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

Summary

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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

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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.

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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]).

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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]).

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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

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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: [e-mail]
  • Tip Line: 847-289-COLD
  • Visit: Elgin Transparency Hub

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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."

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Transcript

[Narrator]

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 Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Podcast 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 based on real investigations, some aspects may be simplified for 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 to be legal. Conclusions all persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion is advised.

[Narrator]

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, the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Podcast. My name is Detective Andrew Houghton and.

[Detective Chris Hall]

I'm Detective Chris Hall.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Last episode, our listeners heard from friends and family who knew Renee Tovar. Renee was described as a beautiful, bright young woman who had her whole life in front of her until someone took her life in the days after Thanksgiving of 1979. In this final episode of the season, we will review Renee's case, release some new information and seek new tips in her murder case. We will also remember all the homicide victims from the 1970s of Elgin as we close out season two of Somebody Knows Something.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Friday, November 23rd, 1979 was the day after Thanksgiving. Renee had spent the holiday with her family, but by Friday she was sitting in her new apartment as her roommate Kathy got ready for a date. Kathy invited Renee to go out that night because Renee's boyfriend was out of town, but Renee told Her that she wanted to spend a relaxing night in to finish the needlepoint project that she had been working on. The project was likely a gift for her boyfriend's birthday, which was actually only a few days away. As Kathy said goodbye to her friend around 7:30pm and left for the evening, she didn't know that she would never see Renee alive again.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

After Kathy left, Renee spent several hours in her apartment working on her sewing project. Then, sometime around 10:30pm Renee decided that she wanted some cigarettes. So she put down her needlepoint and bundled up for a drive just a few blocks to a nearby convenience store.

[Detective Chris Hall]

The layout for Renee's apartment is a little odd, but it could be an important aspect of the case, and it sort of plays into this part of the story. The apartment was two stories, A living room and a kitchen on the first floor, and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second. But the apartment was raised. When you approach the building at street level, there's a single car garage with the first floor of the apartment on top of it. And there's a set of concrete steps that run from the street up to the front door of the apartment.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, that's right. And the apartment isn't a standalone building. It's actually a duplex with another unit attached to it. Today, there are two exterior doors, one for each unit. But in the photos we have from 1979, there's a single door with a small vestibule atop the stairs. The two units mirror one another with a shared wall and a shared backyard with a fence. So Renee was sitting in the living room on the raised first floor and working on her sewing project. Before she left, she likely walked down the interior steps from the first floor kitchen that led into the garage below to go buy her cigarettes.

[Detective Chris Hall]

By the time Renee left her apartment, it was just above freezing outside. She likely opened the manual overhead garage door, entered her car, and then backed out of the driveway onto Liberty Street. We can't say for certain if she closed the door before driving away or left it open, knowing that it was pretty cold out and she'd only be gone a few minutes. But Kathy said Renee generally would close the overhead garage door.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Renee drove east on Chicago street just a few blocks to the 7 11. She arrived and parked in the parking lot and walked into the store where several people saw her.

[Detective Chris Hall]

According to witnesses, Renee arrived at the convenience store around 10:30pm One woman who later identified a photograph of Renee, remarked to police that she remembered the pretty Spanish girl who came in and spoke with the clerk. The clerk coincidentally Also remembered Renee because he lived on the same block as her and recognized her.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Renee bought a pack of cigarettes, returned to her car, and pulled out of the parking lot to drive home. Other than the person or persons who killed her, that clerk and witness at the 7:11 are the last known people to see Renee Tovar alive. When Kathy returned to the apartment around noon the next day, she walked up the concrete steps, assuming that she would find her friend waiting inside to chat with her. Instead, she found Renee lying on the living room floor, dead.

[Narrator]

I go up to the house. I stick my key in the door, not thinking of anything. 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. And I. And I'm.

[Detective Chris Hall]

I.

[Podcast Host]

It didn't.

[Narrator]

Nothing registered except why. Why is it all over the place? And I kept walking farther and farther in, and 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. All my yarn from my rug. Everything was everywhere, all around her. And I ran out the door and I ran over to the neighbors.

