June 21, 2024 • 42 mins
In December 1956, two sisters, Barbara and Patricia Grimes, went missing in Chicago. Their disappearance shocked the nation and sparked one of the largest missing person investigations in the city's history. Despite extensive search efforts, their bodies were found weeks later on the side of a road. The cause of death was unknown, and the case remains unsolved to this day. The mystery surrounding the Grimes sisters captivated the public, with various theories and suspects emerging over the years. Some believe they were victims of a botched robbery, while others suspect they may have been targeted by a serial killer. Despite the passage of time, the case continues to intrigue amateur sleuths and armchair detectives who hope to uncover the truth behind the tragic fate of Barbara and Patricia Grimes. The story of the Grimes sisters is a haunting reminder of the lingering mysteries that can haunt a community for decades. Thanks for watching the video, and don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more intriguing stories like this one.
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The Unsolved Mystery of the Grimes Sisters"
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
In this podcast, I invite you to explore with me the chilling, unsolved mystery of the Grimes sisters, Barbara and Patricia.
(00:09):
On December 28th, 1956, the two teenage girls went missing in Chicago and their bodies were found a month later.
Despite numerous leads and suspects, the case remains unsolved to this day, leaving many questions unanswered.
Sit back, relax, as I share the perplexing details of this tragic story, which has captivated the public for a decade.
(00:34):
Join me for a ride through strange and mysterious, here at Odd Mysteries Stories.
Allow me to share with you a real mystery from the past, one that's puzzled investigators and true crime sleuths for a decade.
Have you ever heard of the Grimes sisters?
(00:54):
This is a true story, one that took a turn for the worst in Chicago back in 1956.
Let's explore the details of the story of two sisters, Barbara, who was 15 and Patricia, just 12, heading out one cold December evening.
They were off to catch a movie in Brighton Park, but they never made it back home to McKinley Park.
(01:16):
The background and details are shocking.
Their disappearance sparked a massive search in Chicago, one of the biggest the city had ever seen.
Now, think about it, if someone you knew vanished, what would you do?
How would your community react?
If it was you that had gone missing, what do you hope your community would do for you?
(01:37):
Here's where it gets even more disturbing.
On January 22nd, 1957, nearly a month later, the sisters were found, but it was too late.
They were discovered on a deserted road in Willow Springs with no clothes on.
A disturbing detail, I know.
According to some doctors who examined them, Barbara and Patricia were victims of a terrible crime and had died within hours of when they were last seen.
(02:04):
However, there are other medical professionals that attributed their deaths to exposure to the cold and not murder.
We'll go into these details later.
But here's another twist in this story, some people claim they saw the girls out and about after December 28.
How is that possible?
This surely adds to the mystery, doesn't it?
(02:26):
This case and the murder of the Grimes sisters shook up Chicago.
Consider the time at which this happened, 1957.
People were more trusting and generally felt safe in their own neighborhoods.
It was a wake-up call that bad things could happen even in their own backyard.
People started locking their doors, watching over their kids more closely.
(02:48):
And the investigation?
It was huge, one of the biggest Cook County ever tackled.
But even with all that effort, it remains unsolved.
Can you imagine something like that happening in your town and never knowing what or why it happened?
Who could have done something so terrible and why?
And how is it that, with all the people looking into all the clues gathered, we still don't have the answers?
(03:15):
Alright, let's set the scene for the details of this story.
Let's start the same chilly December night in 1956.
Imagine this, out of a big family of seven kids, two sisters, Barbara and Patricia,
decide it's a perfect night to catch a movie.
But not just any movie, they're off to see Love Me Tender starring their idol, Elvis Presley.
(03:37):
Imagine being so excited about a movie that you see it 11 times.
Yeah, you heard that right.
It was their 11th time watching it.
These sisters weren't just casual fans, they were true blue Elvis enthusiasts.
They even recently became members of his fan club.
Now, Barbara and Patricia were more than just sisters.
(03:59):
They were best friends, always together.
Barbara attended Thomas Kelly High School, while Patricia went to St. Maurice's Catholic School.
Both were good students committed to their studies.
But that night, their focus was all on Elvis.
They left their house in McKinley Park around 7.30pm,
promising their mom they'd be back by midnight.
(04:20):
Their trip to the Brighton Theater, about a mile and a half away, was a familiar one.
They either walked or took the bus, as usual, with about $2.50 between them.
Barbara was even told to keep $0.50 tucked away in her wallet zipper,
just in case they decided to catch the second showing.
How exactly did they get to the theater that night?
(04:41):
That's one of the questions asked.
We know they made it because a school friend, Dorothy Weiner, spotted them.
She was there with her younger sister sitting just behind the Grimes Girls during the film.
When Dorothy and her sister left at the intermission around 9.30pm,
they saw Barbara and Patricia in high spirits, lining up for popcorn.
(05:01):
Nothing seemed wrong, the sisters were just enjoying their night out.
Now, let's jump ahead in this story, up to the moment where things start to get really worrying.
Barbara and Patricia, remember, they were having such a good time that they decided to stick around
for the second screening of Love Me Tender.
Now, if you've ever been out later than planned, you know that feeling, right?
(05:23):
The movie's ending, you're caught up in the excitement, but then you remember you've got to get home.
So, the girls were supposed to be back home by about 11.45pm, but midnight comes around and there's no sign of them.
Can you imagine how their mom Loretta must have felt?
She's at home waiting and nothing.
(05:44):
No Barbara, no Patricia.
So, what does she do?
She does what any worried parent would do.
She sends out the cavalry, their older siblings, Teresa, who's 17 and Joey, 14,
to the nearby bus stop to wait for their sisters.
One bus passes, then another, and then a third.
Still, no sign of the girls.
(06:05):
The clock's ticking and now everyone's anxious.
Back at home, Loretta's already been trying to track them down, calling their friends,
hoping that they'll be able to get home safely.
Calling their friends, hoping maybe they just lost track of time.
But no luck.
It's every parent's nightmare, right?
Her daughters are out there somewhere and she can't find them.
(06:26):
So, at 2.15am with Teresa and Joey back home, without Barbara and Patricia,
she makes that tough call to the Chicago Police Department to report her girls missing.
Think about that for a moment, the desperation, the fear.
It's the middle of the night, your kids aren't home and there's no word from them.
How does a fun movie night turn into a mystery?
(06:50):
What would you do?
How do you think the community reacted to the news that these two young girls hadn't returned home that night?
This was no small matter for a town like Chicago at the time.
The disappearance of Barbara and Patricia Grimes turned into one of the largest searches
Cook County had ever seen.
(07:11):
Imagine this, hundreds of police officers, support from surrounding areas,
and even a special task force, all on the lookout for these two girls.
The community stepped up too, with volunteers joining the search,
knocking on doors, combing through neighborhoods, even dredging canals and rivers.
They didn't stop there.
(07:32):
Over 15,000 flyers were handed out, prayers were offered,
and the girls church community even put up a $1,000 reward for any information.
Think about it, the whole city was on high alert, desperate for any leads.
And the leads?
They did come in by the thousand.
About 300,000 people were questioned, and 2,000 were grilled more intensely.
(07:56):
There were even a couple of confessions, but they fell apart under scrutiny.
One guy, Edward Bedwell, said he'd been pushed too hard by the cops and made up his story.
Despite all this effort, no solid clues emerged, except for a tantalizing detail.
Several teenagers at the movie that night reported seeing the sisters chatting and then getting into a car.
A mercury, driven by a young man who, get this, looked a bit like Elvis Presley himself.
(08:22):
Now, isn't that an intriguing piece of the puzzle?
Well, listen to this, the next layer in this story.
A twist that might make you think.
In the early days after the sisters disappeared, not everyone was convinced something bad had happened.
Some investigators thought maybe Barbara and Patricia had just run away or were hiding out with boyfriends.
(08:46):
Hard to believe, right?
Their parents were beside themselves, insisting that their girls wouldn't just take off like that.
By December 31st, the story of the missing sisters was all over the news,
but it took about a week before the police really started treating it as a serious missing persons case.
Just imagine the frustration and fear their family must have felt during that time.
(09:10):
Meanwhile, everyone from the media to the police was calling out for the girls to come home,
and sightings were popping up all over the place even as late as January 9th.
People thought they saw the sisters at different shops and spots around town,
feeding into the theory that they might have left by choice.
