S2E7: The Final Murder of the Decade (1979) – Part 1

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Somebody Knows Something – S2E7: The Final Murder of the Decade (1979) – Part 1

Date: October 24, 2025
Hosts: Detective Andrew Houghton & Detective Chris Hall, Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit
Theme: Exploring the unsolved murder of Renee Cruz Tovar, Elgin’s final homicide of the 1970s, through the voices of her friends, family, and Cold Case detectives.

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Episode Overview

In this penultimate episode of season two, Detectives Houghton and Hall delve into the 1979 murder of 24-year-old Renee Cruz Tovar, remembered as a vibrant young woman with deep family roots in Elgin’s Hispanic community. The episode is defined by intimate recollections from her roommate, Cathy, and lifelong friend, Laura, whose testimonies offer both warmth and heartbreak. The detectives also contextualize Renee’s case within the broader tapestry of Elgin’s cold cases, encouraging public engagement and information-sharing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Renee Tovar and Her Case

• [02:41] Detective Chris Hall introduces the case: “For our final case of the season, we're going to discuss the murder of 24 year old Rene Cruz Tovar in two parts... we hope that hearing directly from people who knew Renee can help us appeal to the public for new information in her case, and we hope that it helps honor her memory.”
• [03:08] Renee celebrated Thanksgiving 1979 with family before spending the night home alone. Her roommate Kathy returned the next morning to find Renee murdered. This was Elgin’s final unsolved homicide of the 1970s.

2. Renee’s Early Life and Family Background

• [03:52] Details on Renee’s family: youngest daughter, “Cookie,” raised on Gifford Street in a religious, close-knit household with four brothers.
• [04:30] “Renee also came from a religious family. The Tovars were members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church here in Elgin... she made many friends.”

3. Personality and Hobbies

• [05:26] Family memories highlight Renee’s joyful, warm personality: “She was smart, she was beautiful. She seemed to have everything going for her...”
• [05:56] Heartbreaking recollection of a family member: Buying a gold bracelet for Renee the very day she was found murdered.

4. Life on Her Own: Roommate and Independence

• [06:37] Renee leaves her family home to move in with Kathy at 144 S. Liberty St. Listeners learn the poignant detail that Renee’s beloved dog, Frasier, had to stay behind—a lasting “what if” for her family.

Exploring the Power of ‘What If’

• [07:24] Detective Hall and Houghton reflect on the persistent, haunting “what if” questions that families of victims carry.

5. Roommate Cathy’s Testimony – Life with Renee

• [08:05] Kathy, Renee’s roommate, speaks publicly for the first time in 45 years:
  • [08:40] “She was a beautiful girl. She was absolutely beautiful... She just had a look that everybody, when they saw her, they stopped and looked at her.”
  • Describes Renee as independent, responsible, and well-liked.
• [10:00] Discussion of candid photos showing Renee’s love for her many cats, friends, and crafts. “These photos are likely the last images of Renee Tovar when she was alive.” – Detective Hall.

6. Social Life, Friendships, and Character

• [12:27] Both hosts and Kathy recall Renee’s loyalty to her friend group and their favorite hangouts:
  • Frequented bars on Kimball St., loved dancing and spending time with friends.
  • [13:21] “Guys always try to talk to her.”
  • [13:24] “Typically, she'd be cordial to him, but she wouldn't, you know, give him much to go with.” – Kathy

7. The Impact of Renee’s Death on Her Friends

• [14:33] Kathy describes lifelong trauma:
  • [14:33] “It affected my life. My life has never been quite normal since. I've never been able to go anywhere on my own... I've gone all my life being terrified of people...”
  • [16:39] Heart-rending plea: “Please, please tell somebody. Call the police and tell them everything. You know, this has been a horrible thing... She was a good person and she didn't deserve it.”

