They profiled this case today. 14 years have passed and still no suspect has been caught. The fact that Lisa's body was found on Easter Sunday 1992 seemed to hit a little close to home with yesterday being Easter.

The clips we see of Agawam, Massachusetts from the "UM" segment make it look like a cute little town where everyone knows each other. This case is a heartbreaking reminder that there are sick people everywhere, and they aren't just limited to huge cities. Just one of those cases where a person was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I hope that her killer/killers will be caught, but after 14 years, it doesn't look likely. But you never know. Here are some links for anyone interested.

http://www.masslive.com/news/pstories/ag419liv.html

http://www.masslive.com/metrowest/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1079342303103251.xml

Originally posted by dynoguy88


I hope that her killer/killers will be caught, but after 14 years, it doesn't look likely.


Gee, I really like your complete optimism, Dynoguy. :rolleyes:

As you might have noticed, I'm was just being sarcastic.

Anyway, pardon me for correcting you, but the 1992 murder of Lisa Ziegert occured 12 years ago (not 14 years). Just because a case has gone unsolved for more than a decade, DOES NOT mean that it couldn't be solved someday. Even after 12 years, it's still much too soon to deem it unsolvable or a lost cause. (Keep in mind that it took 21 years to solve the Green River killings.)

It's bad luck to say that an unsolved murder isn't likely to get solved. Some people who have said things of that nature have suffered misfortunes. One guy got murdered himself, another man went in debt, and another lapsed into a coma. :lol:

I'm just joking, of course. But my point is to never give up on the possibility that an unsolved case (not matter how tough they are to crack) could one day be solved.

We have proof of that on this board with the Lisa Marie Kimmell case. Her murder went unsolved longer than Lisa Ziegert's, and now Kimmell's killer sits (hopefully not for long) on death row.

That said, it is very frustrating to see crimes go unsolved for years.

Lisa ziegert was a great teacher and a great friend...What happened to her was sick.... I hope the find who killed her and they punish them real bad..... I keep her and her family in my heart and I pray everynight they will find her killer.... God bless the ziegert family and may god be with you.....I had miss ziegert as a teacher she was the most loving and caring person to get along with... I know in my heart they will find who killed her someday.....Until that day comes she will be missed.....



WE MISS YOU MISS ZIEGERT!!!

Lisa Ziegert was your teacher? You must really miss her from what you said about her and from what everyone said about her on the segment from Unsolved Mysteries. Isn't there a plaque that the students of your school got for her and it's under a tree? I also truly hope that her murder is solved, whoever did this shouldn't get away with it.

The Lisa Ziegert case was shown on Boston's WFXT channel 25 10 o'clock news just moments ago. It was part of the program's weekly "New England's Unsolved" segment. There's hardly any new information to report, other than that the detectives have not given up on the case. The cops believe that Ziegert's killer may have been someone local. They base this theory on the fact that her body was found in an isolated wooded area that is not easily visible to the public. Nevertheless, the cops are looking at other possible theories. But they are convinced that her killer watched her for a time before kidnapping her from the store where she worked in the evening.

Didn't you say you are from Massachusetts, Kane? If so, how close were you to Agawam? Have you ever been there? Do you remember the case being reported on the news at the time it happened?

Originally posted by dynoguy88
Didn't you say you are from Massachusetts, Kane? If so, how close were you to Agawam? Have you ever been there? Do you remember the case being reported on the news at the time it happened?

Yes, I live in Massacusetts, near the Boston area. Agawam is in the western part of the state, not too far from the Connecticut border. So Agawam is about a two-hour drive from where I live. Since I have traveled to the western vicinity of Massachusetts before, it is possible that I have traveled through Agawam, but I am not absolutely certain. (However, I don't rule out the possibility that I may been to Agawam when I was too young to remember.)

To be honest, I don't recall having heard about the Lisa Ziegert murder prior to seeing it profiled on Unsolved Mysteries.

From what I've read, it seems like an ex-boyfriend (whose name has never been revealed), who was the son of an Agawam, Massachusetts police officer, that dated her not-too-long before she was murdered or a middle-aged man named Robert Burno, who is also the man implicated in the Molly Bish case, are the two main suspects in Lisa Ziegert's rape/murder.