Some people even guessed that the girls had gone to Nashville to catch an Elvis Presley concert
(09:34):
or were out trying to live a life like their idol.
Can you imagine that?
Two young fans on an adventure inspired by the king of rock and roll himself,
but their mom Loretta Grimes knew better and she was heartbroken.
She made a public plea in a statement. She said, quote, if someone is holding them,
please let the girls call me, adding, I'll forgive them from the bottom of my heart.
(10:00):
And then there's Elvis Presley himself. Can you believe he got involved?
From his home in Graceland, he sent out a message broadcast on TV aimed straight at Barbara and Patricia,
where he said, quote, if you are good Presley fans, you'll go home and ease your mother's worries.
He even made a radio plea urging the sisters to return to their family.
(10:24):
Imagine that one of the biggest stars in the world speaking out, trying to help find two of his fans.
What effect do you think that had? And does it at all change what you might think happened to Barbara and Patricia?
On a chilly day, January 22, 1957, a startling discovery was made that would bring a grim reality to the forefront of the Grimes sisters case.
(10:50):
Following a sudden melt of recent snowfall, Leonard Prescott, a construction worker,
was driving along a quiet country road called German Church Road,
just about 200 feet east of County Line Road in the area of unincorporated Willow Spring.
What he saw next would haunt him at first glance. He spotted what he thought were, quote, flesh-colored things behind a guardrail.
(11:13):
Imagine driving and seeing something so unexpected. What would you think? Manikins, maybe?
But this was no mistaken identity of inanimate objects. Doubtful and concerned,
Leonard returned to the spot with his wife Marie, who was so shocked by the sight that she fainted.
The reality was far from Manikins. They had stumbled upon the nude, frozen bodies of Barbara and Patricia Grimes.
(11:40):
Can you even begin to imagine the horror of such a find?
Without hesitation, the Prescots rushed to inform the Willow Springs Police Department.
The scene was as tragic as it was mysterious. The sisters bodies were positioned just behind the guardrail,
laying on a flat area before the land dipped down towards Devil's Creek.
(12:01):
Barbara was found on her left side, legs pulled up while Patricia was on her back, covering her sister's head.
Her own head turned sharply away. It painted a picture of their final moments that was both sad and puzzling.
Authorities speculated that the girls had likely been transported by car and then with utter disregard dragged or lifted and dumped behind that guardrail.
(12:24):
The details get more gruesome. Barbara had three wounds that looked like they were caused by an ice pick and there were clear signs of blunt force trauma on her face and head.
Patricia showed signs of bruising across her face and body. It's a tough thing to picture, especially for two young girls just out for a movie night.
The task of confirming their identities fell to their father, Joseph Grimes, who was brought to the crime scene.
(12:50):
Imagine the heartbreak, the absolute devastation of having to identify your own children under such circumstances.
It's a moment no parent should ever face.
Following Joseph's initial positive identification of the bodies, over 160 police officers from several suburban Chicago police departments
assisted by numerous local volunteers conducted a search of the crime scene with the additional assistance of the Forest Preserve.
(13:16):
The following search uncovered little or no real evidence linked to the crime and the search itself was later criticized because those organizing the search
allowed untrained individuals to trample over potential evidence that may have been at the location.
This tragic end to the Grimes sisters lives brings up so many questions, doesn't it? Who could have done such a thing and why?
(13:41):
And what happened between that movie screening and their tragic murder?
It's a story that's gripped Chicago and never really let go.
Please allow me to preface this chapter of the story by saying I found so many conflicting details in this part of the story.
It's incredibly difficult for me to know which one is right and which is wrong.
(14:04):
No matter, I'll present all the details I was able to find and allow you, the viewer, to decide what you believe and what you think may have actually happened.
The next day after the tragic discovery of Barbara and Patricia, a detailed examination was conducted to uncover more about their last moment.
This wasn't just any autopsy, it involved three seasoned forensic pathologists who faced the daunting task of piecing together the final chapter of the girls' lives.
(14:32):
But even with their expertise, the pathologists couldn't agree on the exact time or cause of death.
Can you imagine the complexity and pressure of trying to solve such a mystery?
However, they did manage to find some crucial clues.
By examining the contents of the sisters' stomachs, remnants of their last meal and snacks from the movie theater,
(14:53):
they estimated that the girls likely died within five hours of being last seen at the Brighton Theater.
This puts their probable time of death in the late evening of December 28th or the early morning hours of December 29th.
The cause of death?
It's a term not all of us might know, secondary shock from exposure.
This means their bodies couldn't handle the cold leading to a tragic end.
(15:18):
But reaching this conclusion wasn't straightforward, it was a process of elimination, ruling out other potential causes.
Now here's a part that's a bit unsettling.
The pathologists found that many injuries on the girls' bodies were likely caused post-mortem meaning after they had died by rodents, not human.
And though there were no fatal wounds found, Barbara and Patricia had not been under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
(15:45):
nor had they been poisoned.
It's a small relief, but still the mystery deepens.
Their clothing?
Never found.
The condition of their bodies? Strangely clean considering the circumstances.
And there was a sensitive discovery regarding Barbara, evidence suggesting she might have had sexual intercourse around the time of her death,
(16:07):
yet there was no evidence of forcible molestation was found.
Diving deeper into the investigation surrounding the tragic fate of the grimes sisters,
we find that even among experts, opinions differed on key aspects of the case.
Walter McCarron, one of the coroners, made observations about the state of the sisters' bodies and how long they might have been lying undiscovered.
(16:29):
He noted their remarkably preserved condition, attributing it to the frigid temperatures brought on by recent snowfalls and the cold climate prior to their discovery on January 22.
McCarron believed the bodies had been covered by a layer of snow that fell on January 9, which concealed them until the snow melted just before they were found.
(16:51):
This would mean they had been there for over three weeks, hidden from sight.
However, not everyone agreed with this timeline.
Harry Gloss, the chief investigator for the Cook County Coroner's Office, had a different take, especially regarding the time of death.
He pointed out marks of violence on the sisters' faces, suggesting they suffered from violence rather than post-mortem rodent activity.
(17:14):
Harry Gloss also observed a thin layer of ice on the bodies, which he argued indicated they must have been alive until at least January 7.
His reasoning was that the ice formed because of the reaction between the snowfall after January 7 and the warmth of their bodies,
suggesting they were placed there when their bodies were still warm and not before.
(17:35):
Additionally, Gloss brought to light a more disturbing element to the likelihood of sexual assaults during the sisters' captivity.
Autopsy findings for Patricia included the presence of semen indicating a sexual assault.
Additionally, curdled milk was found in Barbara's stomach despite no known consumption of milk at home or the cinema on the night they disappeared.
(17:58):
This detail contradicts the theory that they died shortly after their last sighting and suggests they might have been held for a period before their death.
These contrasting viewpoints from McCarran and Gloss present a complex scenario, raising questions about the exact timeline of events and the conditions the Grimes sisters endured during their final days.
(18:19):
The debate between natural preservation due to cold weather and evidence suggesting a later time of death adds layers of mystery to an already perplexing case.
What do these differing perspectives make you think about the investigation and the challenges in piecing together what happened to Barbara and Patricia?
In the end, the official ruling was murdered by secondary shock due to exposure, a clinical way to say they were left in the cold until they could no longer survive.
(18:47):
It's a harsh reality to face, understanding that these two young girls met such an unfathomable end.
How does this information guide your thoughts about what really happened to Barbara and Patricia that winter night?
The story surrounding the Grimes sisters' tragic fate grows even more complicated as differing opinions within the investigation team come to light.
(19:13):
Harry Glows, the chief investigator of the Cook County Coroner's Office, had his own strong convictions about the case, particularly about a man named Edward Bedwell, who at one point was considered a suspect.
Harry Gloss believed that the marks found on the girls' bodies, which were noted during their autopsies, pointed to a violent beating prior to their deaths.
(19:35):
He argued that these signs of assault and the evidence of sexual activity aligned with Bedwell's account during his January 1957 interrogation.
However, Gloss' perspective was met with resistance and controversy.
He suggested that certain details of the case were being underplayed or ignored, possibly to protect the reputations of the girls and spare their mother's feeling.
(19:59):
He critiqued the approach of other investigators, accusing them of sanitizing the girls' backgrounds and thus misrepresenting the truth of their lives and the brutality of their deaths.
