From Under the Elm Tree: The Kidnapping & Murder of Maria Ridulph

The murder of Maria Ridulph occurred in December 1957 when the 7-year-old girl was abducted while playing near her home in Sycamore, Illinois. Her remains were found five months later in a rural area, sparking one of the longest cold case investigations in U.S. history. Decades later, in 2012, Jack McCullough (AKA John Tessier), a former neighbor, was convicted of her murder based on new evidence, though his conviction was overturned in 2016 due to misinterpreted facts. The case remains a tragic unsolved mystery with enduring legal and investigative challenges. Listen without ads here: patreon.com/crimehub. Huge thanks to our Sponsors: SelectQuote: Go to SelectQuote.com/crimehub today to find the right life insurance for you. Acorns: Head to acorns.com/crimehub or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today! Paramount: Be sure to check out “Murder in the Orange Grove: The Troubled Case Against Crosley Green” wherever you get your podcasts.  Shopify: Go to shopify.com/crimehub to take your retail business to the next level today. * * * DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content. Parental guidance is advised for children under the age of 18. Listen at your own discretion. #crimehub #truecrime #truecrimepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices