Murder: True Crime Stories

Episode: UNSOLVED: The Senator's Daughter 1

Host: Carter Roy
Date: August 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode launches a two-part deep dive into the unsolved 1966 murder of Valerie Percy, daughter of then-senatorial candidate Charles Percy. With a signature mix of atmosphere and sensitivity, host Carter Roy profiles the Percy family and recounts the shocking crime that shattered the illusion of safety in the affluent suburb of Kenilworth, Illinois. Listeners are introduced to the family’s history, early investigation struggles, and the enduring mystery that haunts this infamous case.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Setting: Kenilworth, Illinois

• Kenilworth described as “the kind of place people dreamed of living,” among the wealthiest Chicago suburbs and virtually crime-free before 1966 (06:41).
• For 75 years before Valerie’s murder, the town had "never even been a murder there" (00:18, 26:56).

2. The Percy Family: Public Life and Private Tragedy

• Charles Percy: Self-made millionaire, future U.S. Senator. Early business success, wartime service, and personal losses detailed with empathy.
  • “By the time he enrolled at the University of Chicago in the late 1930s, Charles had a net worth of $100,000 and was grossing more than $150,000 a year from his various business ventures. It was no small feat for someone who couldn't legally rent a car yet…” (07:54).
• Family history: Tragic loss of first wife Jean to a medical reaction, blending of families with second wife Lorraine, children’s academic pursuits, rise in politics, and devotion to public service.

3. Valerie Percy: Portrait of a Victim

• Academic and Personal Background: Valerie’s distinct identity and independence as a twin—French literature major at Cornell, poised to attend Johns Hopkins.
• Described as graceful, observant, kind, and socially engaged (16:41).
  • “Classmates and professors described her as graceful, observant and kind. She made friends easily and had a sharp eye for detail and a quiet sense of conviction.” (16:51).

4. The Night of the Murder: September 17–18, 1966

• Timeline reconstructed:
  • Valerie spends evening with stepmother and campaign aides, is last seen by her sister Sharon around 11:30 PM. The house settles by midnight (17:41).
  • Lorraine is awakened shortly before 5:00 AM by shattering glass, initially dismissing it until hearing a strange moan (18:20).
  • She finds a man—white, 5’8”, about 160 pounds—standing over Valerie’s bed, shining a flashlight in her eyes (19:10).
  • Lorraine sets off the burglar alarm, scares the intruder off, and rushes to wake Charles; both scramble to Valerie but find her gravely injured and, soon, dead (19:40–21:00).

Notable Quote

“There was a man standing over Valerie’s bed. He was carrying a flashlight and shined it in Lorraine’s eyes, blinding her. But for a second she’d seen it—Valerie’s body lying motionless in the bed, covered in blood.”
– Carter Roy (19:15)

5. The Crime Scene and Evidence

• Valerie was bludgeoned and stabbed over a dozen times, her nightgown pushed up but no signs of sexual assault.
• Key physical evidence:
  • Forced entry: Cut screen, glass cutter “scored an X” on the window, then smashed (22:41)
  • Unidentified hairs, fibers, bloody palm prints, and a single clear fingerprint (22:50)
  • Bare footprints on the beach leading away from the scene; nothing stolen from the house.
• The attack was highly targeted: "no drawers had been rifled through, and none of the other 16 rooms were affected" (23:28).

6. Investigation Begins: Overwhelmed Authorities and National Interest

• Kenilworth police were unprepared for such a crime, but quickly joined by the FBI and state police, with J. Edgar Hoover taking personal interest (26:56–27:41).
  • “It was a national mystery that needed to be solved. They’d recovered lots of forensic evidence from the house itself, but this was 1966 and DNA testing didn’t exist yet.” (27:11)
• Scuba divers combed Lake Michigan for weapons, finding only an army bayonet—its connection unclear.
• Investigators exhaustively examined Valerie’s social life, the family, political and business associates, and even organized crime ties—coming up empty (28:04).

7. The Impact: Family and Public Reaction

• The Percy campaign, and even their political opponent, paused out of respect during initial grief (26:56).
• For two weeks, the Percy family retreated in mourning, supported by religious faith (29:43).
  • “As a steadfast Christian Scientist, he [Charles] believed in trusting God and embracing whatever lay ahead. He said he wouldn’t ask why this happened. The most important thing was to keep making Valerie proud.” (30:16)

8. Aftermath: The Lingering Mystery

• Charles resumes his campaign, wins the Senate seat, and the family moves away to D.C. (30:53).
• Investigation reports tens of thousands of interviews and leads—still, no suspect.
  • "According to [the police chief], they'd talked to more than 8,000 people in 48 states and five foreign countries. They checked 1,153 leads... [but] it wasn’t enough for Charles Percy. At the same press conference, Charles offered $50,000 for any tip leading to an arrest." (31:39)
• Over the years, the case goes cold, despite the family’s determination for justice.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the transformation of the town:

  "If the daughter of a prominent politician could be killed there, then was anyone safe anywhere?"
  – Carter Roy (26:56)

• On Charles Percy's drive:

  "He was polished, articulate and handsome. People just loved doing business with him. Those same people suggested he think about his next venture and figured he would be perfect for politics."
  – Carter Roy (11:35)

• The enduring pain:

  “But anyone who passed the Percy House knew there was a ghost lingering there, haunting them all, waiting for answers. In a town where nothing bad was supposed to happen, something terrible had.”
  – Carter Roy (34:35)

Key Timestamps

• 00:18: Introduction to Kenilworth and the Percy family
• 06:41: Charles Percy’s early business and political rise
• 15:36: Introduction to Valerie, Sharon, and their family dynamics
• 17:41: The evening before the murder—Valerie’s final day described
• 19:10: Lorraine’s discovery of the murder in progress
• 21:00: Valerie is found; first-responder attempts and police arrival
• 22:41: Crime scene details and evidence found
• 26:56: Community and national reaction; start of investigation
• 27:41: FBI involvement and expansion of investigation
• 28:04: Dead-end suspects and investigative hurdles
• 29:43: Percy’s retreat, grief, and faith in the aftermath
• 30:53: Charles resumes campaign, wins seat, and family moves
• 31:39: Recap of investigation statistics and reward offer
• 34:35: Case grows cold; haunting impact on family and community

Tone and Storytelling

Host Carter Roy adopts a measured, contemplative tone—mixing empathetic family insight with suspenseful storytelling. He draws listeners in through vivid scene-setting and thoughtful analysis, underscoring the lasting trauma and mystery clouding Valerie Percy’s unsolved murder.

“But even though Valerie was gone, her memory would never fade, and the Percy family was determined to bring her killer to justice, no matter how long it might take.”
– Carter Roy (35:12)

Conclusion

Episode one sets the stage by painting a portrait of an idyllic community, a promising family, and the unspeakable loss that reverberated through both. Details about the crime, the hunt for a killer, and the resilience of the Percy family provide context for the deeper investigation to follow in part two.

Next episode: A focused look at the twists, false leads, media circus, and why this mystery remains unsolved.