Indiana’s darkest secret, a haunting abduction mystery that has remained unresolved for nearly 50 years, has finally been unraveled. Three courageous women endured a harrowing experience when they were abducted, bound, and left for dead in an Indiana cornfield in 1975.
Kandice Smith, Sheri Rottler Trick, and Kathie Rottler, the survivors of this brutal attack, have long sought justice and closure. Thanks to advancements in genetic genealogy technology and the relentless dedication of law enforcement, the identity of their assailant has now been revealed.
It was the fateful night of August 19, 1975, when Kandice Smith, then 13, Sheri Rottler Trick, then 11, and Kathie Rottler, then 14, found themselves in a dire situation. Leaving a gas station in eastern Indianapolis, the three girls decided to hitchhike home, unaware of the nightmare that awaited them. A white man driving a station wagon pulled over, offering them a ride. Little did they know that this encounter would lead to a horrifying ordeal.
As the man behind the wheel drove past their intended destination, the girls grew increasingly concerned. Attempting to escape the car, Kathie Rottler, in a desperate act, tried to hit the brakes but to no avail. The situation quickly escalated when the suspect pulled out a handgun and threatened Kathie’s life, putting it to her head. Fear and panic gripped the girls as they realized they were in the clutches of a dangerous predator.
Realizing that something was amiss, the girls attempted to escape the vehicle. Rottler, desperately trying to hit the brakes, was thwarted by her own physical limitations. The situation escalated when the abductor brandished a handgun, placing it against Rottler’s head, and threatening to shoot her.
