unsolved child murders in clark couny in the 70s (Hebron: best school, law)

[Lilcayenne]

Originally Posted by nomoreville

is anyone aware of the fact that the Sweeney brother later in the late 80's or early 90's was charged with murdering a "friend" over a pot plot and buried him under a pile of rubble? the man murdered was a Guthrie and there was a shoot out among Sweeny and the police at his trailer.

Chuck Sweeney is serving time for the murder of Danny Guthrie. Chuck, I have been told is the brother of Richard Sweeney, who was the first murder victim in Henryville. Richard was my best school friends. I knew he had a brother in my sister's class and that he had a baby sister. I was not aware that he had another older brother. A recent aquaintence of mine who graduated HHS 10 yrs. before me, told me about this eldest brother [this aquaintnece is also married to an Indiana State Detective]. So, Chuck Sweeney, supposedly killed his brother 'by accident', and to prevent shame/stigma on the family, Chuck was believed to be sent away to a mental institution. I do not commit to this being true, I only knew one older brother who had nothing to do with Richard's death. Richard was killed 39 [1974] yrs. ago, the majority of Henryville have always believed the Carr boys were responsible.

[Lilcayenne]

Originally Posted by PINKGIRL1980

I have wondered about this a long time now, Jeff and Donnie were both my friends. The person whom wrote that the killer had passed away is almost correct, I do believe with every bone in my body he was one of the killers sounds like Zack and Mack were TWINS, but there are still some out there that fit that shoe and I believe as they read this posting they feel they are safe and got away But in the end judgement will come harsh and swift. You all ran as a pack but you will die alone and with only you and GOD I don't pray for your soul I pray everyday that Jeff and Donnie and the Sweeny boy are there to greet your sorry asses and GOD himself let's them push your button down!!! It is just unfortunate there were more to protect all of you pieces of crap than there were to protect Jeff and Donnie and the Sweeny boy.

My heart is with you, and hope you have found some peace since this posting. Richard Sweeney was a close school friend of mine, his murder haunted me for most my school years. I graduated HHS in 1984.

[Lilcayenne]

I remember seeing you 'okaylee63' crying in the hallway at HES after Richard's death, we were all so young. It was so hard to understand why someone would do this. It was even harder to understand why the adults wouldn't explain it to us kids. We didn't understand death in any manner....I felt abandoned on the school playground when Richard didn't show up at the swing sets, the teacher wouldn't answer our questions, and neither would my mother when I asked her why my teachers were going into the funeral home, my mother owned a craft shop across the street. I got bits and pieces of answer by eavesdropping on adult conversations. I can still picture Richard in my mind after all these years....

[Lilcayenne]

Originally Posted by PINKGIRL1980

I have wondered about this a long time now, Jeff and Donnie were both my friends. The person whom wrote that the killer had passed away is almost correct, I do believe with every bone in my body he was one of the killers sounds like Zack and Mack were TWINS, but there are still some out there that fit that shoe and I believe as they read this posting they feel they are safe and got away But in the end judgement will come harsh and swift. You all ran as a pack but you will die alone and with only you and GOD I don't pray for your soul I pray everyday that Jeff and Donnie and the Sweeny boy are there to greet your sorry asses and GOD himself let's them push your button down!!! It is just unfortunate there were more to protect all of you pieces of crap than there were to protect Jeff and Donnie and the Sweeny boy.

Originally Posted by robert t king

It's a very perculiar set of happenings for such a small town.
From what I have read and gathered from the postings I would need
to know if anyone remembers if the Abell and Burkett boys knew each
other. If they lived close together in town. Given the settings and
events I am certain the two sets of murders are connected. I have
nothing as far as new information on this case, just instincts on
human nature and seeing things people don't normally see.

I drive by Henryville on 65 on the way to my relatives
several times a year. I always think of what had occurred there.

1977 is not an acurate date for Richard's death. He died in 1974.

