010, John’s childhood friend, Dennis, recalled seeing John’s car in town the day of the abduction, contradicting John’s claimed timeline.

  • “Dennis recalled…around four in the afternoon, he spotted John’s car rolling through downtown Sycamore... According to the official timeline, John was in Chicago.” (17:17)

Arrest, Trial, and Verdict

• John Tessier’s Arrest (2011):
  A task force arrested John in Seattle, where he’d lived quietly for years.

  • “John Tessier, now in his 70s, lived and worked as a security guard...when they knocked, John didn’t open the door...eventually John agreed to come down to the station peacefully.” (43:00)

• Inconsistent Stories:
  Confronted by holes in his alibi, John changed his version from taking the train to “hitchhiking,” denying his family’s testimony and calling them liars.

• Legal Battles:
  John was charged and extradited to Illinois. An initial attempted prosecution for the sexual assault of Jean failed due to lack of evidence. The murder trial in 2012 went forward, with key FBI exculpatory documents excluded and Eileen’s confession admitted.

  • “The judge found John Tessier not guilty of sexual assault. For Jean, the verdict was disappointing and embarrassing.” (43:00)

• Guilty Verdict and Aftermath:
  In September 2012, after 55 years, John was found guilty of Maria’s kidnapping and murder, receiving a life sentence.

  • “The judge delivered the verdict. John Tessier was guilty of kidnapping and killing Maria Rudolph.” (43:00)

Controversial Acquittal and Lingering Doubts

• Case Re-examined and Conviction Overturned:
  In 2015, a new investigation cast substantial doubt on the trial, restoring faith in the original alibi. In 2016, John was formally acquitted after nearly four years in prison.

  • “By the end of the review, Schmack was convinced that John’s trial had been mishandled. He determined that the majority of the evidence…matched up with the FBI’s original timeline.” (43:00)

• Settlements and Present Day Status:
  John sued various police departments and received multimillion-dollar settlements while Maria’s murder again grew cold.

  • “John was awarded more than $300,000 by the city of Seattle…another $350,000 by his hometown of Sycamore, and nearly $4 million from the state of Illinois.” (43:00)

• Enduring Uncertainty:
  Many, including Maria’s surviving siblings, continue to believe John is guilty, but official justice has proved elusive. The lack of forensic evidence from the 1950s leaves lingering questions.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "People’s lives are like a story. There’s a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don’t always know which part you’re on." — Carter Roy (00:02)
• "She looked in Janet’s eyes and said, those two little girls and the one that disappeared. John did it." — Carter Roy recounting Eileen Tessier's confession (16:15)
• "He had a pencil mustache, a fedora...and a notepad in the other. According to 12-year-old James Cliff...something about the reporter made James nervous." (05:17)
• "Jan dusted off an old memory box and found...a train ticket from Sycamore to Chicago...Oddly enough, the ticket was unpunched." (17:17)
• "In September 2012, after 55 years, the judge delivered the verdict: John Tessier was guilty of kidnapping and killing Maria Rudolph." (43:00)
• "Unfortunately, we’ll probably continue to live in that gray area the same way the Ridolphs have for decades." — Carter Roy’s somber closing (Final minutes)

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Timeline & Timestamps

• 00:02 – Carter Roy introduces the case and recaps Part 1.
• 05:17 – Details of the original investigation, John Tessier’s movements, and alibi breakdown.
• 16:15 – Eileen Tessier’s deathbed confession.
• 17:17 – Janet’s efforts to report the confession; police unwillingness to act; eventual reopening of the case.
• 43:00 – John Tessier’s arrest, trial proceedings, conviction, acquittal, and aftermath.

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Conclusion

This episode of Murder: True Crime Stories is a powerful, detailed account not only of the investigation into Maria Ridolf’s murder, but of how trauma, denial, and the relentless pursuit of justice ripple across generations. It leaves listeners with aching questions: Was justice ever served? And when does a cold case truly end—if it ever can? Carter Roy delivers a deeply human portrait of lives forever marked by tragedy and the difficulty of ever knowing the complete truth.

