Jul 21, 1976 - Madison, WI - Unsolved
The charred and decomposed remains of Debra Bennett were discovered by land assessors in a gully along Old Sauk Pass Road, outside Cross Plains.
An autopsy revealed that Debra had been dead for at least 10 days, but the exact cause of death was unknown. A fractured collarbone and dental records had enabled her
identification. Soon after her discovery, investigators learned from friends that she had recently been evicted from her apartment and had been staying in a room at the
Cardinal Hotel in downtown Madison. A native of Ridgeway in Iowa County, Debra had only lived in the area a short time. Investigators had no suspects and very little
evidence to go on. In a mysterious twist, three weeks after her body was found, the key to her room was mailed to the hotel. There was no note, return address, or any identifying marks.
A week later Debra's 58 year old father passed away after a long illness. A joint funeral was held for the two in Dodgeville.
Debra Jayne Bennett (20)
William R. Bennett (58)
One of the
Capital City Murders