Harry Gloss claimed that the girls had been known to hang out outside bars, convincing older men to buy them drinks, a claim that contrasted sharply with other portrayals of the sisters.
(20:21):
These allegations stirred significant controversy. Despite Gloss' insistence on the connection between the visible wounds and the girls' rumored lifestyles, other investigators maintained there was no substantial evidence to support claims of disrepute or prior victimization by extreme violence or sexual assault.
The clash of perspectives within the investigation team led to a dramatic turn. Gloss was fired by Coroner Walter E. McCarron on February 15th, a decision Gloss denounced as politically motivated.
(20:55):
In a twist, Sheriff Joseph D. Loftman sided with Gloss, sharing the belief that the girls had been victims of a brutal, calculated attack by a sexual predator.
Loftman's support allowed Gloss to continue his work on the case, albeit without pay, underscoring a commitment to seeking justice for Barbara and Patricia despite the institutional challenges he faced.
(21:19):
This portion of the story sheds light on the internal conflicts and differing interpretations that sometimes emerge in complex criminal investigations, particularly in cases as heart-wrenching and high-profile as that of the grimes sistered.
It illustrates how personal beliefs, professional disagreements, and the quest for truth can intersect in ways that complicate the path to resolution and justice.
(21:45):
What does this conflict tell you about the challenges of solving such a perplexing case, and how does it affect your perception of the investigation into the tragic deaths of Barbara and Patricia Grimes?
Before I dive into this chapter of the story, let me share that I was able to find around 14 different alleged sightings from the time of the last confirmed sighting of the sisters at the Brighton Theater on December 28th, 1956,
(22:15):
and the subsequent discovery of their bodies 25 days later. Several unconfirmed sightings of the sisters, both in and outside Chicago, were reported to the Chicago Police Department.
The most commonly reported sightings include the following, in no particular order.
The first one is a young man named Roger Menard, informed investigators he had also attended the December 28th screening of Love Me Tender, having sat behind Barbara and Patricia Grimes and closed to Wainer.
(22:46):
According to Menard, he had left the theater approximately one minute before the sisters who had walked down Archer Avenue a short distance behind him before a late model, Green Buick, had stopped alongside them.
The girls hesitated before continuing walking. Just past 42nd Street, with the sisters by this stage walking ahead of him, a black 1949 Mercury occupied by two teenage boys, pulled alongside the girls, although they simply giggled before continuing walking in the direction of their home.
(23:19):
Then there is this one on December 30th at 5. 40 a.m., the owner of the DNL restaurant at 1340 West Madison said he had seen both girls, with Patricia apparently too drunk or too sick to walk without staggering, accompanied by the official suspect Edward Bedwell.
This location was over five and a half miles from the Brighton Theater, a clerk at the Claremont Hotel after viewing the bodies at a mortuary, likewise identified the sisters, as having checked into the hotel on this date.
(23:52):
Another is a classmate of Patricia's named Catherine Bourac, was adamant she had seen Patricia walking past a restaurant Bourac had been inside in the early evening of December 29th.
According to Bourac, Patricia had been in the company of two unidentified young girls. This sighting was followed by another six hours later by a cashier at the Clark Theater in downtown Chicago, who claimed she had seen both girls at 1245 a.m.
(24:19):
Yet another is two teenage boys named Ed Lordin and Earl's Astro told investigators that while they had been driving through McKinley Park at approximately 1130 p.m., on December 28th they had seen the sisters on 35th Street.
Reportedly, the two had been quote giggling and jumping out of doorways at each other near Sealy and Damon avenues, with one youth saying to the other that they were those two grime sisters as they passed them.
(24:46):
At this point, the girls would have been approximately two blocks from their home.
Then there is a security guard named Jack Franklin, later informed investigators he had offered directions to two girls on the morning of December 29th, approximately 12 hours after they had left the theater.
This verbal exchange had allegedly occurred near Lawrence and Central Park avenues, and Franklin later concluded the girls had been the grime sisters. Adding the sole reason he had recalled this conversation was that both girls had been both rude and abrupt to him.
(25:19):
On the same date of Franklin's alleged sighting of Barbara and Patricia, a friend of Barbara's named Judy Burrow reported to investigators she had seen the sisters at approximately 2.30 p.m.
Walking westward on Archer Avenue, approximately two blocks from Damon Avenue.
I do know that there are some other seemingly quote credible sightings, but for the sake of time in this video, I'm going to move forward with my last one, which I found to be very interesting.
(25:49):
Following the January 19th television and radio appeal by Elvis Presley imploring the sisters to return home, Chicago Sun-Times advice colonist and landers received an anonymous letter allegedly written by a girl who claimed to have witnessed the sisters being forced into a car by a young male on the night of their disappearance.
Although a partial license number was provided with this letter, subsequent police endeavors to trace the vehicle proved fruitless.
(26:15):
The author of this letter was never identified and the actual contents were never authenticated.
Let's get to learn a little about Edward Lee Bedwell, sometimes known as Benny.
He was a 21 year old semi-literate drifter originally from Tennessee who had been evicted from his family's East Garfield Park home in November 1956 and in the weeks preceding the Grimes sisters murder had occasionally earned money by working as a part-time dishwasher in a Chicago skid row restaurant.
(26:50):
Bedwell was a tall guy who allegedly bore a strong resemblance to Elvis Presley, allegedly, right? According to John and many Duro's who were the owners of the restaurant where Bedwell had been working, he and another young guy had been at their premises in the company of two girls who physically resembled the Grimes sisters in the early morning of December 30th.
Duro's conveyed this information to police on January 24th. Bedwell was arrested shortly after and subjected to interrogation for four straight days.
(27:20):
Initially, Bedwell was insistent that John and many Duro's and a patron named Renee Eccles, who it seems had corroborated the Duro's eye-witness statements, were mistaken in their identification of the girls he had been in the company of on December 30th.
However, he was formally charged with the sisters' murders on January 27, 1957, having signed a 14-page confession in which he said that he and a 28-year-old buddy named William Cole Willingham had indeed been in the company of the Grimes sisters on December 30th.
(27:54):
He stated that they were together until January 7, typically drinking in various West Madison Street skid row saloons. According to Bedwell, after several days in the girl's willing company, and shortly after he and his friend fed the sisters hot dogs, they had extensively beaten both girls before throwing their nude bodies into a snow-filled ditch when both sisters had refused their sexual advances.
(28:19):
Upon reading Bedwell's confession, Loretta Grimes was quoted as stating, It's a lie.
My girls wouldn't be on West Madison Street. They didn't even know where it was.
Willingham admitted he had been in the company of Bedwell and two girls in the early hours of December 30th, but denied the girls had been the Grimes sisters. He also emphatically denied any involvement in the murders. Bedwell himself would later recant the confession he had provided to investigators, stating that he had only provided a confession after being held in custody for four days in the mistaken belief the police would subsequently release him if he agreed to confess.
(28:58):
The autopsy reports upon both girls also supported Bedwell's recantation, as no alcohol or hot dogs were found in either victim's blood or digestive systems, nor had the girls been beaten to death.
Furthermore, Bedwell is also known to have been clocked in at Ajax Consolidated Company, his place of employment from 4.19 p.m. on December 28, 1956 to 12.30 a.m.
(29:26):
On December 29, covering the most likely time of the sisters' abduction, with further records confirming Bedwell had been working in Cicero on the date he said he had murdered them.
On February 6, Bedwell was freed on a $20,000 bond paid for by an unknown individual from Champaign.
The same year of his acquittal, Bedwell would be tried and acquitted of the 1956 rape of a 13-year-old girl in Oak Hill, Florida.
(29:53):
He later died in November 1972.
Max Flay was a 17-year-old suspect in the sisters' murders.
Initially considered one of the prime suspects due to his age, Flay was protected by existing Illinois laws that prevented juveniles from being subjected to polygraph tests, otherwise known as lie detector tests.
(30:18):
Nonetheless, Chicago police Captain Ralph Patak persuaded the teenager to submit to an unofficial polygraph test, which Flay voluntarily took.
In the course of this unofficial polygraph test, Flay allegedly confessed to the murders.
With no legal means of using this test as evidence against him, police had no choice but to release him without charging him in the murders.
(30:41):
In addition, police were unable to charge Flay with the murders due to there being a lack of physical evidence corroborating his confession that he had kidnapped and subsequently killed the sisters.
Flay was later jailed for the unrelated murder of another young woman.
