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The original was posted on /r/unresolvedmysteries by /u/TheBonesOfAutumn on 2024-01-22 20:30:38+00:00.
Original Title: In the summer of 1945, 51-year-old Dorothy Steck was found beaten, strangled, robbed, and sexually assaulted in the backyard of her Indianapolis, Indiana home. Sadly, after giving a brief description of her attacker to police, she succumbed to her injuries. Her case remains unsolved.
On August 12th, 1945, 45-year-old Herman Steck returned home to his Indianapolis, Indiana residence after a long night at work. He anticipated the usual warm welcome from his wife, 51-year-old Dorothy Steck, but instead was met with an unsettling silence. Panic rising, he frantically searched the house for her. A faint moan, barely audible, drew him towards the backyard. There, he discovered Dorothy sprawled on the ground, partially clad and gravely injured.
As they waited for help to arrive, Herman listened closely as Dorothy, bruised, bloodied, and slipping in and out of consciousness, tried her best to piece together the nightmare that had unfolded in the couple’s backyard. From what Herman gathered, an unknown man had followed Dorothy into the alley behind the couples home after she departed from the trolley. Despite her quickened pace, the man caught up to Dorothy and attacked her from behind. After beating her in the head and face and strangling her, Dorothy’s attacker raped, and robbed her, then fled the scene.
At the hospital, Dorothy’s condition deteriorated rapidly. The attack had left her with a shattered jaw, a severe skull fracture, and numerous head and facial contusions and lacerations. Only able to nod yes or no to their questions, Dorothy described her attacker to detectives; a husky white man, approximately six feet tall and 160 lbs, dressed in a blue shirt and light colored pants. Sadly, Dorothy succumbed to her injuries only hours later.
Seven days later, a small group of children in search of their lost baseball discovered a discarded purse in the tall weeds near a set of railroad tracks. Inside, they found Dorothy’s identification, makeup, and other personal belongings, however the handbag contained no money. The purse was turned over to police.
As the investigation into Dorothy’s murder continued, detectives questioned several local individuals. Among them was a former patient of the county asylum, known for his erratic and violent past. Two days after the attack, the man was apprehended after a concerned citizen noticed his bloodstained jacket. The man was interrogated, but later released.
The last mention of Dorothy’s case I could find is in 1951. That year, Robert Austin Watts was executed for the murder and rape of an Indianapolis housewife. Prior to carrying out his sentence, he was questioned about several unsolved Indianapolis murders, including Dorothy’s. (Robert was a black man, and Dorothy had described her attacker as white, so I have no idea why he was questioned about Dorothy’s case.) Needless to say, no link between Robert and Dorothy was ever found.
Dorothy was laid to rest in Sheridan, Indiana’s Spencer Cemetery. Herman passed away in 1993, and their only son, William, died in 1985.
Dorothy’s case remains unsolved.
Sources
Photos/Picture of House as it currently stands/Death Certificate/Clippings