S2E2: The Yellow Cab Murder (1975)

Summary

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Somebody Knows Something – S2E2: The Yellow Cab Murder (1975)

Podcast: Somebody Knows Something: The Elgin Police Cold Case Podcast
Episode: Season 2, Episode 2 – The Yellow Cab Murder (1975)
Date: August 25, 2025
Hosts: Detective Andrew Houghton, Detective Chris Hall
Guest: Robert (Jim’s Towing and Automotive Owner), Maynard Holley’s nephew (unnamed voices)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the unsolved 1975 murder of Maynard Chester Holley, a respected family man and dispatcher for the Yellow Cab Company in Elgin, Illinois. The Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Unit, with new technology and a commitment to transparency, hopes to generate public interest and tips about the case by reviewing the timeline, victim background, scene details, and witness accounts. Through family recollections and a firsthand walkthrough of the crime scene, the episode underscores the personal and community impact of unsolved homicides.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Victim Background and Life

• Maynard Chester Holley
  • Born October 17, 1927, in Marshfield, Wisconsin; served in the USAF.
  • Married Jeanette Evelyn Gabe on August 16, 1958; father of two daughters, Laurie and Jada.
  • Devout Jehovah’s Witness and active at the Elgin West Congregation.
  • Described by family as hard-working, kind, and always willing to help others.

    “They described him as very kind, well liked...never heard their parents say anything bad about Maynard.”
    — Detective Andrew Houghton [10:52]

2. Crime Scene and Circumstances

• Murder Details (02:57–05:12)

  • Incident took place at Yellow Cab Co., 215 W. Chicago St., on February 18, 1975.
  • Maynard was found shot multiple times in the back of the head while seated at his desk.
  • No evidence of struggle, robbery, or forced entry—intruder was buzzed in via a security buzzer.

    “Maynard apparently allowed his own killer into the office.”
    — Detective Andrew Houghton [06:21]

• Office Security and Layout (06:25–08:52)

  • Only access to the dispatch office was controlled by an electric buzzer; no signs of forced entry.
  • Description of the building by current owner Robert, nearly unchanged since 1975.
  • Notable: Bullet hole still present in the window when Robert purchased the business.

3. Timeline of Events

• Evening of the Murder (12:34–13:55)

  • At 11:03pm, Maynard timestamped a ticket for a cab fare pickup at Sherman Hospital.

  • Killed before he could dispatch a cab for that fare.

  • Cab driver found Maynard at 11:16pm.

    “He was killed after he stamped the ticket, but before he could dispatch a cab for that particular call.”
    — Detective Andrew Houghton [12:34]

• Tight Timeline

  • Last confirmed sighting of Maynard alive at 10:50pm.
  • Murder occurred between 11:03pm and 11:16pm—almost certainly just after 11:03pm.

4. Witness Accounts and Suspect Description

• Potential Suspect Sighted (15:40–16:48)

  • Witness saw a man leave the cab office just after 11:00pm, enter a '71 or '72 light green Oldsmobile, and drive away at speed.

  • Description: Well-dressed, dark jacket and pants, about 6’ tall, slim build, dark hair, full head of hair, late 30s or early 40s.

    “The subject appeared to be well-dressed, with a dark jacket and dark blue pants, and appeared to be 6ft tall...late 30s or early 40s.”
    — Witness statement read by podcast [16:16]

• No Suspects or Motive Confirmed

  • No robbery or known enemies, family had no debts, and Maynard lived a quiet life.
  • Some tips suggested mistaken identity—a “hit” intended for someone else.
  • “Several witnesses felt that the person who killed Maynard actually meant to kill someone else and made a mistake.”
    — Detective Andrew Houghton [17:06]

5. Impact on Family and Community

• Family Trauma (10:18–11:58)

  • Family deeply affected by Maynard’s murder; children were young at the time and recounted fear from the heavy police presence.

  • Widow Janet lost her husband and, later, her daughter Jada—devastation compounded by years of unanswered questions.

  • Tragedy left “a hole that can never be filled,” with pain compounded by the cold status of the case.

    “Giving family members and friends answers is what we are striving for with these cases in this podcast.”
    — Narrator/Detective [11:58]

6. Police Investigation and Community Call-to-Action

• Investigation Recap

  • Multiple interviews and polygraphs conducted with Yellow Cab employees and others; all leads exhausted without arrest.
  • Elgin PD’s hope is new witness testimony or public tips will shed light.

• Community Involvement

  • Emphasis on the importance of even small tips from the public.