[CRAIGMILES]

Originally Posted by zodiacsday

im trying to gather information on several child murders in the henryville area in the early seventies. No one was ever caught or charged with the crimes. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Zodiacsday

iam a 3rd cousin to jeffrey burchett * they have it spelled here burkett, they may have been the correct spelling. His mom ida tarter schoolcraft was my mom;s first cousin. We lived in louisville ky at the time of the murder i was 10 yrs old when he was murdered, i now am 46 yrs old live in clark co, ind. His mom lives in salem indiana currently, and is about 75-76 yrs old his sister misty and brother lawrence schoolcraft his half brother and sister his older sister debbie i ( think) another brother darrell burkett or burchett. Jeffrey ( jeff) is buried in illinois near where his biological dad is buried ( his dad was a truck driver and died in the early 70s or mid 60s in a truck driving accident. I always heard that it was a man named stargel from russell springs ky, he was friends in the early 60s with my parents from russell springs and has been to our family home in louisville ky in the 1960s with his baby daughter who died at 1 yrs old. It was rumored his son killed jeffrey and the others and him and his son moved abruptly to fla. Soon after the last murder. The dad had hooks for hands i heard they were bkiwed off in a job related accident in indiana, he had moved to indiana in the 1960s. From russell springs. He had a son who was a pediphyle or something like that. I still have a pic of jeffrey burkett in his coffin taken by my mom at the funeral, you can see the punture wounds in his knuckles in the picture. I was 9 yrs old in 1976 we had our wilson family reunion at the henryville state park, he was there at the reunion, the wilson family was my grandmother's people as well as jeffrey burchett or burkett. His grandmother and my grandmother maternal were sisters. His grandmother moved from russell springs ky in the 1950s or so to charlestown or maybe in the 1940s or before,. She died in charlestown in 1965 and is buried at the charlestown big cemetery, iam his 3rd cousin maternal side. His mom ida burkett or ida burchett schoolcraft is my 2nd cousin maternally....

[CRAIGMILES]

