Sheila Ellen Cole, a 21-year-old woman from McClure, Illinois, tragically lost her life on November 17, 1977. Sheila was the daughter of Harold Lee Cole and Naomi Frances Wood Cole. She was born on September 15, 1956, in St. Louis, Missouri. Sheila's life was cut short when she was murdered by a serial killer named Timothy Krajcir.
Timothy Krajcir, a serial murderer and rapist, was identified as Sheila's killer in 2007 through DNA evidence. Krajcir had a long history of criminal behavior, including multiple arrests for sexual assault dating back to the 1960s. He was eventually linked to several murders, including Sheila's, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Sheila was abducted from a Wal-Mart in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where she was attending Southeast Missouri State University. Krajcir took her back to his residence in Carbondale, Illinois, where he sexually assaulted her. Sheila's body was later found near a rest stop in McClure, Illinois.
She had been shot in the head multiple times with a gun that Krajcir had used in other murders.
The case remained unsolved for many years until advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to link Krajcir to Sheila's murder. Krajcir's confession and the subsequent evidence led to the closure of this cold case, bringing some measure of justice for Sheila and her family.
It's a tragic story, but it's important to remember Sheila Ellen Cole and the impact her loss had on her family and community.