    “Maybe the description of the individual strikes a chord with someone, or maybe even the vehicle does. No tip is too small.”
    — Detective Andrew Houghton [16:48]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Maynard as a Person:

  “He was a likable fella. Who minded his own business and didn't get involved with anything. He had never been in trouble with us, nor was he under investigation for anything.”
  — Sgt. J.W. Smith, Elgin PD [19:00]

• On Being in the Crime Scene:

  “It's always a little crazy to stand in the same place where something like this happened. It's a little bit like walking back in time.”
  — Detective Andrew Houghton [09:07]

• Summing Up the Impact:

  “The murder of a loved one leaves a hole that can never be filled. Even if we identify an offender...that hole still remains. But giving family members and friends answers is what we are striving for with these cases in this podcast.”
  — Narrator/Detective [11:58]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Victim’s Life and Marriage: 03:12–03:59
• Murder Circumstances and Crime Scene: 04:53–06:25
• Building Walkthrough and Crime Scene Details: 07:08–09:24
• Family Memories and Impact: 10:02–11:58
• Timeline of the Crime: 12:34–13:55
• Suspect Description and Witness Account: 15:40–16:48
• Rumors, Theories, and Case Status: 17:06–18:39
• Sergeant Smith’s Reflection on Maynard: 19:00–19:12
• Host Call to Action: 20:36

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Closing

The episode closes with a plea for public assistance and remembrance for Maynard Chester Holley—a family man and community member lost to senseless violence. The Cold Case Unit’s investigation is ongoing, and any information, no matter how slight, could provide long-awaited justice and peace for the Holley family.

“If you or anyone you know has information about this case or any other cold case case in Elgin, please contact the Elgin Police Department Cold case email at [e-mail] or the cold case tip line at 847-289-COLD.”
— Chief Anna Lally [20:36]

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Next Episode Preview:
Season 2 continues with a look at the murder of 16-year-old Lori Jean Bulger, another tragic cold case from 1970s Elgin.

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Transcript

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[Podcast Disclaimer Narrator]

Is based on information sourced primarily from police and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons. While the events and cases discussed are based on real investigations, some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes. Voice actors have been used to read from statements or documents. All information presented is intended solely to inform and raise awareness. Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast, but such discussions are not intended to and should not be considered by the listener to be legal. Conclusions all persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion is advised.

[Chief Anna Lally]

This is Chief Anna Lally. Welcome to Somebody Knows Something, a podcast from the Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Unit. In this podcast, we will shed new light on cold cases in the City of Elgin by sharing untold details and by encouraging anyone with information to come forward. You will come along with real cold case detectives as they investigate active cold cases in real time and seek justice for the victims and closure for their families. We believe that the Elgin Police Department and our community can work together to bring closure to cold cases because we know that in these cases, somebody Knows Something.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Hello and welcome to Somebody Knows Something Elgin Police Department Cold Case Podcast My name is Detective Andrew Houghton and I'm Detective Chris Hall.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Last episode we reviewed the 1971 murder of Guadalupe Alanis, who was shot and killed at the Woodruff and Edwards Foundry along the Fox river here in Elgin. We also briefly touched on two related murders the murder of Joseph Garcia, the eyewitness to Guadalupe's murder in November of 1971, and the murder of Lucas Garcia in June of 1969. For this episode, we are moving to 1975 and staying on the west side of Belgium for another shooting less than just a block away from the foundry that claimed the life of Maynard Chester Holley.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Maynard Chester Hawley was born on October 17, 1927 to Roy and Ida Hawley. He grew up in Wisconsin and served in the United States Air Force before moving to Elgin where He lived for 24 years until his murder in 1975.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Maynard was also a devout Jehovah's Witness. On August 16, 1958, he married Jeanette Evelyn Gabe at the Kingdom hall in Algonquin and later attended services at the Elgin West Congregation with his family. Maynard's brother Norman served as his best man. In a wedding announcement from the September 4, 1958 edition of the Marshfield News Herald in Maynard's hometown of Marshfield, Wisconsin, described his bride on their wedding day.

[Chief Anna Lally]

The bride's silk illusion veil fell from.

[Podcast Disclaimer Narrator]

A braided crown trimmed with pearls and she wore nylon and lace over taffetid.

[Chief Anna Lally]

While she carried a heart shaped banquet.