[Detective Chris Hall]

It's hard to listen to Kathy when she relives this event. And her statement in this episode is just a small part of her memories from that day. She remembers every detail. Obviously, we're not going to describe everything that Kathy saw, but what she did see was understandably terrifying. The memories of that day still haunt her. I can't even imagine what it would be like to walk into your own house and find someone murdered. As Kathy said in her previous episode, that single moment in her life has impacted her for over 45 years, and that's not fair. No one should ever have to see something like that or experience a loss like Kathy and Renee's other friends and family suffered. Well, back in 1979, the Elgin Police Department did release some details about the murder publicly. An article in the Chicago Tribune quoted Elgin police as saying that Renee had been stabbed in the head, neck, and chest. Police even released the exact address of her apartment. Surprisingly, though, there are only a few newspaper articles for the case. During the initial investigation period, we came across a few of those articles and an obituary for Renee. But I think we're both surprised that we didn't find more articles about the case.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, I agree.

[Detective Chris Hall]

In any case, the Elgin Police Department interviewed numerous people, conducted polygraphs, and collected physical evidence from the crime scene. But the case soon went cold. It wasn't until the mid-1990s that there was some Renewed media attention in Renee's case.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

There were several articles in area newspapers like the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald in November of 1995. In those articles, police released a lot more information about the murder, including that Renee was found in the living room of her apartment. One article in particular from the November 8, 1995 edition of the Daily Herald included the following.

[Podcast Host]

Tovar's neighborhood was a quiet one, but the mysterious murder of a woman who didn't seem to have any enemies and the savagery of the crime would have disturbed the most hardened residents of the city. It was a very unusual crime just because of the ferociousness of it, Elgin deputy chief Jack Darr said. It's not your typical homicide side where someone is shot or stabbed. This was heinous. According to police reports, Tovar was partially disrobed by her attacker. She had been cut with a kitchen knife taken from her own kitchen. Investigators noted there were long, shallow cuts on her chest and thighs. Tovar had also been struck with a heavy object. And other wounds on her body suggested that the murder was was committed as part of some kind of ritual or ceremony. November 8, 1995 Daily Herald.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Chris, we have both reviewed the case file and the photographs for this case, and deputy chief Dhar is right. It was a brutal scene. We've also heard Kathy recount her discovery of Renee in the apartment, and quite frankly, it's heartbreaking.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah. And to think that a person could do this to anyone, including this beautiful young woman, is really unthinkable. But someone did. However, it doesn't necessarily mean it was part of some kind of ritual or ceremony. We both think that it's certainly a possibility, but her murder could be related to some other factors as well. The ritualistic idea, we both think, comes from a theory of the case from 1995. But before we talk about that, let's talk a little bit more about the facts on the ground in 1979.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Okay, let's start with Renee's physical characteristics. Several people describe Renee in part one of this case, but her size and her stature is something that could be important. Renee was approximately 5 foot 1 and weighed about 105 pounds. So she was a pretty small female, but she kept herself active. And every single person we talked to said that they believed she would fight back if someone attacked her. She was basically described as pretty feisty girl.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah. And despite what the original news articles say in 1979, one actually says that that there was no signs of a struggle. And the scene certainly points to 1. As Kathy said, The couch was pushed over toward the door and there were items strewn about the floor where Renee was killed. It definitely appears that she fought back.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Renee's cause of death was was listed as a massive hemorrhage from her stab wounds. So this was up close and personal. The offender had to physically touch her and be very close to her. It definitely seems like there was a struggle in the living room where she was murdered. It is possible that new technology could help with this case and other cases that we have talked about in the season. But even if we get DNA in these old cases, it doesn't mean that the case is just over.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah, exactly. While we're not going to publicly confirm if we have DNA in any of these old cases, even if we do, that doesn't mean we automatically can identify a suspect. For example, if a police department has DNA in a case, but that DNA profile isn't associated with anyone with an arrest record in codis, they simply know that the suspect isn't in codis, but they don't know who he or she is.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, that's right. And codis, which is the Combined DNA Index System, has different standards. A DNA profile, especially from an older case, might not be suitable for codis, so police might need a direct standard to compare it against. Additionally, a police department may have already compared DNA to a known suspect or suspects from an original case file and excluded them, but they might not want to release that information publicly to protect the integrity of the case. At that point, police still have to identify a suspect to compare their DNA to or fingerprints to or other physical evidence to. Having physical evidence like DNA or fingerprints is great, but it's not the end of the road.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah, it's certainly not. 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. And as we stated, we're not going to publicly confirm if we have fingerprints or DNA in any of these cold cases or not at this point. But even if we do, we still need the public's help in identifying potential witnesses and suspects in all these cases. Because having a DNA profile doesn't mean that you have a suspect to compare it against.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah, there's a number of well known cases where police have DNA and they ran the DNA in CODIS but didn't get a match. In some of these old cold cases, police have had DNA evidence for decades. They just don't have someone to compare it to. One case that comes to mind as an example is the Browns Chicken Massacre on January 8, 1993, two robbers shot and killed seven people in a Browns chicken in Palatine, Illinois. The police did a fantastic job collecting DNA evidence, and they even had a DNA profile, but they had no leads and no suspect to compare that DNA to. Then in 2002, a girlfriend of one of the offenders came forward with some information, and police were able to identify not one, but two suspects based on that DNA and statements from that person. Palatine was able to identify Juan Luna and James Dagorski, and they were both sentenced to life in prison. But it was a tip from the public that helped them get the ball over the goal line in that case. Even though they had DNA from the very beginning. Yes.

