Conviction In Maria Ridulph 1957 Murder

Justice has finally been served for Maria Ridulph, of this post. She disappeared in Illinois, in 1957, and was later found murdered. A young man named John McCullough was among the original suspects, but his mother lied for him in order to pervert justice and help her son get away with murder. He spent the next fifty-five years using more than one alias and hopping from one geographical area to another. It is particularaly disturbing that he was able to serve in Seattle as a police officer. He lied under oath to become a cop; how many other times could he have lied? Did he kill other people besides Maria? How many false arrests has he made?

 

Seventy-two years old, but going to jail anyway.

 

Maria Ridulph

This is a picture of seven year old Maria Ridulph, of Illinois, who went missing in early December of 1957. Her alleged kidnapper, a man named McCollough, who later took on the alias of Tessier and never went back to using his REAL name, was known to all the children in the neighborhood. He offered little Maria a piggyback ride, and it sounds as if no one who knew her ever saw her again. Here is her picture. Rest in peace, Maria. Even after fiftyfour years, there is a clear message that you still always had the right to grow up and enjoy your life.

The search for Maria in December 1957 grew to involve more than 1,000 law enforcers and numerous other community members, ultimately catching the attention of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who requested daily updates, DeKalb County State's Attorney Clay Campbell said in a written statement Friday."

That is really commendable on the part of an FBI director and a president. Not that I am a great fan of J. Edgar Hoover, but I really wish elected officials in those positions today would take that kind of interest in missing persons cases involving children.