Transcript

[A]

Hey everyone, it's Carter. If you're loving Murder True Crime Stories, you won't want to miss our fellow Crime House original show, Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes. Every Wednesday, you'll get to explore the true stories behind the world's most shocking crimes, deadly ideologies and secret plots. From mass suicides and political assassinations to secret government experiments and UFO cults. Follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen. And for ad free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. This is Crime House. All families have secrets. Sometimes these hidden truths unite us, creating a shared identity. Other times, they can tear apart even the closest of relatives. Because the reality is not all secrets are made equal. Some are a matter of life and death. In 1957, 7 year old Maria Ridolf was kidnapped outside of her home in Sycamore, Illinois. A few months later, her body was recovered, but her killer was never found. As the years passed, Maria's case grew cold and the Ridoffs had to accept that she might never get justice. They had no idea a stranger held the key to solving their daughter's murder. And after decades of keeping someone else's secret, that person had to decide. Would they keep protecting their family or finally tell the truth? People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon. And we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios that comes out every Tuesday and Thursday at Crime House. We want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following True crime stories wherever you get your podcasts. And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get ad free listening, early access to every two part series, and exciting bonus content. This is the second of two episodes on one of America's oldest cold cases, the 1957 murder of seven year old Maria Rudolph. Last time I walked you through the night, Maria disappeared in the small town of Sycamore, Illinois. Following the discovery of her body, the FBI, state police and local investigators worked tirelessly to track down her killer. But by 1959, the case had gone cold. Today I'll tell you about the deathbed confession that changed everything. After more than 50 years, it seemed like closure was finally on the horizon. But like everything else in Maria's case, it wouldn't be that simple. And in the end, it was up to a judge to decide whose story they believed. All that and more coming up.

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[A]