[Podcast Disclaimer Narrator]

Of pink roses and white carnations.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The article also noted that because Maynard was working, the couple was delaying their honeymoon and enjoying time at their home here in Elgin.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

After moving to Elgin, Maynard worked two jobs, one as the machine operator at Williams Manufacturing Co. And another as a dispatcher in the evenings at the Yellow Cab Co. Located at 215 W. Chicago St. In downtown Elgin. The couple added two daughters, Laurie and Jada, after their marriage, and Maynard went to work at that second job on February 18, 1975 to support his growing family. Sadly, he wouldn't live to see February 19th. The original police call for this incident came to the Elgin Dispatch center around 11:16pm on Feb. 18. It was a Tuesday night with some light snow on the ground, and another worker from the Yellow Cab Company reported that someone was injured at the property. Police responded with caution, believing the incident could be some kind of robbery at the business. But when they arrived, they found something else.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The cab driver who called the police reported that he tried to reach Maynard around 10:50pm and when he didn't receive an answer, he headed back to the barn, which is what they called the office in those days. Upon arrival, he located Maynard Holly sitting in his chair to dispatch calls. He had been shot in the back of the head multiple times.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

There was no evidence of a robbery or a struggle. Someone had simply walked in and shot Maynard as he sat in his chair at his desk. So police did not initially believe that robbery or burglary was a likely motive for this crime.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Police would later tell the media that it was possible that Maynard Holley was wrongly killed. Possibly the killer mistook Maynard for someone else when he or she shot him. Was it a case of mistaken identity or did someone target Maynard specifically for some reason? We don't know. But one piece of crucial evidence suggested to police that Maynard potentially knew or at least recognized his killer.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

In a newspaper article in the days after Maynard's killing Police were quoted as saying that the dispatch office was a locked office, and the only way to enter was if the dispatcher in this case, Maynard, buzzed the person in using an electronic buzzer system. The cab driver who came in and found Maynard reported that the door was slightly ajar. And police confirmed that there were no primarks or other indications of a forced entry. So the motive did not appear to be robbery or burglary.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

And.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

And Maynard apparently allowed his own killer into the office.

[Narrator/Investigator]

We were able to obtain a photograph of the actual business from the day after Maynard's murder in 1975 from the Elgin History Museum, which is included with this episode. So we again want to thank the Elgin History Museum for assisting us in locating a photograph of the exterior of the building from the actual week of the homicide. But unlike the Woodruff and Edwards Foundry, the original building where Maynard was murdered does still exist. The former office for the Yellow Cab Company is now a business called Jim's Towing and Automotive. So we reached out to the business owner and asked if we could visit the actual site where Maynard was murdered. We want to thank Robert from Jim's Towing and Automotive for speaking with us and letting us visit the office and the building for this case.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

When we arrived at the business, we noticed that it was nearly identical to what it looked like in the 1975 photographs. The current owner actually purchased the building from the Yellow Cap Company when they moved out a few years after Maynard's murder. The building is situated just west of Illinois Route 31 on the south side of Chicago street, with a large overhead garage door and an exterior access door that faced Chicago street on the north side of the building.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Once we passed through the north entrance, which seems like the most likely entry point, the office where Maynard sat dispatching cabs was just to the left with a window and a door. The office was totally secure. We don't know if that exterior door was open or if the garage overhead door was open. But the suspect made it into the building, into that access door where Maynard buzzed him in. Robert was kind enough to take us into the actual office where Maynard was shot and described it to us. From where he moved into the building.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

The desk was sitting right here. Okay.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Facing outward.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

Yeah.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Facing north.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

Yeah.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Our understanding from the case files, he would have buzzed. You had to buzz people in the office back then.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

Yep. Yeah. He had a mirror hanging there, and the buzzer was on the desk. And that was actually, there's the thing for the. That went to the door, then the box, the electric box, and the layout.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Structurally is the same.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

Yep. Yeah. I didn't change, other than having to replace the window. Okay. Yeah. And of course, we changed the walls, right? Sure. Yeah.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

So then this.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

This area out here, that's the. Your guys work here.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

That's like, basically where the bay where all the taxis would have cab or.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Taxis would have worked.

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

Okay.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Was this wall here? Was this separate offices?

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

Was when I came in. And it was after I moved in. Right. After Yellow Cab. Okay. I bought it after Yellow Cab moved out.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

What year did you move in here?