I wasn't able to find anything else about this guy beyond this information.
(31:04):
This one is a little strange, but hang in there with me.
Walter Kranz was a 53-year-old steam-fitter and self-proclaimed psychic.
He called into a switchboard operator at Chicago Central Police Complaint Room on January 15th to inform the operator of his belief that both sisters were dead and that their bodies could be found in an unincorporated area of Lyons Township.
(31:27):
Mr. Kranz refused to disclose his name to the operator in this phone call, simply stating that he had experienced this revelation in a dream before ending the call.
Nevertheless, the operator was able to trace the call to a location close to his home.
The park described by Kranz in his telephone call would prove to be approximately one mile from the true location where the girl's bodies would be found just one week later.
(31:53):
When questioned, Kranz informed police that several members of his family and ancestors possessed psychic powers and that he had experienced this particular vision after a night of heavy drinking.
Although initially considered by police to be their number one suspect in the murders and with handwriting experts also determining he may have written a ransom note received by the girl's mother prior to the discovery of her daughter's bodies,
(32:18):
Kranz denied any involvement in the sisters abduction and murder.
After being subjected to multiple interrogations, he was released.
In the wake of the tragic loss of Barbara and Patricia, their mother, Loretta, faced not only the unbearable grief of losing her daughters,
but also the practical and financial hardships of supporting her remaining children and maintaining their home without the ability to work.
(32:46):
In those dark times, the power of community shone through.
Friends, neighbors, classmates, and teachers of the sisters touched by the family's plight came together to support the Grimes family in their moment of need.
Through various initiatives, ranging from small local events to broader appeals made through the local press and council,
(33:08):
the community raised funds to help the family cope with the immediate financial strain.
Donations varied, reflecting the wide range of contributors from modest to significant sums, all pooling together to provide crucial support.
Thanks to this collective effort, the Grimes family could meet the outstanding mortgage payments on their home and ensure that Barbara and Patricia received a proper burial,
(33:33):
a small comfort in the face of such a profound loss.
The community's generosity extended to the funeral arrangements, with the Walsh Lager funeral home waving all fees for the services.
The girls' wake, held on January 25th, and the Holy Mass at St. Maurice Church, brought together those who knew them, loved them,
or simply felt moved by their tragic end.
(33:56):
They were laid to rest side by side at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsop, Illinois, on January 28th, a testament to their inseparable bond in life and in memory.
Classmates of Barbara served as pallbearers, a poignant reminder of the young lives cut tragically short and the community's collective mourning and respect.
(34:18):
In May 1957, Loretta Grimes received an anonymous telephone call from an individual who claimed to have undressed and killed her daughters.
Although the Grimes family had received numerous hoax phone calls following the girl's disappearance, this particular caller having ridiculed police efforts to affix blame upon suspects such as Edward Bedwell
(34:39):
ended his phone call with information indicating he may indeed have been the perpetrator.
I know something about your little girl that no one else knows, not even the police.
The smallest girl's toes were crossed at the feet.
This caller then laughed before terminating the call.
One year after the murder of her daughters, Loretta Grimes publicly stated her belief that her daughters had been murdered by an individual they had known,
(35:04):
stating that although the weather had been bitterly cold on the night of their abduction, Barbara and Patricia would never have entered a vehicle driven by someone they didn't know, regardless of any discomfort.
Joseph Loftman, the Cook County Sheriff, who strongly believed the Grimes sisters had been beaten, tortured and murdered by a sexual predator, who had lured them into a vehicle on the evening of their disappearance, died of natural causes in 1969.
(35:31):
At the time of his death, Loftman was the Dean of the School of Criminology in Berkeley.
On the 18th anniversary of the disappearance of the Grimes sisters, Ernest Spiotto, the sole detective who had been involved in the investigation of the girl's murders from the very beginning and who remained assigned to the investigation,
again announced to the media the police had known credible suspects in the case.
(35:54):
Officially, the murders of the Grimes sisters remain unsolved, although this is an open case.
The Grimes sisters younger brother, James Grimes, who was just 11 at the time of his sister's murder, stated in 2013 that he welcomed what he saw as a public reopening of the case, stating, I just assumed it was never going to be solved, but maybe there's hope.
(36:20):
In 2013, the mysterious case of the Grimes sisters found a new investigator in Raymond Johnson, a retired West Chicago police officer.
Johnson's interest in this decades old case was sparked while he was conducting research for a book on the city's history back in 2010.
With a fresh set of eyes and extensive research, Johnson has come to view the cold case as one that remains solvable, albeit with a critical need for public assistance.
(36:48):
Johnson's investigations led him to suspect Charles Leroy Melquist, a 23 year old at the time, who was known to law enforcement due to his confession to the murder of 15 year old Bonnie Lays Scott in September 1958.
The chilling details of Scott's murder and the disposal of her body found decapitated and less than 10 miles from where the Grimes sisters were discovered bore disturbing similarities to the Grimes case.
(37:15):
Despite these links and the potential for Melquist's involvement in both crimes, he was never interrogated about the Grimes sisters due to restrictions placed by his attorney.
The day after the body of Bonnie Lays Scott was discovered, Loretta Grimes received a phone call from an individual who claimed responsibility for Scott's murder.
On this occasion, the caller had stated, I've committed another perfect crime.
(37:39):
This is another one those the cops won't solve and they're not going to hang on to Bedwell or Berry Cook.
Loretta Grimes would remain adamant until her death this caller had been the same individual who had contacted her in May 1957 and had revealed the deformity upon one of her daughter's feet, which had never been released to the press or the public, stating, I will never forget that voice.
(38:01):
Despite these alarming connections and Loretta Grimes unwavering conviction, Charles Melquist was never charged with any crimes related to the Grimes sisters, leaving a shadow of doubt and a trail of unanswered questions.
Melquist passed away in 2010, potentially taking with him the answers to the lingering mysteries surrounding the tragic fates of Barbara and Patricia Grimes.
(38:25):
The case, through the efforts of people like Raymond Johnson, remains open in the public eye, a haunting reminder of justice sought but not yet found.
As I bring the story of the Grimes sisters, Barbara and Patricia, to an end, I'd like to recall the deep impact their unsolved case had on their family, their community, and the city of Chicago.
(38:50):
Despite the passing of decades and the mysteries surrounding their tragic demise that remains deeply etched in the collective memory of those who have followed the case.
In the years that followed, various individuals, from law enforcement professionals to concerned citizens like retired police officer Raymond Johnson, have taken it upon themselves to try and unravel the truth behind this chilling case.
(39:14):
Their dedication serves as a testament to the enduring hope that justice, though delayed, might still be achievable for the lives of these precious young ladies.
The story is more than a cold case file, it's a somber narrative that underscores the fragility of life and the unwavering strength of a mother's love.
Loretta Grimes, in the face of unimaginable loss, showed relentless determination in her pursuit of truth, clinging to the hope that the perpetrator during her lifetime would be brought to justice.
(39:45):
As I reflect on the legacy of the Grimes sisters, let's not forget the lessons their story teaches, the importance of community, the enduring strength of our family, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
Though the years may pass and the memories fade, the quest for the truth about what happened to Barbara and Patricia on that cold December night in 1956 continues.
(40:08):
A reminder that some stories, no matter how painful, must not be forgotten.
May the memory of Barbara and Patricia Grimes serve as a beacon of hope and perseverance, inspiring others to never cease in the search for truth and justice, no matter how long the journey or how elusive the answers may be.
In their memory, we continue to seek closure, not only for their family, but for all who have been touched by their story.
(40:34):
Thank you for listening to this story.
So, to quickly summarize the tragic story of the Grimes sisters, Barbara and Patricia, who vanished on December 28th, 1956, after going to see an Elvis movie in Chicago.
Despite extensive searches and even a plea from Elvis himself, they were missing for weeks.
(40:58):
On January 22nd, 1957, their bodies were found by a local resident on a rural road.
The autopsy suggested they died from exposure shortly after disappearing, but their bodies also showed signs of trauma.
Despite several suspects and theories, the case remains unsolved and continues to be one of Chicago's most haunting mysteries.
(41:19):
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this story.
If you did, please leave me a review or download and share this story with your friends.
I really found this story to be a very sad and yet strange story about the murder of these young ladies.
It was a different time back then and these crimes didn't seem to happen very often.
