Barbara Sue Menzie:La Porte, Indiana 1975

    

   On Wednesday February 5th, 1975 Mrs. Barbara Sue Menzie, 19, was at home at 711 ½ Jackson Street.  Her two year old daughter, Amy Lynn, was in a crib nearby. 

   It should have been a quiet day at home. But sometime that day someone entered the home and murdered Barbara. There were no signs of forced entry to the home. There were signs of a struggle. Barbara fought for her life. A few dresser drawers were opened. Police thought robbery might have been a motive. 

   Barbara was strangled and stabbed multiple times in the face and chest. She died within ten minutes of collapsed lungs and blood loss according to her death certificate. 

  Her toddler, Amy Lynn, was unharmed in her crib.

  Her husband Kenneth Earl Menzies returned home from work at the end of the day and found his wife’s body. What a terrible and traumatic thing that must have been. 

  Investigators felt that rape was not a motive. However Barbara was found partially clothed. I assume they found no semen but it does seem like a sexually motivated crime. 

  Immediately I thought of the murder of Brenda Ginter in the summer of 1975. She was a young mother strangled and stabbed in her apartment in North Judson, Indiana.  I wondered how far North Judson is from La Porte. It is only 32 miles away.  It will take you less than 49 minutes if you drive the speed limit. 

   In researching Brenda Ginter’s murder and other murders in that area;  I came across the story of Danny Rouse. 

   Danny Rouse killed Nellie Mikesells in 1974 and Lela Hildebrandt in 1975 near Winamac, Indiana. He wasn’t caught for those murders in the 1970’s though. Both cases went cold. He then moved to Kansas and attacked a young mother, Kathryn Crowley, in her home, stabbing her in the chest multiple times. He the. went to her son’s room and slashed the child’s throat. The child , Jason Learst, died within minutes.  

   Danny Rouse was caught and was tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Jason Learst. But, he was paroled by Kansas after 26 years and went back to Indiana where he raped and strangled a young woman, Stephanie Wagner, in 2006. To avoid the death penalty he confessed to the earlier murders of Nellie Mikesells and Lela Hildebrandt. He is currently serving a life sentence in Indiana.

   I strongly suspected that Brenda Ginter was murdered by Danny Rouse. The proximity of North Judson to Winamac is startling. I was convinced enough to contact the Cold Case Division of the Indiana State Police, the North Judson Police Department and the Indiana Incarcerated tipline. 

   Looking at the details of the murder of Barbara Sue Menzie; the similarities to Brenda Ginter’s murder are startling. 

   Danny Rouse is a serial killer.  There is no doubt about that. He had the ability to appear harmless. Just before he stabbed Kathryn Crowley and murdered her son the two were watching a movie. He ambushed her in the kitchen. His last victim, Stephanie Wagner, thought he looked harmless enough to stop and help him with car trouble. He stabbed and strangled her as well. 

   He tended to meet victims through work. Did he perhaps work at the same place as Kenneth Menzie? 

   If he knocked on Barbara Menzie’s door on February 5th, 1975, he probably had a convincing enough ruse to get her to open the door. 

  The Menzie’s lived in a building with 4 apartments. You get to know your neighbors.  It was a cold February day.  Maybe Barbara thought that knock was a neighbor lady coming by for coffee. A simple knock seemed harmless. She probably just answered the door like anyone would. 

  Is evidence preserved in her case? DNA has come a long way since 1975. Is there anything that can still be tested?

  Danny Rouse’s DNA should be available in CODIS. DNA was used to convict him in 2006. 

  Testing the evidence that may still be stored is worth a try. 

  Barbara Sue Menzie was only 19. She deserves to still be here.