8. Laura’s Perspective – A Best Friend’s Grief

• [17:44] Laura, childhood and high school friend, shares vivid memories:
  • [17:44] “She had the most beautiful long black hair... She was just beautiful. Really nice figure... She laughed loud and we passed notes all the time in the hallway...”
• [19:19] The strength of Renee’s friendship:
  • [19:19] “I will always say she saved me, because she was that bright light, and it gave me hope that she was always going to be there. We were always going to be friends.”
• [20:31] The moment Laura learned of Renee’s murder:
  • [20:40] “Tell me. Tell me what's happened. And then they told me, and it was horrible.”
• [21:14] On attending the funeral:
  • “It was terrible... It was the most tragic, tragic thing ever in my life. I stopped reading Mystery. I stopped doing a lot of things... Every man I saw with a scratch on his face killed her. It was horrible.”

9. Funeral and Community Response

• [22:27] Detectives recall the massive community turnout, noting “dozens upon dozens of pages filled with names” in Renee’s funeral ledger.
• [23:01] The episode shares a prayer from Renee’s funeral card:
  • “When you're alone with Jesus and he sweetly smiles on thee, will you gently whisper to him a little prayer for me?... May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Rene Cruz Tovar, born September 16, 1955, at rest November 24, 1979.”

10. Looking Forward: Part Two & Call for Tips

• [24:33] The hosts preview next episode, promising newly released evidence and possible connections to a series of homicides in the 1980s Chicago area.
• [25:04] Andrew Houghton issues a final plea for information to the public.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [08:40] Kathy (Roommate):
  “She was unique. So guys were attracted to her all the time. She was beautiful... I don't know one person that didn't like her. Not one.”
• [14:33] Kathy:
  “I've gone all my life being terrified of people... maybe whoever killed her might be coming after me because they think that I knew something. So I've been afraid all my life.”
• [16:39] Kathy:
  “Please, please tell somebody. Call the police and tell them everything you know. This has been a horrible thing that happened to her... She was a good person and she didn't deserve it.”
• [17:44] Laura (Best Friend):
  “She had the most beautiful long black hair... She laughed loud and we passed notes all the time in the hallway and we talked on the phone a lot.”
• [19:19] Laura:
  “I will always say she saved me, because she was that bright light, and it gave me hope that she was always going to be there.”
• [21:14] Laura (on the funeral):
  “I was just so traumatized by it all... It was the most tragic, tragic thing ever in my life. I stopped reading Mystery. I stopped doing a lot of things... Every man I saw with a scratch on his face killed her.”
• [23:01] Detective Andrew Houghton (Reading Prayer Card):
  “When you're alone with Jesus and he sweetly smiles on thee, will you gently whisper to him a little prayer for me?”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:41 – Introduction to the Renee Tovar case
• 03:52 – Renee’s family background and upbringing
• 05:26 – Family memories of Renee’s personality and hobbies
• 05:56 – Emotional account: last time family saw Renee
• 06:37 – Independence and moving out (leaving behind her dog)
• 08:05 – Cathy’s interview: describing Renee and life together
• 10:00 – Evidence photos: life in the apartment
• 12:27 – Social life: favorite bars and interactions
• 14:33 – Cathy recounts post-traumatic impact and plea for answers
• 17:44 – Laura’s memories of high school and friendship with Renee
• 19:19 – How Renee “saved” Laura’s life, their emotional bond
• 21:14 – Funeral aftermath: Laura’s trauma and changes in her life
• 23:01 – Reading of Renee’s funeral prayer card
• 24:33 – Preview of part two and call for public tips

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Tone & Style Captured

Throughout, the episode maintains the compassionate but methodical tone of police detectives working cold cases—balanced with the personal, often raw emotions of those closest to Renee. The language is direct yet sensitive, honoring Renee’s legacy while underscoring the ongoing need for community involvement.

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Conclusion

This deeply personal episode brings listeners into both the investigation and the very human aftermath of a decades-old tragedy. Through first-person memories, case file details, and ongoing appeals for information, the Elgin Police Cold Case Unit seeks not just justice, but healing for a community that still remembers. Part two will carry the investigation further, with the hope that—after nearly half a century—answers might finally emerge.

