Accident – Death – Obituary News :
In a remarkable turn of events, nearly 50 years after the skeletal remains of two homicide victims were discovered in a shallow grave, one of the victims has finally been identified. Connecticut State Police announced on Wednesday that Linda Sue Childers was one of the individuals fatally shot in a double homicide that took place on December 31, 1970.
The Discovery of the Remains
The remains of Linda Sue Childers and another victim were found in Ledyard, Connecticut, in 1974, almost three-and-a-half years after the tragic incident occurred. For decades, the woman’s identity remained a mystery as there were no DNA matches to confirm her name.
The Challenges in Identifying Linda Sue Childers
Investigators faced difficulties in verifying Childers’ identity as she had used an alias that was never officially confirmed. However, two men, Richard DeFreitas and Donald Brant, were arrested and convicted of the crimes shortly after the bodies were recovered. Sadly, both men have since passed away.
The Breakthrough in the Case
After the discovery of the bodies, police found clothing and jewellery with Childers’ remains, including a tan leather “wet look” vest, a gold or tan sweater, a brown tweed skirt, and a pair of brown granny boots. She was also wearing a pendant and rings, with a class ring bearing the initials J.H.S.N., I.L.N., and the date 1917 engraved inside.
The Use of DNA Technology
Her case data, dental X-rays, and description were uploaded to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System in 2011, with her data later being included in the Combined DNA Index System in 2012. DNA samples were sent to a private genetic genealogy company in July 2022, leading to a collaboration that reopened the investigation.
The Emotional Reunion
In January 2024, DNA results helped identify Childers’ sister, and eventually her daughter, confirming Childers’ identity. Conversations with the family revealed details about Childers’ whereabouts in the northeast before her disappearance, providing closure and answers to her loved ones.
A Resolved Cold Case
The other victim in the double homicide was previously identified as Gustavous Lee Carmichael, a convicted serial bank robber who had escaped from federal custody. The identification of Linda Sue Childers marks a significant breakthrough in a decades-old cold case, bringing closure to a tragic chapter in Connecticut’s history.
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