A murder like this had parents watching over and seemingly more protective of their children in Chicago as a result.
(41:47):
In the next episode, I'm going to share the strange and mysterious vanishing of three ladies in Springfield, Missouri, which to this day is unsolved.
I've witnessed several social media posts about so many different theories about what happened to them and how the search for them by their family continues to this day.
Please also consider following my podcast, visiting my online merch store, or if you are feeling like I could use a simple cup of coffee, go to my Patreon and buy me a cup, please.
(42:18):
Until next time, stay odd, mysterious, and tune in to my real unsolved stories.
In this podcast, I invite you to explore with me the chilling, unsolved mystery of the Grimes sisters, Barbara and Patricia.
(00:09):
On December 28th, 1956, the two teenage girls went missing in Chicago and their bodies were found a month later.
Despite numerous leads and suspects, the case remains unsolved to this day, leaving many questions unanswered.
Sit back, relax, as I share the perplexing details of this tragic story, which has captivated the public for a decade.
(00:34):
Join me for a ride through strange and mysterious, here at Odd Mysteries Stories.
Allow me to share with you a real mystery from the past, one that's puzzled investigators and true crime sleuths for a decade.
Have you ever heard of the Grimes sisters?
(00:54):
This is a true story, one that took a turn for the worst in Chicago back in 1956.
Let's explore the details of the story of two sisters, Barbara, who was 15 and Patricia, just 12, heading out one cold December evening.
They were off to catch a movie in Brighton Park, but they never made it back home to McKinley Park.
(01:16):
The background and details are shocking.
Their disappearance sparked a massive search in Chicago, one of the biggest the city had ever seen.
Now, think about it, if someone you knew vanished, what would you do?
How would your community react?
If it was you that had gone missing, what do you hope your community would do for you?
(01:37):
Here's where it gets even more disturbing.
On January 22nd, 1957, nearly a month later, the sisters were found, but it was too late.
They were discovered on a deserted road in Willow Springs with no clothes on.
A disturbing detail, I know.
According to some doctors who examined them, Barbara and Patricia were victims of a terrible crime and had died within hours of when they were last seen.
(02:04):
However, there are other medical professionals that attributed their deaths to exposure to the cold and not murder.
We'll go into these details later.
But here's another twist in this story, some people claim they saw the girls out and about after December 28.
How is that possible?
This surely adds to the mystery, doesn't it?
(02:26):
This case and the murder of the Grimes sisters shook up Chicago.
Consider the time at which this happened, 1957.
People were more trusting and generally felt safe in their own neighborhoods.
It was a wake-up call that bad things could happen even in their own backyard.
People started locking their doors, watching over their kids more closely.
(02:48):
And the investigation?
It was huge, one of the biggest Cook County ever tackled.
But even with all that effort, it remains unsolved.
Can you imagine something like that happening in your town and never knowing what or why it happened?
Who could have done something so terrible and why?
And how is it that, with all the people looking into all the clues gathered, we still don't have the answers?
(03:15):
Alright, let's set the scene for the details of this story.
Let's start the same chilly December night in 1956.
Imagine this, out of a big family of seven kids, two sisters, Barbara and Patricia,
decide it's a perfect night to catch a movie.
But not just any movie, they're off to see Love Me Tender starring their idol, Elvis Presley.
(03:37):
Imagine being so excited about a movie that you see it 11 times.
Yeah, you heard that right.
It was their 11th time watching it.
These sisters weren't just casual fans, they were true blue Elvis enthusiasts.
They even recently became members of his fan club.
Now, Barbara and Patricia were more than just sisters.
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They were best friends, always together.
Barbara attended Thomas Kelly High School, while Patricia went to St. Maurice's Catholic School.
Both were good students committed to their studies.
But that night, their focus was all on Elvis.
They left their house in McKinley Park around 7.30pm,
promising their mom they'd be back by midnight.
(04:20):
Their trip to the Brighton Theater, about a mile and a half away, was a familiar one.
They either walked or took the bus, as usual, with about $2.50 between them.
Barbara was even told to keep $0.50 tucked away in her wallet zipper,
just in case they decided to catch the second showing.
How exactly did they get to the theater that night?
(04:41):
That's one of the questions asked.
We know they made it because a school friend, Dorothy Weiner, spotted them.
She was there with her younger sister sitting just behind the Grimes Girls during the film.
When Dorothy and her sister left at the intermission around 9.30pm,
they saw Barbara and Patricia in high spirits, lining up for popcorn.
(05:01):
Nothing seemed wrong, the sisters were just enjoying their night out.
Now, let's jump ahead in this story, up to the moment where things start to get really worrying.
Barbara and Patricia, remember, they were having such a good time that they decided to stick around
for the second screening of Love Me Tender.
Now, if you've ever been out later than planned, you know that feeling, right?
(05:23):
The movie's ending, you're caught up in the excitement, but then you remember you've got to get home.
So, the girls were supposed to be back home by about 11.45pm, but midnight comes around and there's no sign of them.
Can you imagine how their mom Loretta must have felt?
She's at home waiting and nothing.
(05:44):
No Barbara, no Patricia.
So, what does she do?
She does what any worried parent would do.
She sends out the cavalry, their older siblings, Teresa, who's 17 and Joey, 14,
to the nearby bus stop to wait for their sisters.
One bus passes, then another, and then a third.
Still, no sign of the girls.
(06:05):
The clock's ticking and now everyone's anxious.
Back at home, Loretta's already been trying to track them down, calling their friends,
hoping that they'll be able to get home safely.
Calling their friends, hoping maybe they just lost track of time.
But no luck.
It's every parent's nightmare, right?
Her daughters are out there somewhere and she can't find them.
(06:26):
So, at 2.15am with Teresa and Joey back home, without Barbara and Patricia,
she makes that tough call to the Chicago Police Department to report her girls missing.
Think about that for a moment, the desperation, the fear.
It's the middle of the night, your kids aren't home and there's no word from them.
How does a fun movie night turn into a mystery?
(06:50):
What would you do?
How do you think the community reacted to the news that these two young girls hadn't returned home that night?
This was no small matter for a town like Chicago at the time.
The disappearance of Barbara and Patricia Grimes turned into one of the largest searches
Cook County had ever seen.
(07:11):
Imagine this, hundreds of police officers, support from surrounding areas,
and even a special task force, all on the lookout for these two girls.
The community stepped up too, with volunteers joining the search,
knocking on doors, combing through neighborhoods, even dredging canals and rivers.
They didn't stop there.
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Over 15,000 flyers were handed out, prayers were offered,
and the girls church community even put up a $1,000 reward for any information.
Think about it, the whole city was on high alert, desperate for any leads.
And the leads?
They did come in by the thousand.
About 300,000 people were questioned, and 2,000 were grilled more intensely.
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There were even a couple of confessions, but they fell apart under scrutiny.
One guy, Edward Bedwell, said he'd been pushed too hard by the cops and made up his story.
Despite all this effort, no solid clues emerged, except for a tantalizing detail.
Several teenagers at the movie that night reported seeing the sisters chatting and then getting into a car.
A mercury, driven by a young man who, get this, looked a bit like Elvis Presley himself.
(08:22):
Now, isn't that an intriguing piece of the puzzle?
Well, listen to this, the next layer in this story.
A twist that might make you think.
In the early days after the sisters disappeared, not everyone was convinced something bad had happened.
Some investigators thought maybe Barbara and Patricia had just run away or were hiding out with boyfriends.
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Hard to believe, right?
Their parents were beside themselves, insisting that their girls wouldn't just take off like that.
By December 31st, the story of the missing sisters was all over the news,
but it took about a week before the police really started treating it as a serious missing persons case.
Just imagine the frustration and fear their family must have felt during that time.
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Meanwhile, everyone from the media to the police was calling out for the girls to come home,
and sightings were popping up all over the place even as late as January 9th.
People thought they saw the sisters at different shops and spots around town,
feeding into the theory that they might have left by choice.
Some people even guessed that the girls had gone to Nashville to catch an Elvis Presley concert
(09:34):
or were out trying to live a life like their idol.
Can you imagine that?
Two young fans on an adventure inspired by the king of rock and roll himself,
but their mom Loretta Grimes knew better and she was heartbroken.
She made a public plea in a statement. She said, quote, if someone is holding them,
please let the girls call me, adding, I'll forgive them from the bottom of my heart.
