1979, The Cold Case Murder of Regina Costellia

Years ago, if you drove out of town on South Market road, you would have crossed a steel framework bridge where Crab Orchard Creek crosses the road just on the south outskirts of town. Early on Sunday morning , June 3rd, 1979, two Chicago area fishermen were looking for a place to fish so they stopped to peruse the creek as a possible fishing hole.

The men discovered the body of 19 year old Regina (Oliver) Costellia of Herrin. Her belongings were found to have been dumped just north of the bridge and the body had attempted to be dumped in the creek but appeared to have gotten lodged in the steel framework of the bridge which left the body dangling by one arm. Continue reading

1973, The Murder of Martha Damico

Marion was in disbelief on February 19th, 1973, when Mary Ann Damico came home from school and found her 50 year old paraplegic mother, Martha Damico, senselessly murdered in their home at 825 Morgan Drive. Martha, who was confined to a wheel chair, had been murdered that morning shortly after her daughter left for school by Cynthia “Cindy” Barnes, 17, whose mother lived not far away at 840 Morgan Drive. Continue reading

1950, The Murder of Paul Rametta

Scene of Rametta murder in Dec 1950Paul Rametta Shot Down By Luther Frey, Marion Daily Republican, Dec. 8, 1950

A gun duel which blazed briefly across North Court Street early Thursday evening (Dec. 7) left one man dead as his slayer calmly telephoned police. The slain man was Paul Rametta, Marion truck operator.

Held in the county jail Friday pending a coroner’s investigation of the shooting was Luther Frey, 31, of Marion, ex-convict. Continue reading

1900-1908, The Tragic Ends to Three Jordan Brothers

Anyone who has lived a reasonable amount of time will likely agree that there are times when life doesn’t always appear fair. Worse yet, there are times when it appears just downright cruel. Such may be the case for the Jordan family who lost three of their four sons, two to murder and one to an accident. Continue reading

1897, Fatal Shootout at Freedom Church

Fatal Affray at a Church

Marion, Ill., July 17, 1897 – A shooting affray (fight) occurred at Freedom Church last night, in which Isham J. Price lost his life. For several months a feud existed between Price and the Hamptons. The men met at the church and without words the fight began. Sylvester and Earnest Hampton, 22 and 17 years of age, shot Price several times, killing him. The Hamptons were arrested.

(Chicago Daily Tribune, Sunday July 18, 1897, Page 13)