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If you have information about Renee Tovar’s case or any Elgin cold case, contact the Elgin Police Department at [e-mail] or 847-289-COLD.
For case info: elginil.gov > Transparency Hub > Cold Cases

Transcript

[Detective Chris Hall]

I'm here on a job site with.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Tim, who owns his own electrical contracting business.

[Narrator/Host]

Three employees and two work trucks.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Tim traded up to Geico Commercial Auto Insurance. We're positively here where he needs us most.

[Narrator/Host]

They sure are.

[Detective Chris Hall]

With step by step help on all his insurance needs.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

All for shockingly low rates.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Shockingly low, huh?

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Just a little bit of electrician humor. Do you get it?

[Detective Chris Hall]

I got it.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

You know, it feels like we have a real connection.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Alright, I'll stop. Get a commercial auto insurance quote [e-mail].

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

And see how much you could save. Get more with Geico.

[Narrator/Host]

This podcast 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.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Based on real investigations, some aspects may.

[Narrator/Host]

Be simplified for time and for narrative purposes. Voice actors have been used to read.

[Detective Chris Hall]

From statements or documents.

[Narrator/Host]

All information presented is intended solely to.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Inform and raise awareness.

[Narrator/Host]

Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast, but such discussions.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Are not intended to and should not.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Be considered by the listener to be legal.

[Narrator/Host]

Conclusions all persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Listener discretion is advised. 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.

[Narrator/Host]

Hello and welcome to Somebody Knows Something, the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Podcast. My name is Detective Andrew Houghton and.

[Detective Chris Hall]

I'm Detective Chris Hall.

[Narrator/Host]

Last episode we reviewed the murder of 68 year old Casey D. Kyles who was stabbed to death in an alleyway in downtown Elgin, just about a block from the Elgin Police Department. Casey was described as a well liked man who had recently retired and he is buried at Bluff City Cemetery still waiting for justice for his murder.

[Detective Chris Hall]

For our final case of the season, we're going to discuss the murder of 24 year old Rene Cruz Tovar in two parts similar to Barbara Gluecard's case. We met with several family members and friends to prepare for this case and several people agreed to record their memories of Renee with us, so we wanted to include their voices for our listeners, we hope that hearing directly from people who knew Renee can help us appeal to the public for new information in her case, and we hope that it helps honor her memory.

[Narrator/Host]

Renee Tovar was 24 years old when she celebrated Thanksgiving on November 22, 1979, with her family. She then spent that Friday evening, November 23, alone at her apartment while her roommate Kathy went out on a date. When Kathy returned the following morning, she discovered Renee dead inside their shared apartment. Renee's murder was the final murder of the 1970s here in Elgin, and it is the final cold case homicide of the decade.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Renee Cruz Tovar, sometimes called Cookie by her family, was born on September 16, 1955, to Sebastian and Angelita Tovar. Sebastian and Angelita moved to Elgin from Southern Texas and began to start a family. Angel Angelita, whose family called her Angie, worked at Chicago rawhide for over 30 years, and she raised her five children, including Renee, with her husband Sebastian, in a small family home on Gifford Street. Renee had three older brothers and one younger brother. Growing up in that house on Gifford street, and according to a number of people we've spoken with, Renee was a tough girl in the house full of boys.

[Narrator/Host]

Renee also came from a religious family. The Tovars were members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church here in Elgin, and she often attended mass with her mother and other family members. Renee also later attended St. Edward's Central Catholic High School in Elgin. And while she didn't take part in athletics at school, she did take part in a Hispanic dance troupe that performed at parades and other events in Elgin's thriving Hispanic community. And Renee made many friends.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Renee graduated high school in 1973, and by November of 1979, she moved out on her own and was was in a relationship and was working in the purchasing department at Lee Ward's in Elgin. Coincidentally, Lori Bulger's mother, Jan, was still working at Lee Ward's when Renee was murdered.

[Narrator/Host]

We spoke with several family members for this episode, but they asked that we not use their voices in this podcast. Renee's murder tore through the family, and to this day, many family members still have a difficult time even saying her name or talking about her case.

