Murder: True Crime Stories

Episode: SOLVED: Chicago's Coldest Case 2

Host: Carter Roy
Date: September 4, 2025

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.