5 things to know about the unsolved murder of Indiana University student Ann Harmeier
This month marks the 45th anniversary of the abduction, rape and strangulation of 20-year-old Ann Harmeier.
Ann's killer was never caught.
Here are five thing to know from IndyStar's coverage of the mystery that has haunted Ann's family and puzzled investigators since the fall of 1977.
Who is Ann Harmeier?
Ann Harmeier spent most of her short life in Cambridge City, Indiana, raised by her mother after losing her father early. Ann was a good student, singer and actress, and enrolled at Indiana University in 1975 to study music and drama.
What happened to Ann Harmeier?
The 20-year-old IU junior vanished Sept. 12, 1977, after her car broke down on Ind. 37 north of Martinsville. She was returning to Bloomington after a weekend visit with her mother and friends in Cambridge City.
Five weeks later, her body was found in a cornfield about five miles from where her car was found. She had been raped and strangled.
Was Ann Harmeier's killer ever found?
The identity of Ann's killer still remains a mystery. Despite as many as seven police officers working on the case full time during the initial investigation, authorities could never find enough to charge anyone.
They looked at dozens of potential suspects, from local sex offenders to serial killer Ted Bundy.
Who was the prime suspect?
One suspect stood out to some of the investigators: Steven Judy, who was arrested in 1979 for the murder of another woman and her three children. There were many similarities in the two cases, including where the bodies were found. Judy, who was never charged in Ann's death, was executed in 1981.
One of the lead Indiana State Police investigators told Ann's mother he was certain Judy was responsible — even if there wasn't enough evidence to prove it in court.
But there was a potential problem in the theory that Judy was the killer. And it's still a source of debate.
What's happening now?
This week is the 45th anniversary of Ann's disappearance. State police have assigned the cold case to a detective based in Bloomington.
Scott Burnham, one of Ann's cousins from the Chicago area, also continues his four-year push to keep Ann's memory alive and find her killer. He hopes the anniversary might lead to a tip that finally solves the mystery that has dogged her family for decades.
Anyone with information about the case should contact the ISP Bloomington Post at (812) 332-4411.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Who killed Ann Harmeier: 5 things to know about 1977 murder