(10:00):
And then there's Elvis Presley himself. Can you believe he got involved?
From his home in Graceland, he sent out a message broadcast on TV aimed straight at Barbara and Patricia,
where he said, quote, if you are good Presley fans, you'll go home and ease your mother's worries.
He even made a radio plea urging the sisters to return to their family.
(10:24):
Imagine that one of the biggest stars in the world speaking out, trying to help find two of his fans.
What effect do you think that had? And does it at all change what you might think happened to Barbara and Patricia?
On a chilly day, January 22, 1957, a startling discovery was made that would bring a grim reality to the forefront of the Grimes sisters case.
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Following a sudden melt of recent snowfall, Leonard Prescott, a construction worker,
was driving along a quiet country road called German Church Road,
just about 200 feet east of County Line Road in the area of unincorporated Willow Spring.
What he saw next would haunt him at first glance. He spotted what he thought were, quote, flesh-colored things behind a guardrail.
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Imagine driving and seeing something so unexpected. What would you think? Manikins, maybe?
But this was no mistaken identity of inanimate objects. Doubtful and concerned,
Leonard returned to the spot with his wife Marie, who was so shocked by the sight that she fainted.
The reality was far from Manikins. They had stumbled upon the nude, frozen bodies of Barbara and Patricia Grimes.
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Can you even begin to imagine the horror of such a find?
Without hesitation, the Prescots rushed to inform the Willow Springs Police Department.
The scene was as tragic as it was mysterious. The sisters bodies were positioned just behind the guardrail,
laying on a flat area before the land dipped down towards Devil's Creek.
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Barbara was found on her left side, legs pulled up while Patricia was on her back, covering her sister's head.
Her own head turned sharply away. It painted a picture of their final moments that was both sad and puzzling.
Authorities speculated that the girls had likely been transported by car and then with utter disregard dragged or lifted and dumped behind that guardrail.
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The details get more gruesome. Barbara had three wounds that looked like they were caused by an ice pick and there were clear signs of blunt force trauma on her face and head.
Patricia showed signs of bruising across her face and body. It's a tough thing to picture, especially for two young girls just out for a movie night.
The task of confirming their identities fell to their father, Joseph Grimes, who was brought to the crime scene.
(12:50):
Imagine the heartbreak, the absolute devastation of having to identify your own children under such circumstances.
It's a moment no parent should ever face.
Following Joseph's initial positive identification of the bodies, over 160 police officers from several suburban Chicago police departments
assisted by numerous local volunteers conducted a search of the crime scene with the additional assistance of the Forest Preserve.
(13:16):
The following search uncovered little or no real evidence linked to the crime and the search itself was later criticized because those organizing the search
allowed untrained individuals to trample over potential evidence that may have been at the location.
This tragic end to the Grimes sisters lives brings up so many questions, doesn't it? Who could have done such a thing and why?
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And what happened between that movie screening and their tragic murder?
It's a story that's gripped Chicago and never really let go.
Please allow me to preface this chapter of the story by saying I found so many conflicting details in this part of the story.
It's incredibly difficult for me to know which one is right and which is wrong.
(14:04):
No matter, I'll present all the details I was able to find and allow you, the viewer, to decide what you believe and what you think may have actually happened.
The next day after the tragic discovery of Barbara and Patricia, a detailed examination was conducted to uncover more about their last moment.
This wasn't just any autopsy, it involved three seasoned forensic pathologists who faced the daunting task of piecing together the final chapter of the girls' lives.
(14:32):
But even with their expertise, the pathologists couldn't agree on the exact time or cause of death.
Can you imagine the complexity and pressure of trying to solve such a mystery?
However, they did manage to find some crucial clues.
By examining the contents of the sisters' stomachs, remnants of their last meal and snacks from the movie theater,
(14:53):
they estimated that the girls likely died within five hours of being last seen at the Brighton Theater.
This puts their probable time of death in the late evening of December 28th or the early morning hours of December 29th.
The cause of death?
It's a term not all of us might know, secondary shock from exposure.
This means their bodies couldn't handle the cold leading to a tragic end.
(15:18):
But reaching this conclusion wasn't straightforward, it was a process of elimination, ruling out other potential causes.
Now here's a part that's a bit unsettling.
The pathologists found that many injuries on the girls' bodies were likely caused post-mortem meaning after they had died by rodents, not human.
And though there were no fatal wounds found, Barbara and Patricia had not been under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
(15:45):
nor had they been poisoned.
It's a small relief, but still the mystery deepens.
Their clothing?
Never found.
The condition of their bodies? Strangely clean considering the circumstances.
And there was a sensitive discovery regarding Barbara, evidence suggesting she might have had sexual intercourse around the time of her death,
(16:07):
yet there was no evidence of forcible molestation was found.
Diving deeper into the investigation surrounding the tragic fate of the grimes sisters,
we find that even among experts, opinions differed on key aspects of the case.
Walter McCarron, one of the coroners, made observations about the state of the sisters' bodies and how long they might have been lying undiscovered.
(16:29):
He noted their remarkably preserved condition, attributing it to the frigid temperatures brought on by recent snowfalls and the cold climate prior to their discovery on January 22.
McCarron believed the bodies had been covered by a layer of snow that fell on January 9, which concealed them until the snow melted just before they were found.
(16:51):
This would mean they had been there for over three weeks, hidden from sight.
However, not everyone agreed with this timeline.
Harry Gloss, the chief investigator for the Cook County Coroner's Office, had a different take, especially regarding the time of death.
He pointed out marks of violence on the sisters' faces, suggesting they suffered from violence rather than post-mortem rodent activity.
(17:14):
Harry Gloss also observed a thin layer of ice on the bodies, which he argued indicated they must have been alive until at least January 7.
His reasoning was that the ice formed because of the reaction between the snowfall after January 7 and the warmth of their bodies,
suggesting they were placed there when their bodies were still warm and not before.
(17:35):
Additionally, Gloss brought to light a more disturbing element to the likelihood of sexual assaults during the sisters' captivity.
Autopsy findings for Patricia included the presence of semen indicating a sexual assault.
Additionally, curdled milk was found in Barbara's stomach despite no known consumption of milk at home or the cinema on the night they disappeared.
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This detail contradicts the theory that they died shortly after their last sighting and suggests they might have been held for a period before their death.
These contrasting viewpoints from McCarran and Gloss present a complex scenario, raising questions about the exact timeline of events and the conditions the Grimes sisters endured during their final days.
(18:19):
The debate between natural preservation due to cold weather and evidence suggesting a later time of death adds layers of mystery to an already perplexing case.
What do these differing perspectives make you think about the investigation and the challenges in piecing together what happened to Barbara and Patricia?
In the end, the official ruling was murdered by secondary shock due to exposure, a clinical way to say they were left in the cold until they could no longer survive.
(18:47):
It's a harsh reality to face, understanding that these two young girls met such an unfathomable end.
How does this information guide your thoughts about what really happened to Barbara and Patricia that winter night?
The story surrounding the Grimes sisters' tragic fate grows even more complicated as differing opinions within the investigation team come to light.
(19:13):
Harry Glows, the chief investigator of the Cook County Coroner's Office, had his own strong convictions about the case, particularly about a man named Edward Bedwell, who at one point was considered a suspect.
Harry Gloss believed that the marks found on the girls' bodies, which were noted during their autopsies, pointed to a violent beating prior to their deaths.
(19:35):
He argued that these signs of assault and the evidence of sexual activity aligned with Bedwell's account during his January 1957 interrogation.
However, Gloss' perspective was met with resistance and controversy.
He suggested that certain details of the case were being underplayed or ignored, possibly to protect the reputations of the girls and spare their mother's feeling.
(19:59):
He critiqued the approach of other investigators, accusing them of sanitizing the girls' backgrounds and thus misrepresenting the truth of their lives and the brutality of their deaths.
Harry Gloss claimed that the girls had been known to hang out outside bars, convincing older men to buy them drinks, a claim that contrasted sharply with other portrayals of the sisters.
(20:21):
These allegations stirred significant controversy. Despite Gloss' insistence on the connection between the visible wounds and the girls' rumored lifestyles, other investigators maintained there was no substantial evidence to support claims of disrepute or prior victimization by extreme violence or sexual assault.
The clash of perspectives within the investigation team led to a dramatic turn. Gloss was fired by Coroner Walter E. McCarron on February 15th, a decision Gloss denounced as politically motivated.