On the night of December 3, 1957, seven year old Maria Ridoff was kidnapped while playing in the snow. Maria's best friend, 8 year old Kathy Sigman, who was also there, claimed a young man named Johnny took her away. In the wake of Maria's disappearance, Mary, the entire town of Sycamore, Illinois helped search for the little girl. Still, it took another five months until there was any progress. And it wasn't the news anyone was hoping for. In April of 1958, her body was found in the woods more than 100 miles away from her home. With Maria's disappearance now officially a murder, the FBI joined state police in the search for her killer. Still, the investigation was slow going. Their number one suspect, 18 year old John Tessier, fit Kathy's description and lived just two blocks away from Maria. But he seemed to have a rock solid alibi. According to John, the afternoon Maria went missing, he took the train to Chicago to enlist in the Air Force. He spent some time in the city, then took another train down to Rockport, halfway between Chicago and sycamore at around 7pm he called his stepfather who came to pick him up. It was about 40 miles from Sycamore to Rockport, which meant John was back home close to nine. Two hours after Maria was kidnapped. John said all this while hooked up to a polygraph. According to the lie detector machine, he was telling the truth. Not only that, but his parents backed up his account and the FBI confirmed he used a payphone in Rockport to call home at 6:57pm with that, detectives had no choice but to clear him as a suspect. John left for boot camp a week later on December 11, 1957. But that wasn't the end of the story. After finishing boot camp three months later, in March of 1958, John returned to Sycamore on leave. He spent time with friends, tried to rekindle things with an old girlfriend, and may have privately investigated Maria's disappearance on his own. Maria's elementary school was located just a few blocks away from the Riddolph's house. And sometime around March 15, John showed up at the playground unannounced. He looked like a reporter out of an old movie. He had a pencil mustache, a fedora pulled over his eyes, a lit cigarette in one hand and a notepad in the other. According to 12 year old James Cliff, he never gave his name. Instead, John told the boys he was a journalist writing a story about Maria Rudolph. The whole thing was bizarre because this was about a month before Maria's body was found and she was on everyone's minds. Even so, something about the reporter made James nervous. Then the man shoved a cigarette up his nose to free his hands while taking notes. That's when James realized he'd only seen one other person with the same disgust disgusting habit. John Tessier. That evening, James told his parents what happened. They didn't believe him at first, but he insisted they call the local papers. It turned out none of them had sent a journalist to west elementary that day. When James's parents heard that their next call was to the police. Even so, it doesn't seem like investigators flipping followed up on the tip. That might have been because John's alibi had already been confirmed by then. Whatever the case, the report went unnoticed for decades and John moved on with his life. John spent the next four years serving in the Air Force. When he was discharged in 1962, the 22 year old returned to Sycamore and got a job at a local factory. Even though he was close to home, he almost never came by to see his family. According to John, he was avoiding his stepdad who'd allegedly abused him as a child. So it was surprising when John showed up one day that spring in a cherry red convertible. His half sister, 14 year old Jean, was sitting on the porch and came out to greet him. When she saw the car, she excitedly asked for a ride. John was reluctant. He said it was his friend's and he didn't want her to mess anything up. Jean begged him and eventually John agreed. He said he'd just take her around the block, but once she climbed inside, he put the pedal to the floor. When she asked why he was going so fast, he didn't respond. He kept his gaze fixed on the road with an intense expression that freaked Jeanne out. He didn't say a single word until they pulled into the driveway of the boarding house where he lived, only a couple of minutes away from the family home. According to Jean, John dragged her out of the car and into his room. John reportedly sexually assaulted his 14 year old half sister, died, then encouraged two of the other men staying in the boarding house to do the same. Afterward, he fled the room, leaving Jean to stagger back home on her own. Though John denied her allegations, Jean said this abuse continued afterward. For her, it was one more betrayal in a lifetime of violence. Because before John started sexually assaulting her, Gene's father Ralph had allegedly done the same for over a decade. A year after the alleged attack, John left Sycamore to go back to the armed services. This time he went overseas and fought in Vietnam. A few years later, by the early 1970s, he was back in the US with a wife and two kids. They settled down in Washington where John became a police officer. But it wasn't long until things fell apart. In 1973, his wife accused him of abuse and infidelity and filed for divorce. John's next relationship was with a nursing student. She was 23 and he was 35. Within a few years they'd married and divorced too. By early 1982, 43 year old John was dating someone new and working as a policeman in the small town of man Milton, Washington when his phone rang. It was a troubled 15 year old girl named Dorothea who John knew from his patrols. She said she and her friend, another 15 year old named Michelle, needed somewhere to stay. John agreed then and there and the girls moved in with him and his girlfriend. According to Dorothea and Michelle, John sometimes acted like a father figure, giving them driving lessons and cooking them meals. Other times he was a creep. He encouraged them to wear highly specific makeup and insisted on kissing them on the lips before they went to sleep at night. It made the girls uneasy. But he was a police officer and lived with his girlfriend. They thought they could trust him. That changed two weeks into their stay. One night, John and his girlfriend got into a huge argument and broke things off. Afterwards, he moved into a bachelor pad and took Dorothea and Michelle with him. By this point, Dorothea was ready to get out of there and go back to her parents. But Michelle had nowhere else to go. Dorothea didn't want to leave her with John, so she stayed. In the end, it didn't make a difference. One afternoon, Michelle and John were alone in the apartment when he sexually assaulted her for the first time. Two weeks later, John woke Michelle up in the middle of the night. She lay there frozen in fear as he sexually assaulted her again. The next day, she told a school counselor about the attack. Soon she was thrust into a series of foster homes. While John was arrested for statutory rape and fired from the police department. Despite the horror he'd inflicted on Michelle, John was never formally charged with assault and didn't face any jail time. But it turned out she wasn't the only young girl who'd accused him of sexual misconduct. In 1983, he was charged with communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. Even then, his only punishment was a fine of $350. After that, John was chased out of Milton. He moved to Seattle, where he stayed until 1993. That year, just before the holidays, the 54 year old got a call that his mother, Eileen Tessier, was dying. Even though John had been estranged from his family for over a decade, he was determined to see his mom before she passed. That Thanksgiving, for the first time in years, the entire Tessier family gathered in their living room. They watched solemnly as a local priest renewed Eileen and Ralph's wedding vows in honor of their 50th anniversary. A few days later, Eileen was transferred to a hospital and put on morphine to ease her final days. Eileen drifted in and out of consciousness over the next month or so. While John's sisters watched over her. One afternoon, she woke up suddenly and called out for one of her daughters, Janet. When she responded, Eileen gripped her wrists tightly. She looked in Janet's eyes and said, those two little girls and the one that disappeared. John did it.