iam a 3rd cousin to jeffrey burchett * they have it spelled here burkett, they may have been the correct spelling. His mom ida tarter schoolcraft was my mom;s first cousin. We lived in louisville ky at the time of the murder i was 10 yrs old when he was murdered, i now am 46 yrs old live in clark co, ind. His mom lives in salem indiana currently, and is about 75-76 yrs old his sister misty and brother lawrence schoolcraft his half brother and sister his older sister debbie i ( think) another brother darrell burkett or burchett. Jeffrey ( jeff) is buried in illinois near where his biological dad is buried ( his dad was a truck driver and died in the early 70s or mid 60s in a truck driving accident. I always heard that it was a man named stargel from russell springs ky, he was friends in the early 60s with my parents from russell springs and has been to our family home in louisville ky in the 1960s with his baby daughter who died at 1 yrs old. It was rumored his son killed jeffrey and the others and him and his son moved abruptly to fla. Soon after the last murder. The dad had hooks for hands i heard they were bkiwed off in a job related accident in indiana, he had moved to indiana in the 1960s. From russell springs. He had a son who was a pediphyle or something like that. I still have a pic of jeffrey burkett in his coffin taken by my mom at the funeral, you can see the punture wounds in his knuckles in the picture. I was 9 yrs old in 1976 we had our wilson family reunion at the henryville state park, he was there at the reunion, the wilson family was my grandmother's people as well as jeffrey burchett or burkett. His grandmother and my grandmother maternal were sisters. His grandmother moved from russell springs ky in the 1950s or so to charlestown or maybe in the 1940s or before,. She died in charlestown in 1965 and is buried at the charlestown big cemetery, iam his 3rd cousin maternal side. His mom ida burkett or ida burchett schoolcraft is my 2nd cousin maternally....AS i live now in clark county indiana and work out near where jeff died in the forest. i remember the stories. his mom and my mom were close friends as well as cousins.) jeffrey burkett;s mom was from russell springs ky as well as my mom. his grandmother nettie, and my grandmother flossie were sisters from russell springs ky. but nettie moved to indiana back in the 30s or 1940s or so. and lived in charlestown indiana, and died there. her mom ( my maternal great grandmother) ida florence wilson stephens died at nettie;s home in charlestown indiana back in 1954. ida florence was jeffrey burkett's great grandmother as well as my great grandmother. she is buried at bernard ridge ceme., in russell springs ky.) jeffrey is buried in illinois i do not know exactly what cemetery. iam not friends with his mom anymore, even though she is a relative we dont talk to one another, we lost track of one another. due to family illness and things. i remember as a child being told it was suspected that this stargel man from russell springs ky ( a friend of my parents) who had moved to indiana in the 1940s or 1950s or 1960's iam not sure. that it was his son who did it. the dad ( stargel had hooks for hands due to a industrial accident back in the early 1960s). him and his son moved abruptly after the last murder to florida. and it was rumored he told someone that jeffrey lay dead in a van in his driveway the night jeffrey was murdered. i dont really know if that happened or not, i heard jeffrey was dragged by horses or motor bikes due to the appearance of sticks in the back of his hands and such. ( all I know it was a horrible murder.) and he being a relative made it worse. he was my 3rd maternal cousin, his mom being my 2nd cousin maternally,.,,, i moved to indiana with my husband in 2007 april. and we just started traveling around southern and central indiana. my husband is born and raised in memphis tennessee. and he had never heard the story of jeffrey burkett and the other murders. i recently told my husband about jeffrey and the murders as we passed clark co. state forrest and i told him about the 1976 family reunion jeffrey was at last with my family. i had a little toy tricycle miniture i had the reunion my parents had bought me, i was sick at the family reunion with a bad ear infection in 1976 so i dont remember jeffrey at the reunion, i was told he was there that day, he was 14 yrs old, i was 9 yrs old. when he died at 15 i was 10 yrs old. he would now be 51 yrs old, i wonder what cemetery in illinois he is buried at? i went to his funeral in indiana at 10 yrs of age i was with my parents in 1977. i barely remember it. but i still have the photo taken of him in his coffin. ( jeffrey burkett's cousin now indiana

[CRAIGMILES]

