Debra Colliander:1980,Aurora, Illinois

 

   

   Debra Colliander was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1954. She grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin and graduated from Waukesha high school. 

   In 1980 she was living in Aurora, Illinois. She was smart, young and independent.

   One night in 1980, she was abducted and assaulted by Bruce Everitt Lindahl. She managed to escape when he fell asleep. She reported the rape and abduction to the police. Luckily, the police actually believed her and they arrested Lindahl. 

  Bruce Everitt Lindahl was a serial rapist and serial murderer. He had absolutely no conscience. He had no empathy. He was simply a predator.

  In October 1980, in the weeks after filing charges against Bruce Lindahl; Debra Colliander went missing after work. Two years would pass before she was found. In those two years Bruce Lindahl would pass away as well. 

   Bruce Lindahl was cruising for a victim at a bowling alley on April 4th, 1981 and met a young man, Charles Robert “Chuck” Huber, Jr. They bowled for a while and then headed to an apartment where Bruce attacked the young man. As Bruce Lindahl was kneeling on top of and stabbing the struggling Huber; he accidentally stabbed his own thigh. This severed his femoral artery and caused Lindahl to bleed out in seconds. He collapsed and died on the victim, Chuck Huber, Jr. who also perished. 

   In 1982 Debra Colliander was found south of Aurora in Oswego. Her body was found in a field by a farmer. When news of her discovery was made public a man came forward and told police that Lindahl had offered him money to kill Debra back in 1980 but he had refused. It seems like Lindahl either found someone willing to kill her or he did it himself to avoid jail time. 

 

   Because Debra Colliander was so incredibly brave and stood up for herself and pressed charges; she got this attack on the record. Yes, she was killed in retaliation by Lindahl. But getting that 1980 attack on record gives us knowledge about Lindahl’s activities. 

   Decades later between 2022-2024, investigators were able to use DNA to connect Lindahl to the murders of Pamela Maurer in 1976 and Kathy Ann Halle in 1979. But because Debra Colliander had so bravely told her story; not only did investigators have DNA to confirm Lindahl as a rapist and murderer but testimony as to his behavior. That will likely help close even more cold cases in the future. 

   Rest in peace Debra. You were a very brave woman. You deserved a long and happy life. We remember you.