(20:55):
In a twist, Sheriff Joseph D. Loftman sided with Gloss, sharing the belief that the girls had been victims of a brutal, calculated attack by a sexual predator.
Loftman's support allowed Gloss to continue his work on the case, albeit without pay, underscoring a commitment to seeking justice for Barbara and Patricia despite the institutional challenges he faced.
(21:19):
This portion of the story sheds light on the internal conflicts and differing interpretations that sometimes emerge in complex criminal investigations, particularly in cases as heart-wrenching and high-profile as that of the grimes sistered.
It illustrates how personal beliefs, professional disagreements, and the quest for truth can intersect in ways that complicate the path to resolution and justice.
(21:45):
What does this conflict tell you about the challenges of solving such a perplexing case, and how does it affect your perception of the investigation into the tragic deaths of Barbara and Patricia Grimes?
Before I dive into this chapter of the story, let me share that I was able to find around 14 different alleged sightings from the time of the last confirmed sighting of the sisters at the Brighton Theater on December 28th, 1956,
(22:15):
and the subsequent discovery of their bodies 25 days later. Several unconfirmed sightings of the sisters, both in and outside Chicago, were reported to the Chicago Police Department.
The most commonly reported sightings include the following, in no particular order.
The first one is a young man named Roger Menard, informed investigators he had also attended the December 28th screening of Love Me Tender, having sat behind Barbara and Patricia Grimes and closed to Wainer.
(22:46):
According to Menard, he had left the theater approximately one minute before the sisters who had walked down Archer Avenue a short distance behind him before a late model, Green Buick, had stopped alongside them.
The girls hesitated before continuing walking. Just past 42nd Street, with the sisters by this stage walking ahead of him, a black 1949 Mercury occupied by two teenage boys, pulled alongside the girls, although they simply giggled before continuing walking in the direction of their home.
(23:19):
Then there is this one on December 30th at 5. 40 a.m., the owner of the DNL restaurant at 1340 West Madison said he had seen both girls, with Patricia apparently too drunk or too sick to walk without staggering, accompanied by the official suspect Edward Bedwell.
This location was over five and a half miles from the Brighton Theater, a clerk at the Claremont Hotel after viewing the bodies at a mortuary, likewise identified the sisters, as having checked into the hotel on this date.
(23:52):
Another is a classmate of Patricia's named Catherine Bourac, was adamant she had seen Patricia walking past a restaurant Bourac had been inside in the early evening of December 29th.
According to Bourac, Patricia had been in the company of two unidentified young girls. This sighting was followed by another six hours later by a cashier at the Clark Theater in downtown Chicago, who claimed she had seen both girls at 1245 a.m.
(24:19):
Yet another is two teenage boys named Ed Lordin and Earl's Astro told investigators that while they had been driving through McKinley Park at approximately 1130 p.m., on December 28th they had seen the sisters on 35th Street.
Reportedly, the two had been quote giggling and jumping out of doorways at each other near Sealy and Damon avenues, with one youth saying to the other that they were those two grime sisters as they passed them.
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At this point, the girls would have been approximately two blocks from their home.
Then there is a security guard named Jack Franklin, later informed investigators he had offered directions to two girls on the morning of December 29th, approximately 12 hours after they had left the theater.
This verbal exchange had allegedly occurred near Lawrence and Central Park avenues, and Franklin later concluded the girls had been the grime sisters. Adding the sole reason he had recalled this conversation was that both girls had been both rude and abrupt to him.
(25:19):
On the same date of Franklin's alleged sighting of Barbara and Patricia, a friend of Barbara's named Judy Burrow reported to investigators she had seen the sisters at approximately 2.30 p.m.
Walking westward on Archer Avenue, approximately two blocks from Damon Avenue.
I do know that there are some other seemingly quote credible sightings, but for the sake of time in this video, I'm going to move forward with my last one, which I found to be very interesting.
(25:49):
Following the January 19th television and radio appeal by Elvis Presley imploring the sisters to return home, Chicago Sun-Times advice colonist and landers received an anonymous letter allegedly written by a girl who claimed to have witnessed the sisters being forced into a car by a young male on the night of their disappearance.
Although a partial license number was provided with this letter, subsequent police endeavors to trace the vehicle proved fruitless.
(26:15):
The author of this letter was never identified and the actual contents were never authenticated.
Let's get to learn a little about Edward Lee Bedwell, sometimes known as Benny.
He was a 21 year old semi-literate drifter originally from Tennessee who had been evicted from his family's East Garfield Park home in November 1956 and in the weeks preceding the Grimes sisters murder had occasionally earned money by working as a part-time dishwasher in a Chicago skid row restaurant.
(26:50):
Bedwell was a tall guy who allegedly bore a strong resemblance to Elvis Presley, allegedly, right? According to John and many Duro's who were the owners of the restaurant where Bedwell had been working, he and another young guy had been at their premises in the company of two girls who physically resembled the Grimes sisters in the early morning of December 30th.
Duro's conveyed this information to police on January 24th. Bedwell was arrested shortly after and subjected to interrogation for four straight days.
(27:20):
Initially, Bedwell was insistent that John and many Duro's and a patron named Renee Eccles, who it seems had corroborated the Duro's eye-witness statements, were mistaken in their identification of the girls he had been in the company of on December 30th.
However, he was formally charged with the sisters' murders on January 27, 1957, having signed a 14-page confession in which he said that he and a 28-year-old buddy named William Cole Willingham had indeed been in the company of the Grimes sisters on December 30th.
(27:54):
He stated that they were together until January 7, typically drinking in various West Madison Street skid row saloons. According to Bedwell, after several days in the girl's willing company, and shortly after he and his friend fed the sisters hot dogs, they had extensively beaten both girls before throwing their nude bodies into a snow-filled ditch when both sisters had refused their sexual advances.
(28:19):
Upon reading Bedwell's confession, Loretta Grimes was quoted as stating, It's a lie.
My girls wouldn't be on West Madison Street. They didn't even know where it was.
Willingham admitted he had been in the company of Bedwell and two girls in the early hours of December 30th, but denied the girls had been the Grimes sisters. He also emphatically denied any involvement in the murders. Bedwell himself would later recant the confession he had provided to investigators, stating that he had only provided a confession after being held in custody for four days in the mistaken belief the police would subsequently release him if he agreed to confess.
(28:58):
The autopsy reports upon both girls also supported Bedwell's recantation, as no alcohol or hot dogs were found in either victim's blood or digestive systems, nor had the girls been beaten to death.
Furthermore, Bedwell is also known to have been clocked in at Ajax Consolidated Company, his place of employment from 4.19 p.m. on December 28, 1956 to 12.30 a.m.
(29:26):
On December 29, covering the most likely time of the sisters' abduction, with further records confirming Bedwell had been working in Cicero on the date he said he had murdered them.
On February 6, Bedwell was freed on a $20,000 bond paid for by an unknown individual from Champaign.
The same year of his acquittal, Bedwell would be tried and acquitted of the 1956 rape of a 13-year-old girl in Oak Hill, Florida.
(29:53):
He later died in November 1972.
Max Flay was a 17-year-old suspect in the sisters' murders.
Initially considered one of the prime suspects due to his age, Flay was protected by existing Illinois laws that prevented juveniles from being subjected to polygraph tests, otherwise known as lie detector tests.
(30:18):
Nonetheless, Chicago police Captain Ralph Patak persuaded the teenager to submit to an unofficial polygraph test, which Flay voluntarily took.
In the course of this unofficial polygraph test, Flay allegedly confessed to the murders.
With no legal means of using this test as evidence against him, police had no choice but to release him without charging him in the murders.
(30:41):
In addition, police were unable to charge Flay with the murders due to there being a lack of physical evidence corroborating his confession that he had kidnapped and subsequently killed the sisters.
Flay was later jailed for the unrelated murder of another young woman.
I wasn't able to find anything else about this guy beyond this information.
(31:04):
This one is a little strange, but hang in there with me.
Walter Kranz was a 53-year-old steam-fitter and self-proclaimed psychic.
He called into a switchboard operator at Chicago Central Police Complaint Room on January 15th to inform the operator of his belief that both sisters were dead and that their bodies could be found in an unincorporated area of Lyons Township.
(31:27):
Mr. Kranz refused to disclose his name to the operator in this phone call, simply stating that he had experienced this revelation in a dream before ending the call.