iam a third cousin to jeffrey burkett who was murdered in the henryville state forrest in 1977 i was 10 yrs old. and still have a picture taken at his funeral of him in his coffin, his mom and my mom were first cousins. and he was my 3rd cousin,. *i lived in louisville ky at the time of the murders with my parents. his mom ida and step dad and 2 half siblings and sister and brother all lived in indiana at the time. i now live in clarksville indiana. i pass often by the cemetery he walked through the day he was murdered to get to henryville highschool. to take his drivers education class. he never come back home. it was rumored a man named stargel and his son murdered at least jeffrey, stargel the dad was from russell springs ky where jeffrey's mom is from and my parents also. my parents knew mr stargel ( he had hooks for hands) his hands were blown off in some type of industrial accident in the 1960s. soon after the last murder, mr stargel and his son moved to florida abruptly. he claimed jeffrey's body lay in a van outside his home the night jeffrey was murdered. that was a rumor) i heard as a child. i was 10 yrs old when jeffrey died we were real close friends and cousins to his his mom ida. due to illness and death and things, we moved and grew away from ida. we use to talk every week to her, ( me and my mom) she would tell us she had no new news on his murder. he had 2 half siblings misty and lawrence schoolcraft from salem indiana and his step dad gary schoolcraft died just a few yrs ago. his biological sister debbie ( i think that is her name) iam not sure. and his other brother darrell burkett or burchett). about a yr ago, i met a friend who lived in salem ind. on facebook, i ask him if he knew ida ( jeffrey's mom) he said yes she lived at the apts he worked at. but he never said which apts. he said she was 75 yrs old. he mentioned to her about me and that he knew about her son's murder she ask him how do you know about jeffrey? he explained, to her he was talking to me on facebook and i ask him if he knew ida schoolcraft ( formerly burkett or burchett). jeffrey;s dad was a truck driver and had died in a truck driving accident ( i think in the 1960s early 1970s early on when jeffrey was a young boy.) he was the youngest of ida's 3 children before she married gary schoolcraft, and her and him had misty and lawrence schoolcraft who now live in salem indiana. me and my husband was in salem indiana tonight and i always mention to my husband i wish i knew where ida lived i would go see her. since she is my 2nd cousin.. i didnt know her son jeffrey, i was too young when he died. but i do remember he was at our 1976 family reunion at the park he was found dead in. our family the wilson's had a reunion there and jeffrey was 14 yrs old in the summer 1976, he and his mom and half siblings and step dad and sister and her 2 kids and husband atteneded that yr. our reunion, i was 9 yrs old and still barely remember hearing he was at the reunion with us. i do still have the photo my parents took at the funeral of jeffrey burkett ( or burchett) of him in his coffin) if you look hard enough you can see the marks puncture holes the funeral home tried to cover up in the back of his knuckles, i heard he had sticks up his nose and his knuckles and that he was dragged with chains either by horses or a motorbike thru the forrest,. his sister debbie ( i think thats his oldest sister;s name) i might be wrong on her nAme). SAID SHE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A TEAM OF HORSES THAT NIGHT GOING THRU THE FOREST. SHE AND HER HUSBAND AND 2 KIDS LIVED IN A TRAILER ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE FOREST IN HENRYVILLE AT THE TIME IT HAPPENED. i dont know if its true or not. i was too young and was listening to my parents talk about this.... his great grandmother maternal was my great grandmother maternal also. his grandmother maternal side. and my maternal grandmother were sisters... that is how we were related. iam now 46. and married no kids, no kids to pass all this info to. but myhusband is younger than me he was born in 1976 in memphis tn. and lived there all his life before coming to kentucky in 2006 and met me. so we moved to indiana in 2007. i took him to jeffrey burkett's or burchett his grandparent;s grave in charlestown at the big ceme. my great aunt ( his grandmother) nettie and her husband arthur tarter is buried there. jeffrey is buried somewhere in illinois. iam not sure exactly where at. at the same cemetery as his biological dad. i lost track of his mom about 15 yrs ago due to illness in my own immediate family and death of my dad. me and my mom moved several times. so we lost track of jeffrey;s mom ida. but i do know she lives somewhere in salem indiana in a apt. and she is probably now 76 yrs old. i always loved her and her family. her cousin and jeffrey;s too.

[idkgirl]

This is the first and only time I have posted regarding this topic.


I would like to state for the record that all the information I have collected throughout the years from family members and friends of the Sweeney family lead me to STRONGLY believe the Richard Sweeney murder (1974) is in no way related to the other 2 murders in 1977. That is all I have to say about the Sweeney murder.


I have lived in Henryville my entire life (nearly 30 years) I first heard of these terrible tragedies as a young child. Being a kid I never thought much of it or knew any details until I was around 16 years old and one of my teachers told our class everything she remembered. She claimed to be the last person to see one of the boys although I do not remember which boy's name she said. My father was about to be junior at HHS when JB was murdered. He knew him. My mother was about to be a freshmen at a neighboring school. I have talked to my parents, their many siblings, and also neighbors and friends that were willing to talk about this. I also have done my own research using the regular public internet and using resources through my job that allow me to dig a little deeper. Just from reading public internet forums and cross-checking with some reliable sources in the town, I came up with a list of 9 possible suspects for both murders.

