Episode #208: Beyond the Keystone - Illinois

keystonecoldcases
Jun 5
1 min read

In this episode, we examine the heartbreaking case of 7-year-old Maria Elizabeth Ridulph of Sycamore, Illinois. On a cold December night in 1957, Maria vanished while playing outside near her family home, sparking one of the largest missing child investigations in U.S. history at the time. Decades later, the case would take a shocking turn with an arrest and conviction—only for that conviction to eventually be overturned. Join us as we explore the investigation, the controversy surrounding the case, and the lasting impact Maria’s story has had on true crime history.

Maria Elizabeth Ridulph

Birth: 03/12/1950 – Death: 12/03/1957

Ethnicity: White Sex: Female

Height: 43 in. Weight: 55 lbs.

Other pertinent information: Last seen wearing a brown, three-quarter length coat, black corduroy slacks, brown socks, and freshly polished saddle shoes.

Hometown: Sycamore, IL – DeKalb County

Crime Scene: Maria's skeletal remains were found 120 miles from her home.

Last Known Location Alive: At the corner of Center Cross Street and Archie Place, not far from her Archie Place home

Injury Description: Investigators determined her cause of death was stabbing

Suspect Description: John Tessier, AKA Jack McCullough was convicted of Maria's murder, however his conviction was overturned, citing suppression of evidence in the first trial. He was issued a Certificate of Innocence.

Additional Information: The Ridulph and Tessier families still believe John Tessier is Maria's killer.