This is a very unsettling case. The good news is that there was a witness who saw the vehicle: She said it was either a Blazer or a Bronco (definitely an SUV at any rate). I wonder if the suspects in this case can be tied to such a vehicle during that time period? I'm usually skeptical of eye-witnesses (especially at night), but considering she saw this vehicle pull into a vacant off-road trail (the same location Lisa's body was later found) at the same time Lisa was being abducted lends credence to her testimony.

In a way this reminds me of the Angela Hammond case, as the witness said she could see a woman's head swaying around in the back of the SUV as if she was being held down. The odd thing about it was she said there was someone in the back with her, meaning there were probably two assailants.

This one took a little time to find but I was able to locate the card shop that Lisa was abducted from on Google Street View. Articles online said the shop was on Walnut Street Extension in Agawam. This street isn't very big so I went up and down the block searching for a buidling that could have been a gift shop but had trouble. Another forum online was talking about this case and a local resident chimed in saying the card shop is the little building next door to the bowling alley. It has 2 businesses in one building, it kinda stands alone.

I went back and easily found the bowling alley. When I looked next door and compared it with the building featured in the UM segment, it matched up.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/LisaZ.jpg

When Lisa worked there, it was called Brittany's Card & Gift Shoppe. I'm not sure what it is now. I orginally thought it was vacant now but there are cars in the parking lot so it must be used for something.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/LisaZ2.jpg

As the resident mentioned, it is one building that has two businesses. The card shop was on the right side...

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/LisaZ3.jpg

These final two pictures show what the block looks like looking in both directions on Walnut Street...

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/LisaZ4.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/LisaZ5.jpg

What's amazing is that no matter where you look, there are businesses everywhere in every direction from the card shop. Lisa was abducted on a Wednesday night some time between 8:20 and 9:10 p.m. It wasn't that late. In fact, some people say it was still light out when she was taken. Stores were still open. Nobody witnessed anything. Not even the sandwich shop right across the street which had a perfect view of the card shop.

The residents have their theories as to who did this. Apparently Lisa was dating the son of a Agawam Police officer. She broke up with him very shortly before her death. And it is generally believed that the police covered it up. Sounds an awful lot like the Tracy Kirkpatrick situation, doesn't it? It's sickening to think about if it's true.

No, she had not broken up with her boyfriend at the time, and no, her boyfriend was not the son of the former chief of police and no, the police did not cover it up. I appreciate the fact that this is still in people's thoughts, but please don't let political agendas and urban legends effect your opinion of the people who were close to Lisa at the time of her death.

We are all still hopeful that the killer will be caught, but at this point, it will most likely be from a DNA database hit or a material witness finally coming forward.

Dave Ziegert

No, she had not broken up with her boyfriend at the time, and no, her boyfriend was not the son of the former chief of police and no, the police did not cover it up. I appreciate the fact that this is still in people's thoughts, but please don't let political agendas and urban legends effect your opinion of the people who were close to Lisa at the time of her death.

We are all still hopeful that the killer will be caught, but at this point, it will most likely be from a DNA database hit or a material witness finally coming forward.

Dave Ziegert

Thanks for the correction. I read those theories from a message board somewhere else online between some Agawam residents who were discussing the case. I posted it here mainly because I was having trouble finding any other updates or articles on the case online. I'll make sure to delete that part of the post.

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family, Dave. Please drop by here whenever you'd like.

Thanks for the correction. I read those theories from a message board somewhere else online between some Agawam residents who were discussing the case. I posted it here mainly because I was having trouble finding any other updates or articles on the case online.

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family, Dave. Please drop by here whenever you'd like.

Yeah, we've been trying to squash those theories for years, but they persist. Some day, I hope to post here that the killer has been found and brought to justice. I appreciate the people who still talk about the case and keep it somewhat in people's minds.

Yeah, we've been trying to squash those theories for years, but they persist. Some day, I hope to post here that the killer has been found and brought to justice. I appreciate the people who still talk about the case and keep it somewhat in people's minds.

Did she have a boyfriend at the time that this happened? Was he interviewed by authorities? Do you know if Robert Burno was ever investigated or interviewed by them?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Did she have a boyfriend at the time that this happened? Was he interviewed by authorities? Do you know if Robert Burno was ever investigated or interviewed by them?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Lisa had a boyfriend at the time, and he was extensively interviewed.

I do not know if Robert Burno was ever investigated in relation to Lisa's case.

Because Robert Burno was actually suspected in another missing persons/murder case featured on Unsolved Mysteries several years later and he supposedly lived in the Agawam, Massachusetts area at the time of Lisa's murder.