[Detective Chris Hall]

And I guess the point that we're trying to make is that even when police do have physical evidence, they still have to use good old fashioned investigative techniques and tips to try to find a suspect to compare the physical evidence to. So if you have any information in this case or any other cold case that might help us locate a new witness or a suspect, please contact us.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Okay, Chris, as we said in part one, Renee had only been in a few relationships in her short life, and she was reportedly dating a man at the time of her murder. As we mentioned before, he was in Michigan with a friend over the weekend when Renee was killed. So police obviously spoke to him and his friend as they worked on the case. They also interviewed neighbors, witnesses at the 7 11, and a number of other people for this investigation. One thing that sticks out in the case file and is mentioned in newspaper articles in the days after Renee's murder is that there was a call for a prowler at 135 S. Porter St. Which is the house directly behind Renee's apartment, at approximately 9pm on the night of her murder. The police responded and they didn't find anybody. And press clippings say that the police believed that the two incidents were not related. But I don't think either of us are ready to really make that leap quite yet.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah, definitely not. Throughout the original investigation in 1979 and 1980, several people also claimed to have information about the case. And we feel like one person's information could help us if we release it publicly. So we're going to do just that. This witness lived in the neighborhood and reported that they heard someone yelling outside near the intersection of Laurel street and South Liberty street around 1am on the night of Renee's murder.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Yeah. And Renee's apartment's just a few houses north of that location, right?

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah. And so people that this witness heard could be related to Renee's case. We are releasing information from this witness for the very first time publicly here in this podcast. Here is what the original police report says the witness heard. The following is edited and redacted to protect the witness's identity. The witness worked Friday night, the night after Thanksgiving, 1979, and arrived home around 12:40am on Saturday, November 24th. When the witness arrived home, they went to the upstairs bedroom and began getting ready for bed. At approximately 1am the witness heard voices outside. Voices that seemed to come from somewhere near the corner of South Liberty street and Laurel Street. The witness could not make out what was being said, except at one point, a female voice screamed in Spanish the de ha la bastardo. This phrase translated to English means leave her alone, bastard. The witness looked out through the second floor window but could see no one. We are hoping that this new detail might help spark some tips in the case. Maybe these people are related to Renee's case or maybe they could be new witnesses who were never interviewed. Either way, we'd love to identify anyone who was outside on South Liberty street overnight on November 23rd into November 24th of 1979. It was black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, so there's a solid reference point for that date. If anything like this sounds familiar to any of our listeners, please contact us.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Well, as we said, by the mid-1980s, this case had gone cold. Then in 1995, Elgin police reinvestigated the homicide with some new information. Let's talk about that new information and the possible link to a group of serial killers who were suspected in the murder of nearly two dozen women and several men between 1981 and 1982. A group known as the Ripper Crew. In season one, Detective Bartanian and I briefly mentioned the group because their names came up in Karen Sheeper's disappearance. But we learned that they were in custody when she disappeared. Listeners will remember that there were four men associated with the so called Ripper Crew. Those men were Andrew and Thomas Kokarellis, Robin Gecht and Edward Spreitzer. Media reports from 1982 after their arrest document that the Kokarellis brothers were from Villa park and that Robin and Edward were both from Chicago. But what we now know is that Robin actually moved out to Carpentersville, Illinois just after his arrest in 1982. Because he had family out there.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Yeah, that's right. So some of Rene's family members and some former investigators in this case believe, especially since 1995, that Gecht and some other members of the group could potentially have been involved in Renee's murder. Andrew, I think it might be helpful that we walk through these guys history to get an idea of what they were capable of and then bring it back full circle to our case for our listeners. This portion of the episode will be graphic so listener discretion is advised.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

The Ripper crew was suspected of up to 25 total murders, which included 21 women and four men. But the various members were ultimately only officially linked and convicted for the case of six total women and one man. Like we said, we can't confirm if they're related to Renee's case or not, but by 1995 police certainly began to consider them as suspects.