[Robert (Jim's Towing and Automotive Owner)]

I moved in in 80. 80. 80. I bought it in 82. I moved here in 80.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Robert went on to tell us that when he moved into the building in 1980, there was still a bullet hole in the north window directly in front of where Maynard was sitting, so he had to replace that window. It's always a little crazy to stand in the same place where something like this happened. It's a little bit like walking back in time.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yeah. It's essentially a time capsule. Even the electrical box and the line for the buzzer that ran from the desk to the door was still there. It's a pretty eerie feeling to think that Maynard pressed a button while he sat at the desk, and the person who entered shot him in the exact spot that we were standing. While we were also at the tow company, we got very lucky. We'd had trouble locating local members of Maynard's family because a number of his relatives had passed away. But Robert had told us that he actually knew one of Maynard's nephews and that he was on his way over to the business, so we waited to meet him.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Mayard's nephew stood in the same office where his uncle was murdered and told us a little bit about Maynard and the night that Maynard was killed. He also agreed to put us in touch with several other family members from the area so we could learn a little bit more about Maynard and learn about how this murder impacted his family.

[Narrator/Investigator]

We want our listeners to understand that we've met with family members from each of our cases, and again, please understand this loss is devastating to each of them, and they prefer not to have their voices used for our podcast, and we respect that. They did tell us a lot about Maynard. Several family members were just children when he was killed, but they recalled police coming to the house and even staying outside for a period of time just in case someone who targeted the family were to return. I can only imagine how scary that might have been for a little kid who doesn't fully understand what was happening.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

According to family Maynard was a very hard worker and worked long hours at two different jobs to support his family. They described him as very kind, well liked. And even the family members that were kids said they never heard their parents say anything bad about Maynard.

[Narrator/Investigator]

They believed that if he saw someone who needed help or saw a hitchhiker or something along those lines, he would be the type of person to give a stranger a ride or maybe even let a stranger into the office if they said they needed assistance. So maybe Maynard didn't recognize his murderer, but maybe he was just helping out someone passing by who asked him a question or even told him they needed help or directions and a ruse to get into the building.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Maynard's murder also deeply impacted his family. His older daughter remembered her father, but Jada, who was only 4 when Maynard was murdered, had very limited memories of him. Family described that Jada and her mother, Janet, were very, very close, and that Janet lost her husband in 1975 and then buried one of her daughters, Jada, in 1993, something that devastated her until her death in 2005. Tragedies like this have ripple effects across generations and across families and communities.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Talking to the members of Maynard's family just highlighted once again that these cases are something that families and friends remember for the rest of their lives. The murder of a loved one leaves a hole that can never be filled. Even if we identify an offender in a case like this and charge them and convict them, that hole still remains. But giving family members and friends answers is what we are striving for with these cases in this podcast. Hopefully we can generate new leads and information from the public on this case and the other cases that we're currently covering.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Okay, Chris. So we visited the site, we met with some of the family, and we know that Maynard buzzed the killer into his office. But we also know one more really important thing that gives us a distinct timeline on this case. Based on the police report, Maynard had been stamping a ticket for a new cab fare for a pickup at Sherman Hospital with a timestamp of 11:03pm just before he was killed. Basically, when a cab fare was set, he would stamp a card to indicate that a fare was made, then he would dispatch a call for that fare. But Maynard never dispatched that call for the 1103 pickup. This indicates that he was killed after he stamped the ticket, but before he could dispatch a cab for that particular call.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yeah, so we have a pretty tight window for when the murder actually occurred. We know from police interviews that one employee told police that he ended his shift at approximately 10:50pm he reported seeing Maynard working in the office alone as he left. And he said he didn't see anyone outside or around the building as he was leaving. Then around 11:03pm Maynard received a call for a cab fare, stamped a card for that fare, but was then killed before he could radio a cab to pick it up. It was between approximately 11:03pm to 11:16pm when the witness found Maynard in the office. But it was likely very close to that 11:03pm time frame, since he never dispatched that cab for that call.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Okay, so it appears that Maynard buzzed someone in the office. He was going about his business, and that person walked in the office and shot him multiple times in the back of the head with no struggle and no fight, and then fled without taking any items from the office. Right around 11:03pm Essentially, Chris, this was almost like an assassination.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yeah. There were also reports in 1975 that an employee had made some threats toward the owner of the Yellow Cap Company. But that employee had an alibi and he was reportedly out of state when that homicide occurred.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

The last person to talk to Maynard, as far as we can tell, was the cab driver who found him at 11:16pm Here's a recreation of what that.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Dispatch might have sounded like on the night of February 18, 1975.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, I have a fare for you.

