Debbie Makel

On Friday October 5, 1973, 8-year-old Debbie Makel rode the school bus home in Rices Landing, PA.  

Her 11 and 12-year-old brothers decided to walk home instead to sell magazine subscriptions for a school fundraiser.  Parents Charlotte and Duane Makel were both at work, and when the boys arrived home, they found their sister’s books, coat, and house key on the table.  

They figured she was outside playing with friends.  But when it was getting close to dinner time, and she hadn’t returned, her parents started to worry.  They made phone calls, drove around the neighborhood, and called police.  Her disappearance was announced at the Jefferson-Morgan High School football game that night, requesting volunteers, and people started leaving the game to help in the search.  

Two days later, two cousins who had come into town that morning to help search, discovered Debbie’s body near an old distillery foundation, less than 200 yards from her home.  She was covered by branches and brush, had a pillowcase over her head, and was partially clothed.  She had been sexually assaulted and strangled with a piece of twine.