[Detective Chris Hall]

These guys really preyed on the most vulnerable women they could. They grabbed women who were just walking alone on the street and also picked up prostitutes. On some occasions they victimized people who were often forgotten members of our society. Their victims are not famous cases of young co eds on a college campus or splashed across newspapers and media. Most people, even in Chicagoland have probably never even heard about these cases. The victims in these cases are simply women who were out alone and targeted by these guys. A big point in doing the podcast is to remind people that all the women were victims who existed. Even if people have never heard of their cases, they had lives and families, friends and dreams and they were taken away by these men. We want to make sure that people don't forget about them and we want to remember them and not to glorify these horrible people who victimized members of our community.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

The first confirmed homicide of the group was the murder of 28 year old black woman named Linda Sutton. Linda was last seen on May 23, 1981 and her body was found seven days later in Villa Park, Illinois. According to 1988 Illinois Supreme Court filing for Edward Spreitzer, he claimed that Gecht picked him up in Gecht's red van. The men drove to Chicago and picked up Linda Sutton, handcuffed her and drove her to an area near the Briar Rabbit Motel in Villa Park. Spritzer said that Gecht used a wire to cut off her breasts while she was still alive and that he was also having sex with the open wounds of her chest. Court filings also showed that Andrew Kokarelis was present for Linda's murder. Linda was a mother who left behind an 8 year old daughter and a 15 month old son when she was murdered.

[Detective Chris Hall]

While the group is suspected in other cases, they were not officially linked to another murder for just over a year. On May 15, 1982, members of the group kidnapped 21 year old Lorraine Ann Borowski, who friends and family called Lori. Lori was from Elmhurst, Illinois. She came from a big family with five brothers and sisters. She was described as a very generous and considerate young woman. The group had reportedly been cruising all night looking for their next victim. But they had not found who they were looking for until they spotted Lori walking alone to a ReMax realtor's office in Elmhurst where she worked around 7am when police arrived into the area, they found her shoes in the parking lot where she had been abducted. The group literally pulled Lori out of her shoes and into their van. Lori's remains were found in a cemetery in Clarendon Hills, Illinois nearly five months later. Court records document that all four members of the group were reportedly present and took part in Lori's murder.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

The group was also linked to the 1982 abduction and murder of 30 year old Shoey Mack in Hanover park on May 29, 1982. Chewy was a Chinese immigrant who ran a restaurant called Ling Lings with her brother, parents, uncle and her grandparents and she had recently decided to get married. The group spotted her walking alone near Illinois Route 19 and Barrington Road in Hanover park and pulled their van up to her. Andrew Cucarellis and Spritzer reportedly jumped out and grabbed her as she attempted to run away. They dragged her into the van and according to Andrew Kokorellis, they drove to a secluded field. Court records and statements that both Kokarellis and Spreitzer made indicated that Robin Geck cut her with a knife while Edward Spreitzer strangled her and all three men allegedly penetrated wounds on her body with their penises. Her remains were found four months later near Barrington, Illinois.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Then came the murder of 18 year old Sandra Delaware, who was described as a very bright girl. On August 27, 1982, members of the group were driving in the area of North Avenue near the Chicago river when they spotted a young black girl walking alone. They grabbed her, handcuffed her, raped her, stabbed her and strangled her before they dumped her body into the Chicago River. Sandra was later found under the Fullerton Avenue Bridge.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

