Search for the Key: Starved Rock Murders LbNA #58100
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Add Location| Owner: | Pitties  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Utica |
| County: | La Salle |
| State: | Illinois |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | MO UR4Me |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Oct 5, 2017 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFaaF |
| Last edited: | Jun 1, 2011 |
In March 1960, 3 upstanding Riverside woman were brutally murdered while hiking at beautiful Starved Rock Park. The horrific crime shocked people locally, as well as nationwide, creating a media circus at the park. It was dubbed "the crime of the century" by Time Magazine.
At the time, the Chicago media speculated that this was a mob hit, but evidence led them to convict one of the lodge employees. In the end, it seems the crime was a robbery gone bad. Convicted in 1961, Charles Weger is still in prison today, but many locals believe he is innocent. After this case was closed, the Illinois State Police changed the way they investigate crimes due to the many blunders by authorities in this case.
To find out more, check out the book “The Starved Rock Murders” by Steve Stout. My sincere sympathy to the families of the victims.
To find this letterbox: make your way to the canyon where the tragedy occurred. Nowadays there's a short cut, but in 1960 the trail to the canyon started at the Lodge and was a considerably longer hike. As you enter the canyon, image the joy and freedom the woman felt as they took in the beauty around them. On their camera, there were pictures of them posing together in this area. They also had plans to do some bird watching. On your right, you'll see some caves in the canyon wall, the last of which is where the ladies were found. Immediately after this last cave, round the corner and you'll find the waterfall, which freezes solid in the winter. It is a beautiful site to see and is what attracted the woman to this spot on that day. Follow the canyon in a counter clockwise fashion, go up the sandy hill. Once at the top of this hill, make your way to the canyon wall on your right and continue away from the falls to the large boulder closest to the wall. It is here between them, under 2 smaller rocks that you'll find the "weapon" one of the women used to try to fight off her attacker.
This box is part of the 'Search for the Key' series. For further information, including directions for decoding the secret message to find the final box, see http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=172609 on AQ or http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=58084&boxname=Search_for_the_Key:_Key_to_the_City on LBNA.
At the time, the Chicago media speculated that this was a mob hit, but evidence led them to convict one of the lodge employees. In the end, it seems the crime was a robbery gone bad. Convicted in 1961, Charles Weger is still in prison today, but many locals believe he is innocent. After this case was closed, the Illinois State Police changed the way they investigate crimes due to the many blunders by authorities in this case.
To find out more, check out the book “The Starved Rock Murders” by Steve Stout. My sincere sympathy to the families of the victims.
To find this letterbox: make your way to the canyon where the tragedy occurred. Nowadays there's a short cut, but in 1960 the trail to the canyon started at the Lodge and was a considerably longer hike. As you enter the canyon, image the joy and freedom the woman felt as they took in the beauty around them. On their camera, there were pictures of them posing together in this area. They also had plans to do some bird watching. On your right, you'll see some caves in the canyon wall, the last of which is where the ladies were found. Immediately after this last cave, round the corner and you'll find the waterfall, which freezes solid in the winter. It is a beautiful site to see and is what attracted the woman to this spot on that day. Follow the canyon in a counter clockwise fashion, go up the sandy hill. Once at the top of this hill, make your way to the canyon wall on your right and continue away from the falls to the large boulder closest to the wall. It is here between them, under 2 smaller rocks that you'll find the "weapon" one of the women used to try to fight off her attacker.
This box is part of the 'Search for the Key' series. For further information, including directions for decoding the secret message to find the final box, see http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=172609 on AQ or http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=58084&boxname=Search_for_the_Key:_Key_to_the_City on LBNA.