2 men (same last names) were mentioned as possible suspects in the JB murder 7 different times by 7 different people. 2 other names were mentioned 4 times each. (I want to post names but I just can't get myself to do it because I obviously don't know for sure) From all my research and info learned just by living in Henryville I have come to the conclusion (this is only my opinion) that there were 3 people involved in JB's murder. 2 with the same last name and their friend. Now this friend was only mentioned to me twice by people who were alive back in 1977. But online, everyone seems to think he did it or played a part in it. Anyway I took my list and used my work resources to find out a little more. Turns out this friend moved to Florida in late summer 1977. I do not know if it was between murders or after DA was murdered. This is not news to anyone who reads these forums but for me to hear from real life people and then to see it in black and white that this guy really did move to Florida, tied in with my gut instinct, I honestly believe that I and a WHOLE LOT of other people know who killed JB. I also have viewed a physical document saying that in 1977 these 3 people were the very first persons of interest (the day after the first murder) and there was also some personal property removed from one of these boys' homes. I do know what the item was but I will not say for fear my identity will become obvious to some people reading this as I have been told that the info has not been released publicly nor have I come across it myself online or anywhere else. The two with the same last name are both still alive and living within 30 miles of Henryville with their wives. I have met the children of one of these men (way before I knew their father was a possible suspect) The "friend" may or may not have passed away in Florida in the last 8 years. Most of the information I have found on this man says he is deceased but very recently I came across a public document stating someone with this man's name and personal history recently moved to Louisville, KY from Bradenton, FL.


I CANNOT comment on why these murders are unsolved because I honestly can't fathom why all these people who know the truth won't come forward. I do NOT know why there has never been a single arrest in either of these cases. I have only HEARD there was not enough evidence to arrest anyone but the police have known the whole time who really did it. I also have NEVER heard what the motives were for either of these killings. There are reports in newspapers (and supposed police reports that I have only HEARD about never viewed or met anyone that actually viewed them) that JB was molested but from the people I have spoken with, they don't believe that to be true. I don't know if it's true. You can form your own opinion about that. That subject was quickly shut down by most people i spoke with including my parents. If you know or think you know the motives behind either of these murders please reply.


At one time I was more confident that I knew the identity of DA's killer(s) but the more research I do, the more I realize there are NOT a lot of facts PROVEN in this case other than C.O.D. and the fact that his platform shoes were missing. At this time I don't feel comfortable stating my full opinion about that.

I have no proof that any person on my list committed these horrendous crimes. Only minimal facts and a lot of personal stories from living breathing people who knew these boys and still know their families. I am only making my opinions public because I feel this has gone on long enough.


There is incorrect information floating around the internet regarding locations of the bodies and a few other things I could clear up for anyone wondering.


1.) Jack, Zack, & Mack: Never found any concrete info or met anyone who recognizes any of these names as suspects or even residents of Henryville in 1977. I have read the names online about 5 times on different forums but have never found a last name. Mack is the only consistent name all 5 times. Jack/Zack is interchangeable depending what forum site you are reading.

2.) Dr. Green had one son named William Kendall Green II and one daughter named Kendra. There's a lot of online chatter accusing Dr. Green and or his "twin SONS" of one or both of these murders. There is speculation of a non-related teenage boy living with this family around the time of the murders but I don't have a name or any concrete info about that.

3.) Snow Road is not and never has been connected to Lindenmayer Rd. There was a lot of chatter about that on one of the sites. I do believe Google Maps fixed this problem and the streets are now correctly displayed.

4.) JB's body was not found in Henryville, or even in the Clark State Forest(ry) He was found 3-4 miles from Henryville in Washington County (down hwy 160 towards salem) very near or specifically located in a place called Flat Rock. It is near the Forestry but not actually inside the limits.

5.) DA was found on or very near the side of Bartle Knob Rd. His body was technically in the Forestry but for locals we don't think of that area as being considered the Forestry since its about five miles away from the 2 main entrances where the public can actually go to enjoy the park. This area of the Forestry is the back side and on the outskirts of town. Many town folk probably don't even know that it is considered part of the Clark State Forestry.

6.) I found the name Stargel 4 times on the internet forums. I don't actually have facts on this person being or not being a suspect. I was told that he was an older gentlemen who walked around town all the time. Didn't hear this name except online.

