[REVISION HISTORY]

Identification of suspect in 1960 Gloria Kowalewicz murder

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-18 18:41 UTC → 2026-10-26 21:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Authorities have identified Thomas Francis McInerney Jr. as the suspect in the 1960 murder of eight-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz. The case had remained unsolved for over 65 years. Kowalewicz disappeared on November 12, 1960, while walking from her West Englewood home to a nearby church. Her body was subsequently found in a ravine or ditch with two gunshot wounds to the ~~head.~~ head and bruises on her neck. Although the original investigation involved extensive ~~searches and~~ searches, thousands of interviews, and polygraph tests on over a dozen suspects, no suspect was ever identified. A breakthrough was achieved through the use of advanced DNA ~~analysis~~ analysis, fingerprint reconstruction, and genetic genealogy. The FBI and Chicago police were able to link DNA profiles found on the victim’s clothing to ~~McInerney.~~ McInerney by using data from a consumer family-tree website. At the time of the crime, McInerney was 24 years old and lived near the victim; he later served as a Chicago police detective for 28 years. He eventually retired and moved to Las Vegas, where he died in 2006 at the age of 70. Investigators noted that key evidence preserved by the Chicago Cold Case unit was instrumental in the resolution. This evidence included a bullet, the victim’s clothing, and a small white purse containing a prayer book. ~~In addition to DNA technology, a fingerprint found on the strap of the purse helped enable detectives to identify the perpetrator.~~ Following the identification, the FBI has become involved to determine if McInerney is linked to any other unsolved cases.

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