A fifth victim was also later identified and linked back to the group. Her name was Rose Marie Davis. Rose graduated from the Southern Illinois School of Graphic Design and she lived in Broadview, Illinois with her husband in 1982. She was 31 years old when she was murdered. Rose had had dinner at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago and then was walking along Lake Michigan with some friends. Friends. After the evening out, she walked back to her parked car alone, when a red van reportedly driven by Robin Gecht approached her. Andrea Kokorales and Edward Spreitzer were also inside. Rosa's body was found between two buildings in the 1200 block of North Lake Shore Drive, just north of Oak street Beach, on September 8, 1982. Court filings documented that Andrew Kokarellis and Edward Spreitzer reportedly kidnapped her and dragged her from the van driven by Gecht and into a courtyard near the lake. Robin Geck reportedly raped her before cutting her body with a hatchet, and Edward Spreitzer strangled her. The men also slashed her breasts and beat her about the head, causing multiple skull fractures. In fact, the injuries were so severe that police originally thought she had jumped from one of the surrounding buildings, but that was not the case. These men had abducted her, raped her, and murdered her.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Andrew Korcareles later confessed that he took part in the rape and murder of at least 18 women, but he was only convicted of two murders, including Lori's. He received the death penalty for her case, and in 1999, he was executed by lethal injection, making him the last inmate in Illinois history to be executed.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Edward Sprycer was also later convicted for the murders of Linda Sutton, Loriann Borowski, Shoey Mack, Rosemary Davis, Sandra Delaware, and a shooting in which he murdered a man named Rafael Tiradeo. Edward Spreitzer was sentenced to death, but he was luckier than Andrew. In 2003, Governor George Ryan commuted the death sentences of 167 inmates in Illinois, including Edward, and in 2011, Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation abolishing the death penalty here in Illinois. Edward Spreitzer is now serving six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for his convictions at the Pinckneyville Correctional Facility in southern Illinois.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Thomas Korkerellis, Andrew's brother, admitted to being present for at least three of the murders, including Laurie Borowski's murder. Court filings for him documented that he was initially sentenced to life in prison in 1984, but he won a new trial on an appeal, and in 1987, he agreed to plead guilty to Laurie's murder in exchange for other murder charges being dropped. Thomas was sentenced to 70 years in prison, but due to changes in Illinois law, he became eligible for parole after 35 years. Despite the best efforts of family members like Mark Borowski and others, Thomas was granted parole in 2019, and he is currently living near Peoria, Illinois.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Robin Gecht is a different animal altogether. Police in 1995 believe it was possible that he was involved in Renee's case In one Illinois Supreme Court case filing in 1989, Andrew Kokarellis claimed that Robin Gecht had a box in his house in which he kept the severed breasts of multiple victims. He even told the police that Geck would masturbate with them. And at one point he said he saw upwards of 15 different breasts in the box. Members of the group also claimed that they performed satanic rituals in Geck's attic with the breasts and that some of them actually ate portions of them.

[Detective Chris Hall]

The Kokorales brothers in Spreitzer also described Gecht as essentially the ringleader for the group. He refused to plead guilty to any of the cases and he denied the allegations against him. Ultimately, he was never even charged with murder. Rather, he was charged with abducting, raping and attempting to murder a young woman in Chicago in October of 1982. The act picked up a woman, drugged her, raped her and amputated her left breast. When he dumped her from his van, he likely believed that she was dead. But she wasn't. She survived and was able to identify him and his red van, which was used in all the other cases that we have discussed. Cook County Judge Francis Mahone said this about Goch just before sentencing, sentencing him to 120 years in prison for his crimes.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Only a devil would do these things.

[Detective Chris Hall]

An animal would not do these things. 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.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Both Chris and I think it's really important that people hear the names of these victims and remember them. Linda Sutton, Lorianne Barowski, Shoeie Mack, Sandra Delaware, Rosemary Davis and Rafael Tiradeo were people who lived in our communities and had families and their lives were taken by these men. We share these brief statements about their cases so that we don't downplay the evilness of these offenders. And we say their names so that people don't forget them. 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 Chris Hall]

So why did police and people in the media believe that Gecht could potentially be related to Renee's case? Well, we've already explained that Renee had several cuts down her chest and thighs, which could be similar to the cases we described. But there is more to it. Than just that Robin Decked reportedly told to another inmate that he was involved in Renee's case, at least in a veiled way.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