[Cab Driver]

Paul's Tap. Let me know your destination when you pick up the There. I dropped off my fare at 364St. Charles St. I am. Drink it. I can't hear you, but maybe you can hear me. I may be having radio trouble. I'm going back to the barn.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Multiple other drivers also reported that they called in vacant, meaning that they had no fare just after 11pm and received no answer. The driver, who returned to the office, found Maynard and told police that he observed Maynard slumped over inside the office around 11:16pm he saw blood and called for help. He also reported that he did not see any people or cars in the area when he found Maynard shot in the office.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Police did find one potential witness who was walking in the area of the Yellow Cab Company around 11:05pm that witness described a potential suspect, and we are releasing that witness's information for the first time publicly here in an effort to generate new tips in this case. Here's what the police report says that witness saw just after 11pm on February 18, 1975.

[Witness]

As the witness was approaching the cab office, he observed someone cross the street from the office to get into what he believed was a 1971 or 1972 light green Oldsmobile that was parked on the north side of the street heading east. He said the subject got into the car, proceeded east on Chicago street at a high rate of speed and turned southbound on State Street. The witness also said that the subject appeared to be well dressed, with a dark jacket and dark blue pants, and appeared to be 6ft tall, a slim build with dark hair. And he appeared to have a full head of hair and was in his late 30s or early 40s.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Police never identified who that potential suspect was. So if anyone has information about who that person could be, please contact us. Maybe the description of the individual strikes a chord with someone, or maybe even the vehicle does. No tip is too small.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Multiple tips later came in that this killing was a targeted hit, but that Maynard was not the intended target. Basically, several witnesses felt that the person who killed Maynard actually meant to kill someone else and made a mistake. So police speculated that the killer in this case essentially did a hit on the wrong person. There were reports that another worker maybe owed money to someone who was affiliated with criminal activity, but police were never able to verify any rumors of that. That either way, Maynard apparently let the killer into his office. So it seems somewhat unlikely that he would allow a stranger into the business. Right. Unless it was maybe some person that just said, hey, I need directions, and he let him in.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yeah, essentially. The police investigated the case. Detectives spoke with multiple employees from the Yellow Cab company and with a number of people from Maynard's family. As with all the 1970s cases, several men agreed to take polygraph tests, but no suspect was ever officially identified or arrested. And that's where the case went cold that night. When police broke the news to Maynard's wife, Janet, she was obviously devastated. She described her husband as a happily married family man with no enemies and said that he had been in good spirits, Although he had been understandably tired from working two jobs. The family had no major debts. And as a devout Jehovah's Witness, Maynard did not regularly drink, gamble, or partake in any other activities like that, which would make him a target in some kind of monetary dispute. Janet simply couldn't imagine who would want to hurt, let alone kill, her husband.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Even one of the Elgin police officers who worked on the case at the time, Sergeant J.W. smith, New Maynard. I mean, it makes sense. Police would contact cab companies pretty regularly back then, so they would know some of the dispatchers. In the Courier News on February 19, Sergeant Smith had this to say about Maynard Holley.

[Narrator/Investigator]

He was a likable fella. Who minded his own business and didn't.

[Lowe's Advertiser]

Get involved with anything. He had never been in trouble with us, nor was he under investigation for anything.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The family buried Maynard at River Valley Memorial Garden Cemetery in West Dundee. His tombstone is simple, listing his name, date of birth, date of death, and his branch of service. Maynard was a proud veteran of the United States Air Force and based on our searches, Maynard's wife, Janet, one of his daughters, Jada, and at least four of his five siblings have all died, never knowing what truly happened to him. Maynard, Chester Holly, a husband, a father, a brother, a veteran and a friend, was the victim of a senseless murder on February 18, 1975. Our hope with this podcast is that someone in our community will remember him and that somebody with information will come forward so that one day he and his family will finally receive the justice that they deserve. Next episode we jump forward just one short year to the summer of 1976 for one of the most infamous cases cases in Elgin's history, the murder of 16 year old Larkin High School student Lori Jean Bulger. We will remember Lori and review her murder as we continue our journey through 1970s Elgin, seeking new tips in remembering the victims of our cold case homicides here on Somebody Knows Something.

[Chief Anna Lally]

If you or anyone you know has information about this case or any other cold case case in Elgin, please contact the Elgin Police Department Cold case [e-mail] or the cold case tip line at 847289 cold. You can also review cold case information on the Elgin Police Department's Transparency Hub by going to Elginil.gov and navigating to the Elgin Police Department's Transparency hub where every cold case, homicide and missing persons case is listed with photographs and information about each case.