[Detective Chris Hall]

According to the family members we did meet with, Renee was a bright and beautiful girl who enjoyed her job at Lee Wards and who loved bowling, knitting, cross stitching, spending time with her growing network of friends and her family. Younger family members wanted to be like Renee. She was smart, she was beautiful. She seemed to have everything going for her. And other family members cherished the time they had with her on long car rides to visit extended family for the holidays. Laughing and spending time together.

[Narrator/Host]

One family member recalled with heartbreaking clarity the moment that she learned of Renee's murder. Just days earlier, she had seen Renee smiling and in good spirits. And then on November 24, which was a Saturday, she went out to buy Renee a Christmas present. This family member selected a delicate gold bracelet that she thought would be perfect for Renee. But the moment she returned home, the phone rang. Another family member called and delivered the news that Renee had been murdered. She would never unwrap that new gold bracelet.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Renee was close with her family, but by 1979, she was ready to spread her wings. She became close friends with a co worker at Lee Ward's named Kathy, and the two girls decided to move in together. They found an apartment at 144 S. Liberty St. On Elgin's east side, and Renee moved from her family home into her new apartment with Kathy. It was the first time that Renee had lived on her own. While Renee was certainly excited to be living on her own, one thing about that move still haunts her family to this day. When Renee moved into her new apartment, she had to leave behind something that she dearly loved. Her dog, a big brown boxer with a white face named Frazier. Several family members still feel that if Frasier had been able to move along with Renee, he would have protected her, and she might still be here today.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah, Chris, it's those tiny details, those what ifs that keep friends and family members up at night in these cases. Throughout the season, we've listened to family members from all of our cases, and they all have those same what if questions. What if Maynard hadn't switched shifts with another coworker the night he was murdered? What if Laurie Bulger had gotten a ride home from her driver's ed class? What if Frasier had moved in with Renee? The list goes on and on. And I know Detective Nelson mentioned something similar in Barbara's case, too, but those what ifs aren't fair. What happened, happened. We can't change the past, but hopefully we can change the future for some of these cases and these families to put those what ifs to rest.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Renee's roommate, Keith. Kathy moved away from Elgin in 1989, but we tracked her down and recently spoke with her at great length over the phone. Kathy told us that she had not talked about Renee or the case for over 45 years, but she still thinks about Renee often. Kathy agreed to let us use her voice for this podcast, and she had many memories of Renee and their time together. To this day, she still thinks about her friend over four decades later, and she still wants justice for Renee. The first thing we asked Kathy to do was describe Renee as she remembered her.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

She was a beautiful girl. She was absolutely beautiful. She had long, black, straight hair. I mean, beautiful face. She had high cheekbones. She just had. She just had a look that everybody, when they saw her, they stopped and looked at her. She was unique. So guys were attracted to her all the time. She was beautiful. She thin? Tall? Thin. Well, not real tall. Probably about five, six, five, seven, maybe. I think she was very pleasant to everyone, and everybody liked her. I don't know one person that didn't like her. Not one. She had class, I think I always thought she had a lot of class. So.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Kathy also described Renee as independent, responsible, and excited to finally move out on her own. The girls moved out into their new apartment on Liberty street, where they each had their own bedroom and their own space. And the girls also shared a love of animals and a love for crafts. In fact, when Andrew and I went through the original evidence on this case, we came across a set of photographs that Renee had picked up from the Jewel Osco on Summit street on November 23, 1979, the day before she was discovered murdered. Renee paid $4.25 for the set of color photographs, and we still had them along with her receipt and our evidence.

