Eighteen years before the murder of Cheri Jo Bates in Riverside, California, on February 8th 1948, another senseless murder was perpetrated on a young woman in Riverside County. Marjorie Lee Winn (17), a Redlands High School student was traveling with her companion, Jim Sloan Jr, in his Mercury Coupe along Highway 99 just past Beaumont at around 2:30 am, when they pulled over for a brief moment. Suddenly, a man yanked open the passenger door of his Mercury Coupe and pointed a shotgun at Marjorie. Jim Sloan stepped on the gas to pull away and the gun discharged, leaving the young student with what would prove fatal injuries.
On the evening of the 7th, Albert Strickland had been drinking at a bar located on 14th Street and Howard Avenue in Riverside, when his vehicle carelessly parked outside with a loaded shotgun lying on the seat, was stolen. The bar was situated only four minutes drive, or one mile from the Terracina Drive alleyway where Cheri Jo Bates would ultimately be murdered in 1966.
Sometime after 1:00 am, Adolph Eilts and his wife were disturbed in their Beaumont home by an intruder carrying a flashlight. Confronted by the home owner the man fled, but when the homeowner went outside he discovered the abandoned Packard of Albert Strickland minus the shotgun. Just over an hour later Marjorie would be dead. After the murder of Margie Lee Winn, a massive manhunt ensued, becoming headline news - yet the killer was never identified. An unsigned 'confession' letter was received by Redlands Police Chief A.O. Peterson stating "I killed M. Winn because I loved her. I am traveling north by Greyhound bus. I bought my ticket from a bus driver by the name of Mr. Lee in Los Angeles." An anonymous caller to Riverside Police Department led to the discovery of a pair of size seven shoes in a vacant lot that matched the impressions taken from the location of the murder, and therefore were determined by police to be those of the killer.
Prime suspect Richard Olsen (25) admitted to being the author of the anonymous letter, however, he denied the murder, and despite wearing size seven shoes was eventually ruled out by police in the murder of Margie Lee Winn.
The murder in Beaumont was perpetrated approximately 26 miles east of the Riverside City College library and has some overlapping characteristics to the Zodiac Killer and Cheri Jo Bates, but this is extremely unlikely to be connected to either, having the hallmarks of robbery rather than premeditated murder. To read more in depth on this murder please visit
http://tonimomberger.weebly.com/the-unsolved-killing-of-margie-lee-winn.html
On the evening of the 7th, Albert Strickland had been drinking at a bar located on 14th Street and Howard Avenue in Riverside, when his vehicle carelessly parked outside with a loaded shotgun lying on the seat, was stolen. The bar was situated only four minutes drive, or one mile from the Terracina Drive alleyway where Cheri Jo Bates would ultimately be murdered in 1966.
Sometime after 1:00 am, Adolph Eilts and his wife were disturbed in their Beaumont home by an intruder carrying a flashlight. Confronted by the home owner the man fled, but when the homeowner went outside he discovered the abandoned Packard of Albert Strickland minus the shotgun. Just over an hour later Marjorie would be dead. After the murder of Margie Lee Winn, a massive manhunt ensued, becoming headline news - yet the killer was never identified. An unsigned 'confession' letter was received by Redlands Police Chief A.O. Peterson stating "I killed M. Winn because I loved her. I am traveling north by Greyhound bus. I bought my ticket from a bus driver by the name of Mr. Lee in Los Angeles." An anonymous caller to Riverside Police Department led to the discovery of a pair of size seven shoes in a vacant lot that matched the impressions taken from the location of the murder, and therefore were determined by police to be those of the killer.
Prime suspect Richard Olsen (25) admitted to being the author of the anonymous letter, however, he denied the murder, and despite wearing size seven shoes was eventually ruled out by police in the murder of Margie Lee Winn.
The murder in Beaumont was perpetrated approximately 26 miles east of the Riverside City College library and has some overlapping characteristics to the Zodiac Killer and Cheri Jo Bates, but this is extremely unlikely to be connected to either, having the hallmarks of robbery rather than premeditated murder. To read more in depth on this murder please visit
http://tonimomberger.weebly.com/the-unsolved-killing-of-margie-lee-winn.html