In 1995, J. Slade Fletcher, the first female patrol officer in the history of the Chicago Police Department, wrote a book called Deadly Thrills, which detailed the crimes of the so called Ripper crew. In her book, which Chris and I both read, Fletcher recounted an interview with an inmate who was incarcerated with Gecht. That inmate, who in the book is referred to as Rocky, stated that he had known gecht for approximately 14 years and that Robin Gecht made mentions of a rock quarry near Route 19 in Elgin and that he bragged about abducting a young woman from a 7 11. When that book came out, it was the first time Elgin Police Department had heard about these statements. And the case got new life as the police looked into the possibility that Renee was that woman from the 7 11.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Since he had ties to the area and allegedly mentioned the Elgin area and a 7 11, the Elgin Police Department reopened Renee's case and even interviewed Gecht. Unfortunately, nothing new came out of the case, and Marnae's murder still remains our last cold case homicide of the 1970s. Well, Andrew, we've reached the point in this episode where again, we're asking for help from the public because this case is nearly 50 years old. And we are very interested in speaking with people who knew Renee Tovar or worked with her at Lee Wards. We're also interested in speaking with people who lived in her neighborhood on South Liberty street or South Porter street just behind her apartment in 1979.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Chris and I are also interested in speaking with anyone who knew Robin gecht, especially in 1979 or 1980. Robin Gecht's history suggests that he typically committed his crimes with at least one other person present, often Edward Spritzer. But in the fall of 1982, Sprycer told the police that he'd only known Gecht for about two years. Could Rene's case be an earlier version of Gecht's series of crimes in which he simply acted alone or with some other person? Or did he maybe know sprites are a little bit longer than two years? It's possible. Chris and I have other working theories on the case as well, but we certainly want to include Robin Gecht and the Ripper crew as one of our potential options in this case. So hearing from people who knew them could be really helpful.

[Detective Chris Hall]

We're also hoping that this new detail about an argument in the street could lead to new tips on Renee's case. Too. As we stated, a neighbor heard a female voice yelling in Spanish on the night that Renee was murdered. The problem is we don't know who that woman is, who she was talking to, or who she was talking about. If this new piece of information jogs a memory for someone, please contact us. In cases like this, no tip is too small.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Renee Tovar is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery here in Elgin, waiting like so many others for justice. In her case, she lies in the same cemetery as Laurie Bulger and other cold case homicide victims like Michelle Garcia, who was murdered and found concealed in a cistern in her backyard in 1980, Wilfredo Navarro, who was found shot and killed in his car in 1993 and Rosa Najera, who was shot in front of her four year old daughter in the doorway of her home on Raymond street in 1998. Our hope with this podcast is that we can generate community interest in all of these cases that will lead to new tips so that we can provide justice that all of these victims deserve.

[Detective Chris Hall]

To close out the season, we want to remind our listeners of the victims in all six of the cases that we created covered here in season two so that we remember who they were and so that we can work towards hopefully closing these cases. We started season two Elgin the 1970s by diving into the oldest case homicide in our files, the 1971 murder of Guadalupe Alanis. Guadalupe was shot and killed at the Woodruff and Edwards Foundry along the Fox river in downtown Elgin as he worked his overnight shift. His case highlights just how violent things were in Elgin back in the early 1970s with everything from pipe bombings to shootings to multiple murders. Thanks to the hard work and creative approaches of the Elgin Police Department, that violent crime rate has dropped significantly since 1970. We have always been an innovative department and this podcast and the creation of this full time cold case unit highlights that as well. If you have any information about Guadalupe's death, please contact us.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

We then jump forward to 1975 and we discussed the murder of Maynard Chester Hawley at the Yellow Cab Company while he was working his second job to provide for his family. Maynard was a U.S. air Force veteran and a member of Elgin West Congregation and he deserves justice in his case. While most of his close relatives are gone, those who remain have not forgotten him or his case and neither have we. We ask that anyone with information about Maynard's murder please reach out to us.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Next, we move to 1975 to 1976 for two different cases, both of which involved young girls. The first involved the murder of 16 year old Laurie Bulger, a student at Larkin High School who was beaten to death and dumped in a field along Randall Road in June of 1976. Her murder rocked the Elgin community and remains an active cold case investigation. If you have any information about Lori's case, please contact us.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

We also highlighted another area case, the disappearance of 14 year old Barbara Glueckert just two months after Lori's murder. For that case, we met with Barbara's brother and her niece and we conducted an interview with a retired detective for her case. While Barbara's disappearance is not technically an Elgin case, it had ties to both season one of this podcast and the Elgin community. So we decided to feature it along with our five cold case homicides from the 1970s. Hopefully by using this podcast and the media attention that we've had, new information will lead to a tip in her case so we can lay her to rest just like we did with Karen Scheepers.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Our next murder of the 1970s was stabbing of 68 year old Casey Kyles just across the parking lot from the current Elgin Police Department in 1977. Stabbed in the alley, Casey ran a short distance before dying behind the Douglas Hotel. A retired father, grandfather and great grandfather, Casey and his family deserves answers in his case, so please contact us with any information that you might have regarding his murder.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

And lastly, in this episode we talked about the murder of 24 year old Renee Tovar on Liberty street in 1979. Renee's murder was the final murder of the 1970s in Elgin and it remains a cold case homicide. If you or anyone you know has information about Renee's case, please contact us.