7.) No one can prove what either boy was doing at the time they were about to be killed but most people I have spoken with think that JB had left school for lunch (open campus back then) and that DA was walking home after school. The only concerning part is that JB was killed the 2nd week of June. Was he in summer school? If so then I'm assuming there was a whole bunch of kids NOT at school that day being summer break and all. (summer school was only for those who fell behind or needed extra credits when i attended HHS in the early 2000's) If that's the case, it would be nearly impossible to rule out suspects based on whether they were at school that day. Or did school let out later into the summer months back in 1977? This is a question with no straight answer from anyone. If anyone knows please reply.

8.) I recently spoke with a person who informed me there were about 11 murders in Henryville between 1974 and 1995. I could only find information on the following:



Richard Sweeney
Jeff Burkett
Donnie Abell
Christopher Zollman (suicide?murder?accident?)
Daniel Guthrie

I have found no info on other murders in Henryville in this time span. In fact, other than the very recent murder/suicide of a husband and wife in Twin Oaks Subdivision, I only found one other hit; An entire family murdered in 1871. Cyrus Park(s) Isabella Park(s) and either 2 or 3 of their children were murdered in their home. There are conflicting reports of which children were killed and which were not in the home at the time. I believe one website stated EVERY person of the family was killed. Also the name conflicts between Park & Parks. I believe it is just Park.

Please reply if you have any information regarding any murders in Henryville Indiana between 1974-1995 other than the previously listed.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I urge any person(s) with information about these murders or any murder to please come forward to your local law enforcement agency.

Obviously very little information stated in this post is a proven fact so please do not assume. I try to be clear about that in case there are vicitms family members reading this. My objective is to motivate someone to come forward with information that will lead to an arrest of the murderer(s) of these young boys. It's been nearly 40 years and there are still no answers. There is no one paying for the lives they ended or the lives of the victims' family members that were destroyed. There is still a person or persons out in this world and possibly THIS town that has commited murder and has or could possibly do it again. This is a VERY TINY town with a possible killer(s) still on the loose...




LINKS TO A FEW INTERNET FORUMS MENTIONING OR DIRECTLY CREATED FOR THIS TOPIC


[url=http://goo.gl/OgCkqn]unsolved child murders in clark couny in the 70s (Washington: loft, crimes) - City-Data Forum[/url]


[url=http://goo.gl/kOLmTJ]IN IN - Donald Abell 19, Jeffrey Burkett 15-16, Richard Sweeney 8, Henryville, 1970's - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/url]


[url=http://goo.gl/G3dDeR]3 murders 4 yr aprt one stoplight town INDIANA[/url]


[url=http://goo.gl/DkdIV5]Goliathandwimmens: HENRYVILLE MURDERS: Cold Case File[/url]


[url=http://goo.gl/n0HGnn]Henryville Forestry Murders - [domain blocked due to spam][/url]





THESE ARE LINKS TO INFO I FOUND ABOUT THE PARK FAMILY MURDER OF 1871 IN HENRYVILLE


[url=http://goo.gl/Cw31xP]Re: Elizabeth Park NC-IN 1816-1856[/url]


[url=http://goo.gl/Z2FrcM]FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDIES. - A Family of Five Persons Murdered in Indiana No Clue to the Perpetrators. Horrible Murder in Kansas A Man Kills His Children with a Hammer and Nails. Three Children Buried Alive at Minersville, Penn. - Front Page - NYTimes.com[/url]


[url=http://goo.gl/cHKyjD]MT. LEBANON CEMETERY BURIALS[/url]





UNRELATED INTERESTING HISTORY OF HENRYVILLE

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[idkgirl]

My links did not work. If you would like me to PM them to you please reply.

[irol]

I lived and went to school in Henryville during the time of the last two murders. I remember dr. carr's son being mentioned, but I never heard Dr. Hines or Dr. Green or their children being implicated. I don't remember anyone named Jewel. It was my understanding that Charlie Sweeney was not a sibling of the Sweeney boy but a cousin or something else.