[Narrator/Host]

A number of the pictures depict a total of four different cats in the apartment. One, a fluffy gray cat, seems to be the troublemaker of the group. Other photographs in the case identify him as Dusty. While Dusty is seated in Kathy's lap in one photograph, another picture depicts him sitting in an open kitchen drawer and staring at the camera. And another shows him jumping up to grab food out of someone's open hand. Additional pictures depict both a black cat with a white chest and white paws and a gray tabby cat named Densdale lying on the floor. In that picture, both cats watch suspiciously as Dusty jumps up on his hind legs and appears to be attacking a door frame. A few of the final pictures even depict a small, dark colored kitten pouncing around the floor of the apartment.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Other photos depict Renee, Kathy, and several other friends in the living room of the apartment. One shows a smiling Renee wearing a light blue T shirt and waving at the camera. And another shows her dressed in a white top with denim pants as she combs her long dark hair. Probably before a night out with Kathy and other friends. These pictures depict a life that is frozen in time. Flipping through them, Renee appears happy and truly, she's gorgeous. These photos are likely the last images of Renee Tovar when she was alive.

[Narrator/Host]

As we said, both girls also loved crafts as well. When Renee was murdered, Kathy had been working on a hook and loop project to make a big rug for their living room, while Renee was cross stitching a project of her own. It makes sense that both women worked at Lee Ward's, which, as listeners will remember, was a craft store where Jan Bolger also worked. In our episode about Lori Bulger, Laurie's sister Keena described that Lori loved to put together Christmas ornaments and other crafts from the store with her and her mother. Renee, who would have been 20 years old when Laurie was murdered in 1976, seems like she was cut from the same cloth. She loved knitting and cross stitching, and she found a kindred spirit in Kathy. The girls enjoyed doing crafts and spending time with their friends, but they also had plenty of fun when it was just the two of them.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

It's just weird, but we. It was always fun to climb out on that roof and hang out on the roof and suntan and talk and talk about what we might do that night or, I mean, those. Those were fun times. And, you know, when. When we go drinking after bowling and that stuff, we always have good times and laugh and. But I mean, it didn't last very long. So. Yeah.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Kathy and Renee worked in different departments, but they grew closer, especially after moving in together. According to Kathy, Lee Ward's was like a family. Many of the co workers became friends, and they socialized often as well. Renee enjoyed going out after work, but according to Kathy and other friends we spoke with, Renee tended to stick with the friend group.

[Narrator/Host]

Any specific bars you guys remember you would go to? Like. Oh, we would always go to this bar.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

That bar we used to hang out at. The. Oh, what was that one on Kimball Street?

[Detective Chris Hall]

The Kimball.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

The warehouse.

[Narrator/Host]

Oh, okay.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Then the one that was connected to that one. We'd go back and forth between them a lot.

[Narrator/Host]

When you guys would go out to a bar, what would you do? Would you play pool or darts or.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Dance or dance and drink?

[Narrator/Host]

Dance and drink. Okay.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah.

[Narrator/Host]

When Renee was out, was she the type of person that, like, would attract other people to come talk to her? Would guys come up and try to talk to her?

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Guys always try to talk to her.

[Narrator/Host]

How did she react when that would happen?

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Typically, she'd be cordial to him, but she wouldn't, you know, give him much to go with.

[Narrator/Host]

Okay, so she wasn't the type that's like, I'll dance with this guy. Now I'll dance with this guy. And I'll dance with this guy.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Kind of like that.

[Narrator/Host]

Anyone who looks at the photographs of Renee or talks with her friends and family will immediately see that Renee was, as Cathy said, stunning. We've heard from numerous people that Renee was just the type of person that everyone wanted to be around. In fact, one friend who asked not to be named in this episode told us that it was almost like Renee drew people to her. She was beautiful, fun, confident, kind. She spoke English and Spanish, and she was smart.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah. So it made sense that she worked in sales for Lee Ward's. Her co workers and customers from the store all enjoyed interacting with her. She had a smile that could light up her room. According to one friend, she could confidently talk to pretty much anyone. So when she was suddenly murdered In November of 1979, everyone was shocked, especially her family and her close friends, like Kathy. Kathy told us about the impact that Renee's murder had on the rest of her life.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

