The Murder of 7-Yr-Old Maria Ridulph: America's Coldest Case Ever to Go to Trial Was Filled With Twists and Turns

In 1957, Illinois witnessed a tragedy that would haunt the authorities for decades, and become their coldest case to go on trial.

On December 3, Maria Ridulph, 7, went out to play with Kathy Chapman, 8, in Sycamore on a snowy night, and her family never saw her alive again, CBS News reported. Her kidnapping and eventual murder not only impacted her family but forever altered the way of life in Sycamore.

At around 6 p.m. Maria Ridulph ventured out to play with her friend, CBS News reported. Sycamore was a small town where no one closed their doors. "Today, I'm sure a lot of parents ... are sayin', 'How could that young girl have been out after dark on that corner?' Well, this was a norm," Chuck Ridulph, the victim's brother explained.

The girls were busy playing when they were approached by someone who introduced himself as "Johnny," CBS News reported. The girls were never taught to fear any passerby and therefore Chapman did not feel alarmed when Johnny approached them.

"He stopped to talk to us... told us that his name was Johnny. ...Maria took the piggyback ride and he went maybe 20 feet away with her and then ...came back, and asked if we liked dolls. ...And Maria went home to get a doll," Chapman added. 

Maria Ridulph returned after getting her doll, after which Chapman went to get her mittens, CBS News reported. On coming back, she found both her best friend and Johnny missing.

After searching for a while, she informed Chuck Ridulph. After his search returned no results, he went to his family. It took another hour for the family to involve the police and a search party was organized, as per public records.

"If you can imagine ...armed citizens walking the streets with shotguns and rifles and handguns tucked in their waistband, knockin' on your door. 'We need to search your home. There's a girl missing,'" Retired Sycamore Police Lieutenant Patrick Solar said, CBS News reported. "They set up -- roadblocks on rural roads ... They stopped every car. Searched every trunk."

In the same neighborhood, Jeanne Tessier lived with her large family, CBS News reported. Her father who owned a garage shop was asked to open up deep in the night to supply flashlights and lanterns for the search.

Her father before leaving jammed the back door so that nobody could enter. This was something very new for Jeanne Tessier to experience. "Yeah, I was scared," Jeanne replied. "The thought of having to lock a door against an intruder was -- was new..."

Though Maria Ridulph was never found, her doll was located on Center Cross Street between a fence and a garage, CBS News reported. FBI was involved, with the organization setting up a temporary office in the small town.

Several people were questioned in regards to the kidnapping, but the team found no leads. Chapman was the only eyewitness and had to go through thousands of photos for identification. 

Maria Ridulph's body was found five months after the kidnapping near Galena, by a farmer and his wife, CBS News reported. Illinois State Police handled the investigation but could not find anything substantial.

For years, Kathy Chapman found it difficult to move on from the tragedy. Jeanne Tessier was also in the same boat. Jeanne Tessier did not know Maria Ridulph as closely as Kathy Chapman, but events in her home after the kidnapping cast doubts in her that remained for decades.

Jeanne Tessier recalled that the FBI summoned her brother John Tessier for questioning after they received an anonymous tip, CBS News reported.

Their mother was asked about John Tessier's whereabouts, and she replied that he had been home that night. Jeanne Tessier allegedly knew that was a lie. "I thought she must be protecting him because she had, to my knowledge, lied to protect him before..." Jeanne Tessier shared.

Decades later, the mother apparently told the truth to her other daughters, Jan and Mary Tessier, CBS News reported. On her deathbed, the mother reportedly confessed. 

"She seemed like she was fighting dying," Jan Tessier said. "All of a sudden I hear, 'Janet.' ... she grabbed my wrist in -- in the strongest grip ... and she said, 'Those two little girls and the one disappeared. John did it. John did it. And you have to tell someone.'"

Jan Tessier promised her mother she would pass on the message, CBS News reported. Not long after this confession, the mother took her last breaths. Jan Tessler contacted her sisters including Jeanne Tessier about their mother's revelation. 

Jan Tessier contacted various authorities for 10 years, but found no success, CBS News reported. Her brother had an alibi and passed a polygraph test, back then.

Her email to the Illinois State Police made Special Agent Brion Hanley interested in the case. Jeanne Tessier told Hanley about the alleged lie her mother said during the investigation.

Jeanne Tessier also shared with Hanley that she had apparently been sexually abused by John Tessier and her father, CBS News reported. Her mother reportedly knew but kept silent. "I love my mother. I love my father. I love John. But they all did great harm to me," she said.

By this time, Kathy Chapman was 61 years old and was shocked to learn that they had a suspect after all these years, CBS News reported. She was given many photographs to choose Johnny from and she picked up John Tessier's photo. She immediately knew he was the man who gave her friend the piggyback ride all those years ago.

Authorities located John Tessier in Washington who had now become Jack McCullough, CBS News reported. In his police questioning, Jack McCullough's statements raised a lot of red flags for the investigators.

"I did not kidnap that little girl. ... look in my eyes. ... She was loved in the neighborhood. She was a little ... girl with big brown eyes. And she was sweet as could be, hardly said a word to anybody. And everyone loved her," McCullough told detectives. His memory of the incident and description of the girl increased investigators' suspicions, the outlet reported.

DeKalb County State's Attorney, Clay Campbell, announced in a press conference, that McCullough was charged with murder, kidnapping, and abduction of an infant, CBS News reported.

Authorities looked into McCullough's background and found Michelle Weinman, CBS News reported. While the suspect was in the force, he was accused of statutory rape by Weinman. He eventually pleaded guilty to "communication with a minor for immoral purposes" -- a misdemeanor and resigned from his post.

McCullough was put on trial, and a judge found him guilty of all the charges, CBS News reported. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2012.

In 2016, the ruling was reversed and McCullough was given a certificate of innocence, a year later, CNN reported. "Based on the changes in the law and the consideration of the additional evidence now available to this court that may not have been available to the trier of fact … Mr. McCullough’s petition is granted," Judge William Brady said in issuing his ruling.

McCullough filed a lawsuit against Seattle for wrongful ruling and was paid $300,000 as a settlement, the Seattle Times reported.