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[A]

In January 1994, Eileen Tessier made a deathbed confession to her daughter, Janet. She claimed her son, 54 year old John, was involved in the disappearance of a little girl. Janet immediately thought of Maria Ridolf. To be sure, she asked her mother if that's who she meant. Eileen coughed. The morphine made her woozy, and it was difficult for her to speak. Even so, she managed to rasp, yes, John did it. You have to tell someone. You have to do something. Afterwards, Janet consulted her sisters. She was shocked to hear they didn't want her to go to the police. There was just too much going on with Eileen, and even though none of them were on good terms with John, they weren't sure he was capable of that kind of evil. Besides, Eileen had confessed while on morphine. It was possible she was confused. Back in 1957, she'd been John's staunchest defender. It was her word that backed up his alibi on the night of Maria's disappearance. Now that it had been so many years, the sisters weren't sure it was worth reopening the case, at least not without more evidence. A week after the incident, a Eileen lapsed into a coma. The whole time, Janet couldn't get the confession out of her head. She firmly believed her mother was telling the truth. So, against the advice of her sisters, she reported it to the police. A few days later, a detective came over to speak with her. When she told him the story, he asked to interview Eileen. But once he learned her mother was in a coma, he sighed. He said that without her testimony, there was no point in pursuing the matter. He left without filing an official report. Shortly afterward, Eileen passed away. Her death sent Janet spiraling. It took several more years until she got her life back on track. Even then, Maria's Murder gnawed at her. Putting things right felt like unfinished business, like something only she could do. Janet contacted the FBI in 1995. She was turned away. Once again, the agent listened to her story, but would only refer her to the local police, the same ones who'd already refused to do anything. Janet was at a crossroads. Janet's sisters encouraged her to put the whole thing behind her. By then, it had been almost 40 years since Maria's death. Janet took their advice and tried to move on. Then, just when she thought she'd given up, she met a true crime writer through a friend in 2008. She was inspired by his recent book about another cold case murder involving a young girl. After chatting for a while, Janet told him her secret. He urged her to try contacting the authorities again, and Janet listened. Now 52, she made one final attempt to reach out to investigators. And this time she went straight to the Illinois State Police. After hitting send on her email, she felt a weight lift from her chest. She didn't expect much to come of it, but two days later, she got a call from Police Captain Tony Repatch. Over the next 45 minutes, she told Tony everything about her half brother John. By the time they hung up, Tony was convinced she was telling the truth. And Janet was convinced that something about him was definitely different than the other detectives that came before him. He wasn't going to let the case die. She was right. A few days later, Tony launched an official investigation into Janet's story headed by Detective Brian Hanley. After examining the old case files, Hanley ran into the same problem The FBI had 50 years earlier. John Tessier had an ironclad alibi. The estimated time of Maria's abduction was 7pm that was based on testimony from her friend, 8 year old Kathy. The last time she saw Maria, Kathy asked the kidnapper, who called himself Johnny, what time it was. He told her it was seven o'. Clock. At that exact time, John Tessier was 40 miles away in the town of Rockford. But Detective Hanley wasn't so sure about the FBI's official timeline. He'd found a report from state police that said the kidnapping had actually occurred an hour earlier. Maybe Johnny had been lying about the time. In this version of the story, the last time Frances Ridolph saw her daughter was right after driving Maria's sister to a music lesson at six o'. Clock. Maria came home shortly after to grab a doll to show to Johnny. Detectives theorized that John Tessier could have kidnapped Maria