It affected my life. My life has never been quite normal since. I've never been able to go anywhere on my own. I'm scared to go out at night alone. My husband. Thank God for my husband. We've been married almost 37 years now. He understands completely. He's never let me down on that. I've never. I don't go anywhere alone, but he takes me everywhere I need to go. But this has affected me. I'm scared to death. Whoever I mean, that happened, how easy could it not happen again? It's made me very afraid. I'm. I'm afraid of the world, actually, because I'm so afraid now with everything that's going on in the world right now, that it was just so easy for that to happen back then that it could happen like anything right now, anything. It happens everywhere now. And that's what's really scaring me. I've gone all my life being terrified of people, and maybe whoever killed her might be coming after me because they think that I knew something. So I've been afraid all my life. And when you called my husband yesterday, I had the most unbelievable, almost like a relief inside of me thinking you possibly were calling to tell me you had an answer. So anything you can do to figure this out on, I'd be more than happy.

[Narrator/Host]

As of the date of this recording, next month is November, and It will mark 46 years since Renee's murder. Kathy told us that she has not talked about this case since 1979. But even after all that Time, she still thinks about Renee often. Kathy even considered writing a letter to the police department a few years ago to ask if we would review Renee's case. But she found it too difficult to put that plea into words. When Chris reached out to her recently, however, Kathy was ready to talk to us about Renee and. And she shared this emotional plea for anyone that might have information about who killed her friend.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Please, please tell somebody. Call the police and tell them everything. You know, this has been a horrible thing that happened to her. It never should have happened. She was a good person and she didn't deserve it. She had so much to live for. She had so much going for. And for some reason, some lunatic comes into our apartment and kills her for no reason.

[Detective Chris Hall]

In addition to several family members and Renee's roommate Kathy, Andrew and I also met with a woman named Laura, who was close friends with Renee. Laura met Renee in middle school and they forged a fast friendship. Laura also agreed to allow us to use her voice in this podcast and she told us that she loved Renee from the time they first met. Renee and Laura were born two days apart, often celebrating one another's birthdays, and they remained friends until her murder. Here's Laura now describing Renee in high school.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Oh, my God. I remember her hair parted in the middle. She had the most beautiful long black hair. She had full lips, beautiful eyes, and I loved her nose. It was so cute on her face. She was just beautiful. Really nice figure. Even in high school, throughout remembering things, she was about the same height. I think I loved her fingers. She had long fingers. She's just beautiful. She laughed loud and we passed notes all the time in the hallway and we talked on the phone a lot. Just was so much fun. Eating lunch with.

[Detective Chris Hall]

That's it.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

We complained about the uniforms, but we loved the Daisy, didn't have to wear them. She was always really happy.

[Narrator/Host]

Laura, like many other people, went on to tell us that Renee was gorgeous, well liked, and literally the most loyal friend she ever had. One of the first things she remembered about Renee was Renee's loud laugh and all the fun that they had in high school. Laura remembered them passing notes and eating in the cafeteria, laughing as she recalled that they both loved the chocolate pudding and the pizza. She also described how the girls used to wear their school uniforms, which both she and Renee hated. According to Laura, both girls really enjoyed the times they didn't have to wear their uniforms and could show off their own individual styles.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Laura also said that Renee was a good student and an even better friend. Laura had a very Tough upbringing, and she was involved in some unhealthy relationships in both high school and after high school. Laura told us that it was Renee who had helped her get through some really tough times in her life. And she had this specifically to say about her friend Renee.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

I will always say she saved me because she was that bright light, and it gave me hope that she was always going to be there. We were always going to be friends.

