Fifty-eight years since the death of a University of Wisconsin-Madison freshman, university police are reviving their search for clues, with a plea to the public to share any possible leads.
Christine Rothschild, who went by Chris, was found dead on May 26, 1968, the Sunday of finals week, at age 18. She had been stabbed several times and strangled, according to newspaper reports from the time. Rothschild’s body was located in shrubbery next to Sterling Hall.
No killer was ever caught.
Now, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department is asking people to share any information they have, no matter how big or small.
“We request those who knew Chris in any way to reach out and share their experiences with us. Whether you attended or visited UW-Madison during this time or lived in Ann Emery Hall, where Chris resided, we want to hear from you,” UWPD said in a statement released May 26, on the 58th anniversary of Rothschild’s death. “Perhaps you saw something or someone and were unaware of the significance of this information.”
The statement encourages people to come forward even if they have information they’re unsure is helpful.
“Even if you think your information is insignificant or believe we are already aware of it, please contact us and allow us to make that determination. Every piece of information helps,” the police statement said.
The Milwaukee division of the FBI also shared on social media that it’s assisting in the investigation.
Investigators ask anyone with information to contact the UWPD tip line at 608-265-2345. Anonymous tips can be shared through Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or online at www.p3tips.com.
Marc Lovicott, a UWPD spokesperson, said the case has always been open and active, but the department felt that the anniversary of Rothschild’s death provided an opportunity to draw the public’s attention to the unsolved case.
“We haven’t shared anything about this case in a very long time,” Lovicott said in a statement. “So, those were the main driving factors for the release.”
UWPD’s statement notes that “there are occasions when people who may have knowledge initially do not come forward” or “when people do not provide everything they know during an interview with law enforcement.”
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW-Madison police and FBI seek tips in 58-year-old cold-case homicide
Reporting by Kelli Arseneau, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
