A missing little girl's beaten body was discovered by fishermen more than half a century ago, and a 73-year-old man is being held responsible for her death.
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According to a press release issued by the Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, on the evening of May 26, 1966, at approximately six o'clock in the evening, 10-year-old Betty Lou Zukowski left her home on Front Street in Chicopee, Massachusetts, after telling her mother that she had received a phone call from one of her friends.
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When Zukowski did not return home that evening, her parents reported her missing and filed a report with the police.
Four days later, on May 30, 1966, the battered and mud-covered body of Zukowski was reportedly discovered by young boys fishing near the Westfield River in Springfield.
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The autopsy results revealed that the girl died from repeated blunt force injuries to her head, a fracture to her skull, and drowning until she was no longer conscious.
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At the time of the finding, the authorities apparently believed that the girl had a prior relationship with the individual who was responsible for her death. Gulluni claims that the investigation findings led them to the conclusion that Zukowski had a meeting with the individual and then traveled to Springfield with them in a vehicle. On the other hand, the authorities at the time were unable to discover any substantial leads.
Nearly a week after Zukowski's remains were discovered, the police drew a drawing of the individual who is said to have been the last person to see Zukowski alive based on the testimony of witnesses.
It was said that the sketch was distributed to local newspapers and media outlets; however, no one was able to identify the suspect, and the investigation was eventually closed.
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It has been claimed that the Unresolved Case Unit has been able to concentrate on Zukowski's case over the past year, and evidence linking Donald Mars to the homicide has been presented to a grand jury.
Mars was charged with murder in the first degree by a grand jury in Hampden County on November 1st. He is still being held without the possibility of posting bail, and his next court date is set for May 1, 2023.
In a statement, Gulluni said, "Sadly, Betty Lou’s parents are deceased and will not see Donald Mars answer for what we allege he did to their daughter."
He continued, "While this investigation will not bring Betty Lou back to her family, or grant her the opportunity to grow into a healthy adult that she and every child deserves, it is for them and for Betty Lou that we embark upon this journey of seeking justice."