sometime around 6:20, then raced back to Rockford to place the collect call by 6:57. It was normally about a 45 to 50 minute drive. It would have been hectic, but possible. Which meant his alibi might not be so airtight after all. Still, authorities knew they needed more than speculation if they wanted to take John to court. They needed evidence, which was asking a lot for such an old case. The first step was talking to the only witness, Kathy Sigman. She was just 8 years old when Maria disappeared, and it was possible she didn't remember much about the kidnapping anymore. Luckily, Kathy's memory had always been strong. Police determined the 58 year old was still a reliable and convincing witness. Not only that, but she was as enthusiastic as ever committed to finding the truth about what happened to her friend. It was the best case scenario, but investigators still needed to gather more evidence. They spent the next two years learning everything they could about John Tessier. They uncovered a history of misconduct, both when he was in the armed services and with the police. They spoke to his other half sisters and learned about his childhood. Janet even told them about what he allegedly did to her back in 1962 when she was 14. It fit a pattern. John Tessier seemed to have a history of abusing women and girls. For Detective Hanley, this was more evidence that John was hiding something big. And he only became more convinced when he spoke to John's old flame, Jan Edwards. She was dating him at the time Maria disappeared. And though the two broke up after he went off to boot camp, it was a friendly separation. At first. Jan dismissed the idea that he could have killed Maria. According to her, John always respected her wishes and never made her feel uncomfortable. He was a nice guy, just not someone she saw herself with long term. After chatting for a while, Detective Hanley asked if Jan had any pictures of him from back then. They needed some reference photos for their files. Jan dusted off an old memory box and found a picture of her with John. Tucked inside the frame was something she'd forgotten. A train ticket from Sycamore to Chicago. She recalled that John gave it to her for safekeeping, but couldn't remember if it was the same night Maria was kidnapped or the night after. And oddly enough, the ticket was unpunched. It had never been used. Detective Hanley eagerly took the ticket into evidence. Back in 1957, John claimed he took the train from Sycamore to Chicago, then had his stepfather pick him up in Rockport. But if this ticket was never used, it was possible John did didn't use public transit that evening. He could have traveled by other means. The finding didn't exactly break the case wide open, but it was another indication that John's alibi had some holes in it. Police continued to interview every surviving witness they could, hoping to uncover stronger evidence. And in 2010, they finally discovered someone else who called John's story into question. Dennis twaddle was 70 years old when Detective Hanley talked to him. Back when he was a teenager, he'd been John's friend. Though the two hadn't kept in contact over the years, he couldn't believe his old buddy had any connection to Maria Ridolf. Like Jan Edwards, he remembered John as a stand up guy. The two went on double dates from time to time, and Dennis said John was always respectful. But once Detective Hanley started asking questions, Dennis remembered something else. Although it had been more than 50 years by that point, he still had a strong memory of the day Maria disappeared. And Dennis recalled that a few hours before she went missing, around four in the afternoon, he spotted John's car rolling through downtown Sycamore. He didn't see who was behind the wheel, but he knew for a fact it was John's vehicle. It had to be either him or his stepdad, Ralph, driving. This revelation marked a crucial turning point in the investigation. According to the official timeline, John was in Chicago that afternoon. If a living witness could put him in Sycamore at the same time, then what else was John lying about? After another year of investigating, the police had put all the pieces into place. And by 2011, Detective Hanley was finally ready to take the plunge. After 54 years, he was going to take John Tessier down.

