Peggy Sue Altes:1984, Sugar Creek Township, Hancock County, Indiana

   


   Peggy Sue Altes was born August 29th, 1973 to Myrlene and George Altes. She was 11 in 1984. She was a typical 5th grader at School 48 in Indianapolis. She had an older brother and an older sister. The family lived at 442 St. Peter Street in Indianapolis.  That’s a bit east of Fountain Square on the southeast side of Indy.


   On November 12th, 1984, Peggy’s Mom and sister were going to attend a religious revival service. Peggy was going to stay home. When the two women returned home they found that Peggy was missing. They reported her missing at 11:15 p.m.

   

  Peggy’s mother was frustrated with the police response. She felt that not enough was done. Her older sister had run away 17 times. When Peggy’s Mom reported her missing, people assumed she had just run away as well. 


   But there were witnesses who came forward to report that they saw Peggy at a nearby park being forced into a black Camaro.


   Peggy was found in a field in Sugar Creek Township in Hancock County with multiple stab wounds to her neck. Her death certificate does not give more details about the exact spot that her remains were found. Sugar Creek Township is home to the town of New Palestine. It is about a 15 minute drive east of Indianapolis. The killer or killers did not drive far from Peggy’s eastside neighborhood. 




  On Sunday November 20th 1984, Peggy’s older cousin, Franklin Thomas Altes, 25,  was found deceased of an apparent suicide. He was found in a running car in the garage of his family home at 165 N. 9th Street in Zionsville, Indiana. This was ruled to be unrelated to Peggy’s murder. 


  The most remembrance posts I have ever seen on Find A Grave are on Peggy Altes’ page. People really cared about this 11 year old. 


   Over the years several men were questioned and arrested for the abduction, rape and murder of Peggy Sue Altes. Jerry Watkins was a known child molester and a friend of the family. Peggy's older sister who had run away 17 times, testified at trial that he had been molesting her since she was a little kid. Watkins was convicted but eventually exonerated by DNA. 


   Watkins suggested that police look at Joseph Mark McCormick. McCormick denied the allegations but suggested Hugh Munson and William Beever. Questioning, trials and testing have failed to convict anyone of the crime. 


   In 2016, Hancock County Sheriff’s Department investigators announced that they were going back to the beginning of the case, looking at everything and questioning everyone. The charges against William Beever had been dropped and hopes for Justice had been devastated. Each of the four men had at one time or another admitted involvement but denied being the murderer. 


   Peggy’s murder is officially unsolved as of 2025. 


   Peggy Sue Altes was only 11. She was just a child. She should have been able to grow up in peace. She should still be here in this world. 


   If you have information that can lead to a conviction in Peggy’s case please contact the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office at (419) 422-2424. 


View and share this case on YouTube:


https://youtu.be/0BfUNd6t88w?si=TkhmTzfFBqq8XmsP


   

  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Laurie Jo Lopez and Gerald E. Bunche III: 1975, Gary

Image
    On the evening of April 6th, 1975, two teenagers went on a date. The eighteen year olds were Laurie and Gerald. They borrowed Laurie’s Mom’s car.  It should have been a fun night out. But, the two teens never made it home.    Laurie Jo Lopez graduated from Kankakee Valley High. She lived southeast of Gary, Indiana at 10 Windsor Drive, outside of Demotte, Indiana.    Gerald Ellsworth Bunche III was born on January 3rd 1957. He went to Lew Wallace High in Gary and lived at 1145 Whitcomb Street. He was the son of Erdell and Gerald Bunche Jr.  He was an active highschool kid. He played basketball and was pretty good.    Laurie Lopez was the daughter of Frank Lopez. Her mother’s name is not known to me. (Her mother is not listed on her death certificate and I was unable to find any information about Laurie’s Mom or possible siblings.) Laurie’s stepfather was Sgt. James E. Rodriguez.    I usually am ab...
Read more

Donna Marie Lanier: 1984: North Liberty, Indiana

Image
   Donna Marie Husband was born on March 11th, 1956 in South Bend, Indiana. She was the daughter of Eloise and Joseph Husband. She grew up in South Bend and married a man named Lanier. (I was unable to find his full name.)    She was 28 in 1984.  Her life had been a difficult one. Her mother had been killed in the years before.  The man suspected of that crime was later murdered as well. Donna and her children lost everything but their lives in a fire in 1979. Still, she kept going.     Donna had four children. Three were still living at home in 1984. It is not easy to make a living as a single mother.  If your kids get sick you have to be home with them. They never get sick all at the same time. Children have school breaks and snow days but most jobs do not. It’s impossible to find a workplace that will be flexible like that. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. If you have ever been poor then you know.  ...
Read more