Police: Train ticket helps crack 1957 Ill. killing

Associated Press ^ | July 2, 2011 | BARBARA RODRIGUEZ

[EternalVigilance]

SYCAMORE, Ill. (AP) — Charles "Chuck" Ridulph always assumed the person who stole his little sister from the neighborhood corner where she played and dumped her body in a wooded stretch some 100 miles away was a trucker or passing stranger — surely not anyone from the hometown he remembers as one big, friendly playground.

And, after more than a half century passed since her death, he assumed the culprit also had died or was in prison for some other crime.

On Saturday, he said he was stunned by the news that a one-time neighbor had been charged in the kidnapping and killing that captured national attention, including that of the president and FBI chief. Prosecutors in bucolic Sycamore, a city of 15,000 that's home to a yearly pumpkin festival, charged a former police officer Friday in the 1957 abduction of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph after an ex-girlfriend's discovery of an unused train ticket blew a hole in his alibi.

Jack Daniel McCullough, 71, has been held in Seattle on $3 million bail. A judge overseeing a Saturday court appearance for him said he had been taken to a regional trauma center but did not elaborate. She rescheduled his bail hearing for 12:30 p.m. Monday.

[Boogieman]

Sounds like, he was a fellow cop, and they took their “brother in blue” at his word. Big mistake, in hindsight.

[Ophiucus]

The first article contained slightly more information however the question remains - the various parts of his alibi could have been easily disproved at the time but they weren't - if that was the story at the time. Now, years later, a train ticket just happens to fall out of the frame of an old photograph to magically break the case an implicate a perfect suspect.

It reads like a bad script.

[bcsco]

Dude, we are talking about Sycamore, Illinois. That’s Barney Fife territory.

Dude, I lived in Sycamore for years. I live in Rochelle today. This is NOT Barney Fife territory unless you're an urban, self-absorbed idiot.

[reaganaut]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. But, who keeps 50 yr old unused train tickets for someone else? Or is this woman a candidate for pack rat of the century?

[reaganaut]

I wonder how many other victims he’s amassed over these past 54 years.

- - - - - - - -
My thoughts exactly. And what is more chilling the perp is a former cop. How many victims are there that he was shielded from b/c of his badge.

[reaganaut]

The perp didn’t have it, an ex-girlfriend from 1957 had the ticket.

[reaganaut]

Thanks for the info. I guess he’ll die in prison.

- - - - - -
Or before, they had to reschedule his prelim b/c he was a the area trauma center. Could be suicide attempt or heart attack. He’s gotten away with it for over 50 years, this would be a shock to him.

[reaganaut]

Very wrong but also kind of funny.

[reaganaut]

cold case ping!

[Deo volente]

There’s much more than just the train ticket. though I agree with you that it’s a bit strange it just happened to fall out of the photo frame.

The police interviewed his relatives and an ex-wife who described an extensive history of sexual abuse by the suspect.
He was also fired from a police job as a result of abuse charges involving a 13-yr old girl.

In another article I read (I’ll try to find the link), it was stated that the collect phone call from Rockford was actually made from Sycamore, and he was seen driving around the town that evening. There is no indication he was even in Rockford that night.

McCullough was rushed to a trauma center this weekend for undisclosed reasons, which has delayed his bond hearing. I wonder if he attempted suicide.

[Vendome]

Vendome’s version of a just and proper punishment:

I would have chained his hands and legs, then pulled him up four flights of metal fire escape stairs, feet first.

Then I would have kicked him in the family jewels just enough to cause a stomach ache every 15 minutes for 8 hours.

After that I would push him out a window letting him fall four stories into a pile of razor wire 5 rolls high and 5 rolls wide.

He could lay in the pile of razor wire for two days in the desert sun and then I would release a flock of crows and 1 gallon of scarabs right next to him.

But that’s just me.

[Robert DeLong]

Maria Ridulph

Cna't find a piture of the pervert.

[Vendome]

[EternalVigilance]

You’re too kind. Truly.

[bcsco]

Go ahead and eat the popcorn. I’ve had my say :)

[EternalVigilance]

Sheesh. She looks like my sister at that age.

She was murdered by a scumbag from Illinois too. Only much later in life.

[Vendome]

;-)

Happy 4th of July.

[Vendome]

I have another punishment scheme that involves long tail cats and room full of rocking chairs but this monster is well deserving of the ultimate punishment.

[reaganaut]

I knew I liked you! XD

[bcsco]

And the same to you :)