Minisode: The unsolved murder of Deborah Lynn Rosencrans
I found another unsolved case in sorting through the cold-case box and files at the Whitman County Sheriff’s office. This one is from Illinois.
Deborah Lynn Rosencrans was discovered on 9/6/1977 and is unidentified for now.
Her case information was published in a sheriff’s bulletin inside Joyce’s cold case box and was noted to go to her case file, outlined on the cover.
I fail to understand why the instruction to read her case was in Joyce’s cold-case box, but it may be because her case is unsolved.
Her case is similar: she was wrapped in a blanket and abandoned.
The article writes
“Victim was severely beaten with a hammer-Type Instrument and bound with rope around the hands, feet, and neck. Braided with a hangman’s knot, the rope was wrapped around the victim’s neck. The victim was then wrapped in a blanket, tied at the head, feet, and around the waist.”
Deborah was 15-23 years old, similar in weight to Joyce, and just a few inches shorter.
The bulletin was sent in 1977, and I believe detectives referenced the procedures and processing of her case and its similarities.
Isn’t it striking how many cases remain unsolved like Joyce’s?
Link to more information on her case:
Deborah Lynn Rosencrans, pictured far right, before her death.