Sketch released in hunt for Midwest serial killer who terrorized I-70 30 years ago

Robert A. Cronkleton, Anna Spoerre
·2 min read

In hopes of sparking new leads in a nearly 30-year-old cold case, the St. Charles Police Department in Missouri has released new age-enhanced sketches of a serial killer who terrorized the Midwest for 29 days in 1992.

The suspect is believed to have killed six people at stores along interstates 70 and 35 in Kansas, Missouri and Indiana.

The police department released the sketches in advance of a meeting next month with every agency involved in the case, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Investigators and forensic experts are expected to pour through the case files searching for a clue to crack the case, according to KMOV4 in St. Louis.

A reward of $25,000 is still being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of serial killer. Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Charles Police Department at 800-800-3510.

At the time of the slayings, the assailant was estimated to be between 22 and 40 years old, between 5-feet-5-inches and 5-feet-7-inches tall and weighing 140 to 160 pounds. He had sandy blond hair with a red tint.

This is the sketch of the suspected serial killer at the time of the slayings. He was was estimated to be between 22 and 40 years old, between 5-feet-5-inches and 5-feet-7-inches tall and weighing 140 to 160 pounds. He had sandy blond hair with a red tint.
This is the sketch of the suspected serial killer at the time of the slayings. He was was estimated to be between 22 and 40 years old, between 5-feet-5-inches and 5-feet-7-inches tall and weighing 140 to 160 pounds. He had sandy blond hair with a red tint.

In the new aged-enhanced sketch, he is described as being between 52 and 70 years old. He is believed to be between 5-feet-7-inches and 5-feet-9-inches tall with a slender build. Police are now saying he had “dull” red hair at the time.

Police believe the serial killer is responsible for the murders of five women and a man.

The killings began April 8, 1992, when a shoe clerk was slain in Indianapolis. Three days later, 23-year-old Patricia Smith and 32-year-old Patricia Magers were slain at La’ Bride d’Elegance, a Wichita bridal shop owned by Magers.

A man was killed April 27 in a ceramics store in Terre Haute, Indiana. The next killing, a boot store clerk, occurred on May 3 in St. Charles.

Four days later, 37-year-old Sarah Blessing was slain in a Raytown boutique. All of the murders took place in small stores near Interstates 70 or 35 and were linked by ballistics.

Based on ballistics evidence and witness statements, police believe an Erma Werke ET22 was the most probable weapon used, although the Intratec Scorpion couldn’t be ruled out as a potential murder weapon.

Police believe an Erma Werke ET22, above, was the most probable weapon used, although the Intratec Scorpion couldn’t be ruled out as a potential murder weapon.
Police believe an Erma Werke ET22, above, was the most probable weapon used, although the Intratec Scorpion couldn’t be ruled out as a potential murder weapon.
Police believe an Erma Werke ET22 was the most probable weapon used, although the Intratec Scorpion couldn’t be ruled out as a potential murder weapon.
Police believe an Erma Werke ET22 was the most probable weapon used, although the Intratec Scorpion couldn’t be ruled out as a potential murder weapon.

When the homicides apparently stopped, investigators theorized the killer had died, was in jail or hiding. Then in November of 1992, a woman was killed in a similar manner in Texas.