[madison10]

As an added note: Prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty on this because the death penalty was not in force at the time of the murder. (this according to local radio)

Anyone seen a motive for this murder? What does "ritualistic" mean? Satanic?

[Brytani]

A ritualistic killing does not necessarly mean Satanic or in anyway based on a perverted religious expression. It is, as the name implies, a murder based on some sort of ritual or signifigance to the way the murder is conducted, placement of the body and/or objects left around the body, pre-meditation etc or all in combination.

"Pahl was strangled and stabbed about 30 times on April 5, 1980. Her body was found surrounded by lit candles with her arms folded across her chest in the chapel" suggests a murder based on some ritual the killer has. The act of body placement and use of lit candles would suggest to investigators that the "ritual" used after the murder was just as, if not more, important then the murder itself.