INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities released a new sketch of the man who went on a killing spree across the Midwest almost three decades ago as detectives remain hopeful for tips that could help piece together the so-called I-70 killings.
In April of 1992, police said Robin Fuldauer, 26, was working alone at Payless Shoesource in the 7200 block of Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis after a co-worker called in sick. Investigators believe a man came into the store, took her to the back and fatally shot her before escaping out a back door.
The killer then traveled through the Midwest over the next 30 days, leaving a trail of bodies.
Police said the suspect then went to a bridal shop in Wichita, Kansas around closing time. He got Patricia Magers, 33, and Patricia Smith, 23, to the back of the store where he killed both of them.
But police got a break in the case: a witness. Retired Wichita Police Lt. Michael Hennessy said a man returned to the store that day to pick up an item.
“He was greeted by an individual being a white male, with a weapon being a small rifle as he described it, and he was asked by this gunman to come in to the back room with him, but he refused to do so,” Hennessy said.
The witness left the store and called police.
“That was our first lead in the case there as far as having an eyewitness,” Hennessy said.
From there, police said the suspect traveled to Sylvia’s Ceramic Shop in Terre Haute, where Michael McCown, 40, was stocking shelves at his mother’s store. The suspect shot him immediately.
Police said the killer went on to St. Charles, Missouri where he killed Nancy Kitzmiller, 24, at Boot Village. Then he killed Sarah Blessing, 37, in Raytown, Missouri.
Investigators linked the cases through ballistics.
Months after the killings in the Midwest, authorities learned of more potential victims in Texas, although no concrete evidence has linked the Texas cases to the Midwest.
Investigators developed a sketch of the suspect. He is described as a white male who was 22 to 40 years old at the time, 5’7” to 5’9″ tall, weighed 140 to 160 lbs. and had sandy blonde hair with a red tint.
Authorities said based on ballistics and witness accounts, an Erma Werke ET22 was the most probable weapon used, but the Intratec Scorpion could not be eliminated as a potential murder weapon.
In most of the cases, the suspect targeted women working by themselves at businesses without much money on hand. He was able to make the women feel like they’d be okay if they followed his instructions. He was able get them to a back room where he shot them in the head before fleeing.
To this day, investigators haven’t been able to pinpoint who is responsible.
If you know anything about these crimes, call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS.