[Detective Chris Hall]

You know, Andrew, I have to say that each person we talked to in this case told us that Renee was really just a wonderful person all around. She was kind, and she cared about her friends and her family. She loved animals, and her friends and family mourn the loss of her. To this day, Laura couldn't recall details about the last time she saw Renee in person, but she did tell us that she actually had plans to go holiday shopping with Renee on the same Saturday that she was found. Sadly, instead of heading out to look at the Christmas decorations and shop for her friends and family with Renee, Laura received a phone call that would change her life forever. Laura told us that she was at her friend's house that Saturday afternoon when the phone rang. Her friend told Laura that Laura's roommate was on the phone. And so Laura went to the phone to see what she needed. In that moment, Laura's roommate told her that her dear friend Renee Tovar had been murdered.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

They wanted to know when I would be home. And I said, I didn't know I was planning to do this, but I could tell there was something wrong. So I. Tell me. Tell me what's happened.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

And then they told me, and it was horrible.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, it was awful.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Did you come. Did you go right home after that?

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, yeah, Yeah, I did.

[Narrator/Host]

A few days after that phone call, Laura attended Renee's funeral at the o' Connor funeral home here in Elgin. Instead of celebrating the holidays with Renee, Laura tried to remember a friend's life with her other friends and family members. But it was a very emotional time, and it was very difficult. Laura had this to say about attending Renee's funeral.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

The hardest thing I've ever done. We all had flowers, and I tell you, I was just so traumatized by it all that I remember. It's like I could see myself stumbling, walking, like I was headed for to get my head chopped off to put a rose on her. And it was terrible. I was such a spectacle. Everybody felt sorry for me. They all brought out their Kleenexes. I was so awful. I was so pathetic. But I couldn't help it. It was the most tragic, tragic thing ever in my life. I stopped reading Mystery. I stopped doing a lot of things. I. I carried a little bat with me. Every man I saw with a scratch on his face killed her. It was horrible. For the longest time, Laura went on.

[Narrator/Host]

To tell us that Renee's mother, Angie, was a saint. She described her as an extremely kind woman who suffered an unthinkable tragedy. A number of other family members and friends also recounted Renee's funeral to us. And to say it was devastating for them would be an understatement. People literally broke down. Family members and friends cried. A community of people questioned how something like this could happen to such a wonderful, beautiful, bright young woman.

[Detective Chris Hall]

The original case file includes a ledger for all the people who came to Renee's funeral. And it contains dozens upon dozens of pages filled with names. Clearly, many people came to pay their respects to Renee and her family. One of Renee's family members who we met with for this case still carries several of the original prayer cards from Renee's funeral in her purse. She recently gave Andrew and I one of them, and we thought it would be appropriate to share that card in prayer here in this episode.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

A Prayer for Renee. When you're alone with Jesus and he sweetly smiles on thee, will you gently whisper to him a little prayer for me? And when I'm all alone with Jesus and all else is his from view, I'll gently drop into his heart a little prayer for you. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, my Jesus, Mercy, O sacred heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Rene Cruz Tovar, born September 16, 1955, at rest November 24, 1979.

[Narrator/Host]

After her funeral in the mass, the family buried Renee at Mount Hope Cemetery in Elgin. She remained there alone for 40 years until her father Sebastian joined her in 2019. Then in April of 2022, her mother Angie died at age 95 and she too joined her daughter at Mount Hope. Neither Sebastian nor Angie ever learned who took Renee's life, but they're together again, reunited, waiting alongside her for answers and justice that Renee Tovar deserves.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Next episode of our podcast is part two of Renee's story and the final episode of season two. We will discuss Renee's case, re release some never before heard information and discuss potential links between Renee's case and a series of murders in the Chicagoland area in the 1980s. So please join us for our final episode of season two, Elgin the 1970s. As we remember Renee and all of the victims from the decade here on. Somebody know some.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

If you or anyone you know has information about this case or any other culture Cold 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. This is the story of the one as head of maintenance at a concert hall, he knows the show must always go on. That's why he works behind the scenes, ensuring every light is working, the H Vac is humming, and his facility shines with Grainger's supplies and solutions for every challenge he faces. Plus 24. 7 customer support. His venue never misses a beat. Call quickgranger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Narrator/Host]

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[Detective Andrew Houghton]

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[Narrator/Host]

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[Detective Chris Hall]

For more Valspar pros, head to Lowe's.

[Narrator/Host]

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[Detective Chris Hall]

See valsparpro.com for details.