[Detective Chris Hall]

The 1970s was a violent decade both nationally and locally. 27 people were murdered in Elgin between 1970 and 1979 and five of those cases remain cold to this day. 27 lives were cut short by violence, 27 families lost a loved one and only 22 received an answer about what had happened. While they are not all cold cases, we decided to close the season out by reading the names of all 27 homicide victims from the 1970s here in Elgin. We want to remember them and honor them all as we continue to seek justice for those final five victims and their families.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

John Hopp and Jeff Hopp, Both murdered on February 19, 1971.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Guadalupe Alanis, murdered on June 30, 1971.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Joseph Garcia, murdered on November 5, 1971.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Joanne Bass, murdered on June 4, 1971.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Confessor Lopez, murdered on October 13, 1973.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Arnold Allen, murdered on January 7, 1974.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Arnaldo Higuereta murdered on May 24, 1974.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Christopher Hooper, murdered on the Fourth of July in 1974 Maynard Chester Holly murdered.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

On February 8, 1975 Barbara Buran murdered.

[Detective Chris Hall]

On March 15, 1976.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Laurie Jean Bolger murdered on June 22, 1976.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Arne Swanson murdered on July 28, 1976 Mabel Belgene.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Murdered on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Dorothy Bierman and Gloria Brooking, both murdered on Valentine's Day in 1977 Casey D.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Kyles murdered on July 21, 1977 Lawrence.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Bradley murdered on October 30, 1977 Robert.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Kaye murdered on November 22, 1977 Robert.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Fallon murdered on June 21, 1978 John.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Ball murdered on October 21, 1978 Joe.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Weiss murdered on December 6, 1978 Randall.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Hughes murdered on January 28, 1979.

[Detective Chris Hall]

Gwendolyn McGee and Holly Hurdestein, both murdered on January 29, 1979.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Mary Ann Akins, murdered on July 30, 1979.

[Detective Chris Hall]

And finally, Renee Cruz Tovar, who was found murdered in her apartment on November 24, 1979.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

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 Chris Hall]

We would like to thank everyone who made season two of this podcast possible, especially the families and friends of the women and men we covered from this season. To each of you, thank you for meeting with us, helping to humanize our victims, for helping us remember who they were in life. All of their lives mattered and you helped us tell their stories in hopes of some resolution and their cases.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

Thank you to WRMN 1410 for partnering with us again on this project. To Dennis Green and your whole team, we could not have done this season without you. We truly appreciate all your technical help and assistance that you've provided over the last two seasons and you've been a great partner. We're looking forward to telling more stories with you in the future.

[Detective Chris Hall]

And to Chief Anna Lally, thank you for creating this unit, for giving me the opportunity to join the unit along with Andrew, and for your continued support of the Cold Case Unit and the podcast. Thanks to your efforts, we will be introducing a new third detective who will be joining us in the coming months. We will begin working on a new dedicated workspace and we will finally have more resources to continue our quest for justice for the victims and their families on these cold cases.

[Detective Andrew Houghton]

And lastly thank you to our listeners. Thank you for coming along with us as we walk through 1970s Elgin. Thank you for remembering the victims and their families with us and for the calls, emails and tips that you continue to provide in our cases. As one family member of a victim recently told us, the creation of this unit and this podcast gives her hope, which is something that she has not had in decades. All of you out there listening and sharing these stories are part of that hope.

[Detective Chris Hall]

We will be back in the spring with more stories to tell and more victims to remember, and if we have any updates in our cases, we will certainly update our listeners. Until then, please continue listening to and share this podcast piece. People you know, especially people from the Elgin area, the more people who hear these stories, the better chance we have closing these cases. We truly believe that this platform provides us a new and unique way to connect with our community, to build trust with our community, and that someone out there will help us close another case. Because we know that in all of our cases, somebody knows something.

[Narrator]

If you or anyone you know has information about this case or any other 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.