Rosemarie Austin:1978, Scott County, Indiana
Rosemarie Austin was originally from Austria. She was born August 30th 1941. Her mother is named on her death certificate as Maria Horvath.
I haven’t been able to find a record of Rosemarie’s wedding day. I haven’t yet been able to determine when she came to the United States. I imagine that she met Herbert Austin in Europe. I imagine that he was serving in the armed forces and they married there and returned to Indiana. But, I haven’t found anything to confirm that.
It’s frustrating that I cannot find a photo of Rosemarie. A photo helps humanize a victim with people who might read this post. I usually find photos from yearbooks on Ancestry and sometimes on Find a Grave. But the victim has to have gone to a school with an accessible yearbook. Someone has to have cared enough to post their photo in Find a Grave.
I first became acquainted with Rosemarie’s story through a tiny article. I was researching other murders in Indiana from 1978 and stumbled across her case.
According to her husband, Herbert Austin, she left the house in mid August 1978 and never came back. When did he report her missing? How would those around him describe him in the weeks that she was missing?
Her purse was found on the road. When exactly?
Later Rosemarie’s body would be found on September 18, 1978 by a man cutting hay.
The newspapers almost immediately began printing that no foul play was suspected. A woman is found dead in a field four weeks after going for a walk in nice weather and no one is even raising an eyebrow?
Why was her purse found on the road but she was found in the field?
It was not ruled a murder. So, they essentially said that this woman went for a walk. She left her purse in the road. She then strolled into a field and died of natural causes. Maybe.
What if she went for a walk for a quick trip to the store with her purse. She got abducted or accepted a ride from the wrong person. She was taken to the field, raped and strangled. Her body might not show any obvious signs of foul play a month later in the Indiana heat and humidity. Damage from the hay mower might have made an autopsy more difficult. Her body might have been damaged by the farm equipment accidentally but was she given a thorough autopsy?
How did anyone look at this and think it was death by natural causes? She was only 37. It was Summer. Highs for that week were in the low 90 degree range. Do we know what time she went for this walk? Maybe she got overheated. But, we don’t know if this was a walk in the 70 degree morning temperatures or a walk in the 90 degree afternoon temperatures.
She lived in town at 140 Morning Drive in Austin, Indiana. Most of her walk would have been through streets with the occasional shade tree. If she made her way to the country on foot there are still opportunities to rest in the shade or she could always turn around and go home.
Scott County Sheriff Raymond Hardy was in charge of the investigation. I wonder if records were preserved? It is doubtful that evidence was saved as they deemed this a death by natural causes.
In 1978 Rosemarie Austin was not the only woman found dead in a field in Indiana. In the mid to late 1970’s many murder victims were found in Indiana fields. Terry Joann Darlington, Monika Maria Mason, Cheryl Bolin, Kristine Kozik, Ann Harmeier, Tara Meredith, Pamela Ann Smith, are just a few off the top of my head.
Pamela Ann Smith’s murder happened in 1975 in nearby Greensfork near Richmond. She went for a walk and disappeared and her body was found in a field many months later.
Rosemarie is buried in Scottsburg Cemetery according to her death certificate. There doesn’t seem to be a headstone there for her.
I have questions; What was Rosemarie’s maiden name? Did she still have family in Austria? Was her family there informed of her disappearance and then later her death? What was the state of her marriage? Was it a happy one?
Very little information was printed in the paper. I can’t find an obituary or funeral announcement. If anyone out there remembers her or has a photo of her, please reach out.
She was found Friday Sept 21, 1978 according to the paper. Rosemarie’s death certificate says August18th. She supposedly went missing on August 13th according to newspaper. Her death certificate says she left five days later on August 18th. What is with those inconsistencies?
Her husband, Herbert Austin was buried later on in Cana Cemetery, I believe. Why was he not buried next to his wife? Why is he buried on the other side of town?
Rosemary Austin had a son according to the few newspaper articles I could find. As a Mother myself, I know she’d have done anything to get back home to her child.
Perhaps Rosemarie Austin did die a natural death. Perhaps not. Being a relative newcomer to the United States it is doubtful that she had many close friends in rural Indiana. Victims really need friends and advocates. Hopefully there is someone out there who can help fill in the gaps here.
It looks like Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Austin attended this party in 1974. Anyone have pictures? I know it’s a long shot.
Rest in Peace Rosemarie Austin.
If you have information about the death of Rosemarie Austin please reach out to the Scott County Sheriffs Office at (812) 752-8400.
Listen to this post and what the YouTube Video. Hopefully we can reach her family in Austria.
https://youtu.be/fxFuTOwJAOc?si=JI17VVcvc6-jl1GW
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