Nevertheless, the operator was able to trace the call to a location close to his home.
The park described by Kranz in his telephone call would prove to be approximately one mile from the true location where the girl's bodies would be found just one week later.
(31:53):
When questioned, Kranz informed police that several members of his family and ancestors possessed psychic powers and that he had experienced this particular vision after a night of heavy drinking.
Although initially considered by police to be their number one suspect in the murders and with handwriting experts also determining he may have written a ransom note received by the girl's mother prior to the discovery of her daughter's bodies,
(32:18):
Kranz denied any involvement in the sisters abduction and murder.
After being subjected to multiple interrogations, he was released.
In the wake of the tragic loss of Barbara and Patricia, their mother, Loretta, faced not only the unbearable grief of losing her daughters,
but also the practical and financial hardships of supporting her remaining children and maintaining their home without the ability to work.
(32:46):
In those dark times, the power of community shone through.
Friends, neighbors, classmates, and teachers of the sisters touched by the family's plight came together to support the Grimes family in their moment of need.
Through various initiatives, ranging from small local events to broader appeals made through the local press and council,
(33:08):
the community raised funds to help the family cope with the immediate financial strain.
Donations varied, reflecting the wide range of contributors from modest to significant sums, all pooling together to provide crucial support.
Thanks to this collective effort, the Grimes family could meet the outstanding mortgage payments on their home and ensure that Barbara and Patricia received a proper burial,
(33:33):
a small comfort in the face of such a profound loss.
The community's generosity extended to the funeral arrangements, with the Walsh Lager funeral home waving all fees for the services.
The girls' wake, held on January 25th, and the Holy Mass at St. Maurice Church, brought together those who knew them, loved them,
or simply felt moved by their tragic end.
(33:56):
They were laid to rest side by side at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsop, Illinois, on January 28th, a testament to their inseparable bond in life and in memory.
Classmates of Barbara served as pallbearers, a poignant reminder of the young lives cut tragically short and the community's collective mourning and respect.
(34:18):
In May 1957, Loretta Grimes received an anonymous telephone call from an individual who claimed to have undressed and killed her daughters.
Although the Grimes family had received numerous hoax phone calls following the girl's disappearance, this particular caller having ridiculed police efforts to affix blame upon suspects such as Edward Bedwell
(34:39):
ended his phone call with information indicating he may indeed have been the perpetrator.
I know something about your little girl that no one else knows, not even the police.
The smallest girl's toes were crossed at the feet.
This caller then laughed before terminating the call.
One year after the murder of her daughters, Loretta Grimes publicly stated her belief that her daughters had been murdered by an individual they had known,
(35:04):
stating that although the weather had been bitterly cold on the night of their abduction, Barbara and Patricia would never have entered a vehicle driven by someone they didn't know, regardless of any discomfort.
Joseph Loftman, the Cook County Sheriff, who strongly believed the Grimes sisters had been beaten, tortured and murdered by a sexual predator, who had lured them into a vehicle on the evening of their disappearance, died of natural causes in 1969.
(35:31):
At the time of his death, Loftman was the Dean of the School of Criminology in Berkeley.
On the 18th anniversary of the disappearance of the Grimes sisters, Ernest Spiotto, the sole detective who had been involved in the investigation of the girl's murders from the very beginning and who remained assigned to the investigation,
again announced to the media the police had known credible suspects in the case.
(35:54):
Officially, the murders of the Grimes sisters remain unsolved, although this is an open case.
The Grimes sisters younger brother, James Grimes, who was just 11 at the time of his sister's murder, stated in 2013 that he welcomed what he saw as a public reopening of the case, stating, I just assumed it was never going to be solved, but maybe there's hope.
(36:20):
In 2013, the mysterious case of the Grimes sisters found a new investigator in Raymond Johnson, a retired West Chicago police officer.
Johnson's interest in this decades old case was sparked while he was conducting research for a book on the city's history back in 2010.
With a fresh set of eyes and extensive research, Johnson has come to view the cold case as one that remains solvable, albeit with a critical need for public assistance.
(36:48):
Johnson's investigations led him to suspect Charles Leroy Melquist, a 23 year old at the time, who was known to law enforcement due to his confession to the murder of 15 year old Bonnie Lays Scott in September 1958.
The chilling details of Scott's murder and the disposal of her body found decapitated and less than 10 miles from where the Grimes sisters were discovered bore disturbing similarities to the Grimes case.
(37:15):
Despite these links and the potential for Melquist's involvement in both crimes, he was never interrogated about the Grimes sisters due to restrictions placed by his attorney.
The day after the body of Bonnie Lays Scott was discovered, Loretta Grimes received a phone call from an individual who claimed responsibility for Scott's murder.
On this occasion, the caller had stated, I've committed another perfect crime.
(37:39):
This is another one those the cops won't solve and they're not going to hang on to Bedwell or Berry Cook.
Loretta Grimes would remain adamant until her death this caller had been the same individual who had contacted her in May 1957 and had revealed the deformity upon one of her daughter's feet, which had never been released to the press or the public, stating, I will never forget that voice.
(38:01):
Despite these alarming connections and Loretta Grimes unwavering conviction, Charles Melquist was never charged with any crimes related to the Grimes sisters, leaving a shadow of doubt and a trail of unanswered questions.
Melquist passed away in 2010, potentially taking with him the answers to the lingering mysteries surrounding the tragic fates of Barbara and Patricia Grimes.
(38:25):
The case, through the efforts of people like Raymond Johnson, remains open in the public eye, a haunting reminder of justice sought but not yet found.
As I bring the story of the Grimes sisters, Barbara and Patricia, to an end, I'd like to recall the deep impact their unsolved case had on their family, their community, and the city of Chicago.
(38:50):
Despite the passing of decades and the mysteries surrounding their tragic demise that remains deeply etched in the collective memory of those who have followed the case.
In the years that followed, various individuals, from law enforcement professionals to concerned citizens like retired police officer Raymond Johnson, have taken it upon themselves to try and unravel the truth behind this chilling case.
(39:14):
Their dedication serves as a testament to the enduring hope that justice, though delayed, might still be achievable for the lives of these precious young ladies.
The story is more than a cold case file, it's a somber narrative that underscores the fragility of life and the unwavering strength of a mother's love.
Loretta Grimes, in the face of unimaginable loss, showed relentless determination in her pursuit of truth, clinging to the hope that the perpetrator during her lifetime would be brought to justice.
(39:45):
As I reflect on the legacy of the Grimes sisters, let's not forget the lessons their story teaches, the importance of community, the enduring strength of our family, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
Though the years may pass and the memories fade, the quest for the truth about what happened to Barbara and Patricia on that cold December night in 1956 continues.
(40:08):
A reminder that some stories, no matter how painful, must not be forgotten.
May the memory of Barbara and Patricia Grimes serve as a beacon of hope and perseverance, inspiring others to never cease in the search for truth and justice, no matter how long the journey or how elusive the answers may be.
In their memory, we continue to seek closure, not only for their family, but for all who have been touched by their story.
(40:34):
Thank you for listening to this story.
So, to quickly summarize the tragic story of the Grimes sisters, Barbara and Patricia, who vanished on December 28th, 1956, after going to see an Elvis movie in Chicago.
Despite extensive searches and even a plea from Elvis himself, they were missing for weeks.
(40:58):
On January 22nd, 1957, their bodies were found by a local resident on a rural road.
The autopsy suggested they died from exposure shortly after disappearing, but their bodies also showed signs of trauma.
Despite several suspects and theories, the case remains unsolved and continues to be one of Chicago's most haunting mysteries.
(41:19):
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this story.
If you did, please leave me a review or download and share this story with your friends.
I really found this story to be a very sad and yet strange story about the murder of these young ladies.
It was a different time back then and these crimes didn't seem to happen very often.
A murder like this had parents watching over and seemingly more protective of their children in Chicago as a result.
(41:47):
In the next episode, I'm going to share the strange and mysterious vanishing of three ladies in Springfield, Missouri, which to this day is unsolved.
I've witnessed several social media posts about so many different theories about what happened to them and how the search for them by their family continues to this day.
Please also consider following my podcast, visiting my online merch store, or if you are feeling like I could use a simple cup of coffee, go to my Patreon and buy me a cup, please.
(42:18):
Until next time, stay odd, mysterious, and tune in to my real unsolved stories.
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