Somebody Knows Something: The Elgin Police Cold Case Podcast

S2E8: The Final Murder of the Decade (1979) – Part 2

Release Date: October 24, 2025
Hosts: Detective Andrew Houghton & Detective Chris Hall

Episode Overview

This season finale revisits the 1979 brutal murder of Renee Tovar—the last unsolved homicide of the decade in Elgin. Detective Andrew Houghton and Detective Chris Hall walk through the facts of the case, reveal newly released information in hopes of spurring new leads, and reflect on the impact of the case on the community and the victim's loved ones. The episode also reviews the possible link to the notorious "Ripper Crew" and honors all known homicide victims from Elgin in the 1970s, emphasizing the continuing need for community involvement in solving these cold cases.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Renee Tovar’s Last Night and Discovery

• Timeline of Events

  • [02:58] Renee spent Thanksgiving with family, then spent the following evening (Fri, Nov 23, 1979) at her new apartment, declining social plans to work on a needlepoint project (likely a gift for her boyfriend).

  • Around 10:30pm, she left for a short drive to a nearby 7-Eleven to buy cigarettes.

  • Witnesses remembered her entering the store; the clerk recognized her as a neighbor ([05:26]).

  • Kathy, Renee’s roommate, returned the next day around noon:

    "And I walk in and I see my hooked rod because I was doing a really huge hook rug. And I see all my yarn scattered everywhere...As I walked in, I turned and I looked and I saw her lying there. She wasn't breathing."
    — Kathy (voice actor), [06:16]

• Crime Scene Details

  • Renee was found dead on her living room floor; police reported stabbing in the head, neck, and chest, her body partially disrobed, and cuts suggesting either ritual or rage ([09:06]).

  "It was a very unusual crime just because of the ferociousness of it..."
  — Deputy Chief Jack Darr, quoted from Nov 8, 1995 Daily Herald, [09:06]

• Physical Evidence & Early Investigation

  • Signs of a struggle were present, contrary to some early media reports.
  • The weapon was a kitchen knife from her own apartment.
  • Police interviewed witnesses, conducted polygraphs, and collected physical evidence but the case soon grew cold ([08:24]).

Challenges of Cold Case DNA and Evidence

• Modern DNA Technology

  • DNA alone is not enough unless matched with a known suspect. Many cold case DNA profiles, especially from decades ago, remain unmatched in CODIS (national database) ([12:00 - 13:36]).

  "People seem to think that if the police get DNA in a case, then the case is solved. But it is far more complicated than that."
  — Detective Andrew Houghton, [13:04]

• Need for Public Tips

  • The role of public information is crucial, as in the Browns Chicken Massacre (1993), where a tip from a girlfriend led to a match and conviction years after DNA was collected ([13:36]).

New Information Released: Witness Statement

• Previously Unreleased Witness Account

  • A neighbor heard voices outside near Liberty and Laurel Streets around 1am the night of Renee’s murder.

    “At one point, a female voice screamed in Spanish ‘deja la bastardo’—‘Leave her alone, bastard.’”
    [16:09]

  • Police are publicly releasing this account for the first time to identify the people involved or find new witnesses.

Possible Suspect Link: The Ripper Crew

• Background on the Ripper Crew

  • A notorious group from the Chicago area, tied to a series of abductions, murders, and suspected ritualistic crimes (especially mutilation) in the early 1980s.

• Potential Connection to Renee Tovar’s Case

  • In 1995, links were drawn due to similarity in wounds (chest/thigh cuts), ritualistic speculation, and allegations via an inmate interview that Robin Gecht mentioned abducting a 'woman from a 7-Eleven near Elgin' ([29:51]).

  “Robin Gecht reportedly told another inmate that he was involved in Renee’s case, at least in a veiled way.”
  — Detective Chris Hall, [29:19]

  • All four core members' backgrounds and their confirmed crimes are reviewed in detail, highlighting both their depravity and the vulnerability of their victims ([19:17 - 28:29]).

• Status of the Ripper Crew

  • Andrew Kokarelis: Executed in 1999 ([25:03])
  • Edward Spreitzer: Serving 6 life sentences ([25:23])
  • Thomas Kokarelis: Paroled and living near Peoria as of 2019 ([26:01])
  • Robin Gecht: In prison for 120 years for related but non-homicide offenses ([28:15])

  “A monster would. Long I have sat in this courtroom and I have heard some terrible cases, but I have never heard a case like this one.”
  — Judge Francis Mahone, [28:17]

• Theories and Open Questions

  • Detectives consider if Gecht could have acted earlier, alone or with an unknown confederate, and invite anyone who knew him around 1979–1980 to reach out ([31:23]).
  • Other theories still viable; Ripper Crew link is only one possibility.

Honoring the Victims

• Renee Tovar and Other Victims

  • Renee is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery with other Elgin cold case victims awaiting justice.
  • The episode closes with a roll call of all 27 homicide victims from the 1970s in Elgin—regardless of whether or not their cases remain open ([37:48 - 40:07]), as a public act of remembrance and call for justice.

  "Our hope is that with this podcast we can connect to the family and the community and remember all these victims and honor them because each and every one of them deserve to be remembered and they all deserve justice in their cases."
  — Detective Andrew Houghton, [40:16]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Discovery & Impact on Survivors

  "[As] I walked in, I turned and I looked and I saw her laying there. She wasn't breathing. Everything was scattered all around her...And I ran out the door and I ran over to the neighbors."
  — Kathy, Renee’s roommate, [06:16]

• On Perseverance in Cold Case Work

  “Physical evidence like DNA or fingerprints is great, but it’s not the end of the road.”
  — Detective Andrew Houghton, [12:27]

• Community’s Crucial Role

  "Having a DNA profile doesn’t mean that you have a suspect to compare it against."
  — Detective Chris Hall, [13:04]

• On Remembering the Victims, Not the Killers

  "Too often we see serial murderers and serial rapists sensationalized or even glorified in the media. But these guys are not heroes, and they’re certainly not anti heroes either. They are, as Judge Mahone said, monsters, not men. And it’s the victims that we should be remembering and honoring in all of these cases."
  — Detective Andrew Houghton, [28:29]

Important Timestamps

• [02:25] – Recap and overview of Renee Tovar’s last known hours
• [06:16] – Kathy’s first-person account of discovering Renee
• [09:06] – Details from 1995 reporting on the brutality and ritual speculation
• [13:36] – Role of DNA, the Browns Chicken Massacre example
• [16:09] – Newly released information: neighbor hears a woman yelling in Spanish
• [19:17 - 29:19] – Extended review of the Ripper Crew’s crimes, victims, and possible connection to Tovar
• [33:33 - 36:34] – Reflections on other major Elgin cold cases from the 1970s
• [37:48 - 40:07] – Reading of all 27 Elgin homicide victims from the 1970s
• [41:59–42:38] – Gratitude to listeners, community, and families

Call to Action

• Anyone with information relating to Renee Tovar, Robin Gecht, or any Elgin cold case—no matter how small—should contact the Elgin Police Department:
  • Email: coldcasetips@elginil.gov
  • Tip Line: 847-289-COLD
  • Visit: Elgin Transparency Hub

Tone & Approach

The episode balances a respectful, victim-centered focus with the meticulous, methodical tone of police work. The hosts convey urgency and empathy, carefully threading traumatic content with compassion, community appeal, and firm resolve. The appeal is constant: justice for the victims, closure for the families, and hope that "somebody knows something."