Accident – Death – Obituary News : 
A woman whose remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Connecticut half a century ago has finally been identified as a fugitive from Kentucky. The victim, Linda Sue Childers, was only 24 years old at the time of her tragic death.
The remains of Childers were found alongside a notorious bank robber, Gustavous Lee Carmichael, in May 1974 in Ledyard, Connecticut. Authorities believe that Carmichael and Childers met their untimely demise on December 31, 1970, while they were on the run. Carmichael had recently escaped custody and embarked on a spree of bank robberies.
It was revealed that Carmichael and Childers were staying at the residence of Richard DeFreitas and Donald Brant, who were also involved in criminal activities. DeFreitas and Brant provided the fugitives with false identities, but the truth came to light when Childers expressed her fears about their way of life to DeFreitas’ wife.
Upon learning about Childers’ concerns, DeFreitas and Brant made a fateful decision to eliminate both Carmichael and Childers. The two fugitives were fatally shot and their bodies were then disposed of, remaining hidden for more than three years until their discovery. DeFreitas and Brant were later convicted of the murders.
Despite extensive investigations, Childers’ true identity remained a mystery for decades. In 2011, her case was added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. It wasn’t until 2022 that the forensic evidence was sent to Othram, a forensic science company, which successfully built a genealogical profile of the victim.
This breakthrough led to the identification of living relatives, who provided DNA samples to confirm Childers’ identity. Born on September 4, 1946, in Louisville, Childers’ sister and daughter were finally informed of her fate.
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