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On June 29, 2011, the Maria Ridoff Task Force assembled outside a retirement community in north northwest Seattle. John Tessier, now in his 70s, lived and worked as a security guard there for the past 20 years. He had enjoyed a relatively quiet life with his fourth wife, Sue. That was all about to change because that morning he was being arrested for the 1957 kidnapping and murder of Maria Ridolf. Officers climbed the stairs and flooded the narrow hallway outside his apartment. When they knocked, John didn't open the door. Instead, they heard his muffled voice from inside, yelling at them to go away. It took some debate, but eventually John agreed to come down to the station peacefully. And once he was in the interrogation room, he surprised detectives with how willing he was to talk. Though he was a former police officer himself, he didn't ask for a lawyer right away. He was cordial and answered their questions. That changed when they brought up his sister Jean's allegations. At that point, it was like a switch had flipped. He became visibly angry and uncooperative. Detectives seized the moment to ask about his alibi. When they pointed out the holes in his account, he claimed he didn't remember. Then when they pressed him forward further, he changed his official story. After seeing Jan's unpunched train ticket, John claimed he hadn't taken the train to Chicago that day. Instead, he said, he hitchhiked. When they asked if his stepfather truly picked him up that night in Rockport, he said he might have hitchhiked home, too. As for his sisters, he called Them liars. And he absolutely refused to believe his mother had made a deathbed confession about him. John's behavior only helped convince detectives he was their guy. Two days later, on July 1, 2011, John Tessier was charged with the abduction and murder of Maria Ridolph. A few weeks later, John was extradited to Sycamore, Illinois. It was a huge breakthrough, but the authorities still didn't have enough evidence to take him to court, at least not for the murder of Maria Ridoff. So while they continued to build their case against him, they figured they could get him for another crime. One that would clearly establish him as a predator. On September 8, 2011, Illinois police filed charges against John Tessier for sexually assaulting his half sister, Jean. And in 1962, the charges came as a surprise to Jean. For decades, she'd kept the incident between herself and her therapist. She'd only told detectives because she thought it would help with Maria's case in Illinois. At that time, the statute of limitations for a sex crime against a minor was 20 years. So she doubted such an old accusation would be taken seriously by a judge. Still, her siblings, who'd only recently learned about the assault, encouraged her to testify. In the end, Jeanne agreed. The proceedings began on April 10, 2012. It was a bench trial, which meant there was no jury, only a judge presiding over the case. Sadly, Jean turned out to be correct. Given how old the charge was and the lack of physical evidence, the the entire weight of the prosecution depended on her testimony. And unfortunately, it wasn't enough. On April 12, the judge found John Tessier not guilty of sexual assault. For Jean, the verdict was disappointing and embarrassing. It also didn't bode well for Maria Ridoff's trial. Even so, the police were confident that they'd spent the last three years gathering every bit of evidence they could to support their reworked timeline. Now they were determined to close the case. A few Months later, on September 10, 2012, the trial began. And right away, things didn't look good for 73 year old John Tessier. The first blow came when the Judge ruled that FBI documents from 1957, the ones that cleared him as a suspect, were inadmissible as evidence. That included the documentation supporting his initial alibi, as well as the record of the collect call he placed from Rockport. Because all of the FBI agents who wrote the reports, were dead. Those documents were determined to be hearsay. A second blow came soon after. Even though John's mother, Eileen had also passed away, her deathbed confession was allowed to be admitted into evidence as an exception. Throughout the entire proceedings, Maria's surviving siblings were in the courtroom. After 55 years, they thought they were inching towards the closure they'd been waiting for. On September 14, 2012, the judge delivered the verdict. John Tessier was guilty of kidnapping and killing Maria Rudolph. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. At the time, this made Maria's murder the oldest cold case that had ever been solved. Journalists from all over the country flocked to Sycamore to cover the story, hailing it as a once in a lifetime victory. They saw it as proof that justice was possible. But as always, the truth was more complicated. After his conviction, John continued to proclaim his innocence. At his sentencing hearing, he clung to the new version of his 1957 alibi, insisting he had hitchhiked to Chicago, then hitchhiked home on the night of Maria's disappearance. By September 2015, the 76 year old still hadn't given up. He filed a request for post conviction relief, which one judge dismissed as frivolous and without merit. But a few months later, he made another attempt to present his case before a different judge. This time his request was granted. State attorney Richard Schmack was instructed to take a fresh look at the case. That MEANT A new six month investigation that involved sifting through 4,500 pages of documentation. By the end of the review, Schmack was convinced that John's trial had been mishandled. He determined that the majority of the evidence, some of which was excluded from the 2012 proceedings, matched up with the FBI's original timeline. He believed Maria was abducted somewhere closer to 7pm that night. That meant John's collect call from Rockport still lined up. With these crucial details in mind, Schmack ordered that John be released pending a new trial. Maria's surviving siblings were crushed by the news. They argued that a special prosecutor should be appointed to take over the case and lead a new trial against John. In 2016, a judge denied their motion and John was officially acquitted of all charges. Since then, there hasn't been much progress for the Riddulphs. Meanwhile, John has been racking up legal victories. In 2020, the 78 year old successfully sued police departments in Sycamore, the state of Illinois and Seattle for what he called pervasive misconduct during the investigation. The lawsuits were settled out of court. John was awarded more than $300,000 by the city of Seattle where he had been arrested, another 350,000 by his hometown of Sycamore, and nearly $4 million from the state of Illinois. Given his age and the many challenges detectives have faced, it's safe to say the murder of Maria Ridolph has gone cold once again. Now nearing the 68th anniversary of her disappearance, it's devastating to acknowledge that justice never came. Today, many still think John Tessier, who who hasn't been heard from since 2020, is to blame. However, others believe Maria was the victim of a serial killer or a drifter who was never caught. Back in 1957, forensic technology was in its infancy. Maybe if the FBI had access to DNA profiling back then, we would know the truth. Unfortunately, we'll probably continue to live in that gray area the same way the Ridolphs have for decades. Maria's story is heartbreaking for so many reasons, but it's also inspiring. Instead of tearing her family apart, it only made them stronger and more determined than ever. And while the Tessiers have had a very different experience, Janet and her sisters emerged as a united front, one that isn't afraid to stand up to predators, even when they share the same blood. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carl Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories. Come back next time for another murder and all the people it affected. True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by Page Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, rimehouse on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference. And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free and instead of having to wait for each episode of a two part series, you'll get access to both at once plus exciting bonus content. We'll be back on Tuesday. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benidon, Natalie Pertofsky, Laurie Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Tara Wells and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.