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/Cold-Case-Lisa-Ziegert-121741344.html

Here is a recent news story about Lisa's case.

Thanks for posting the article, Dave. Dee Ziegert seems like such a sweet lady.

It's interesting that Richard Light considers Lisa a random victim. I always figured in a small town like Agawam, kidnapping her not that late at night in plain sight of so many nearby businesses, that something that risky would be a far more personal killing than a random one. Maybe a frequent customer that often came to the card shop and became obsessed with Lisa? Something along those lines.

The co worker is suspicious IMO. When she found the store unattended, why would she go somewhere else to call police? Do they not have a phone? If they don't, then it makes sense, but otherwise it is suspicious.

The co worker is suspicious IMO. When she found the store unattended, why would she go somewhere else to call police? Do they not have a phone? If they don't, then it makes sense, but otherwise it is suspicious.

No disrespect intended, but you are absolutely wrong. She has been a family friend for a very long time, and I personally vouch for her.

Dave Ziegert

No disrespect intended, but you are absolutely wrong. She has been a family friend for a very long time, and I personally vouch for her.

Dave Ziegert



None at all. Obviously you know the case much better, just thought it was strange she wouldn't dial 911 right then and there. I suppose it would make sense if she wanted to go to the restaurant to see if she was there and/or if she thought something bad had happened to Lisa, she wanted to get somewhere safe.

Really wish this was solved.

None at all. Obviously you know the case much better, just thought it was strange she wouldn't dial 911 right then and there. I suppose it would make sense if she wanted to go to the restaurant to see if she was there and/or if she thought something bad had happened to Lisa, she wanted to get somewhere safe.

Really wish this was solved.

I wonder if the woman dialed 911 elsewhere as a precaution. When she found the store unattended, she might have felt uneasy enough about it to do so, unsure if foul play was involved and/or whether a perpetrator was inside the store.

None at all. Obviously you know the case much better, just thought it was strange she wouldn't dial 911 right then and there. I suppose it would make sense if she wanted to go to the restaurant to see if she was there and/or if she thought something bad had happened to Lisa, she wanted to get somewhere safe.

Really wish this was solved.

I never thought it was strange at all. When she saw Lisa's things inside the store, unlocked, at a time when Lisa was not supposed to be there and she is missing, she had to have known she just walked into a crime scene. As far as she knew, a kidnapper could still be inside the store. I would would have left and called the police from some other location as well.

DaveZee, if you see this, have you ever heard anything about two guys that worked at a carpet store near the card shop at the time being suspects?

I read something about them somewhere, I think in the article linked on 6/1.

My theory is the New Hampshire Serial Killer murdered Lisa. Timeline makes sense. Freeway accessible.

My theory is the New Hampshire Serial Killer murdered Lisa. Timeline makes sense. Freeway accessible.

I guess it's a possibility. The last know victim of the killer was in 1988 and Lisa was killed in 1992. But there are some differences that make me doubt he was involved. Lisa was sexually assaulted before being killed and the Connecticut River Valley killer never raped his victims, at least not the ones we know about. He also had a habit of stabbing his victims well over 25 times, sometimes even after they were already dead, with most of the damage done to their necks. From what I've read, Lisa had multiple stab wounds to the shoulders but nothing as extreme as the valley killer victims.

Also, the victims of the valley killer were all out in the open, almost always late at night with no witnesses nearby. They were hitchhiking, or talking on a payphone or at rest stops. Lisa was in a store in the middle of a town surrounded by businesses, the majority of which were still open. It just doesn't sound like the MO of the valley killer to take that kind of risk, to enter some random card shop and kidnap a woman.

All salient points. Here's another Connecticut Valley River Killer potential victim I have: Molly Bish. The lapse in time points to someone else most likely still I wish Warren, MA would look into him. They sure follow up worse leads.

All salient points. Here's another Connecticut Valley River Killer potential victim I have: Molly Bish. The lapse in time points to someone else most likely still I wish Warren, MA would look into him. They sure follow up worse leads.

The 'Dark Minds' episode that featured the Valley killer mentioned Molly Bish as a possible victim but I still have my doubts. Not only had 12 years past since the latest known victim had been killed, but Molly was abducted in the morning, at a popular swimming pond during the summer where locals liked to hang out and would be at any minute. And that ended up being the case because she was already missing not more than 5 minutes after her mother dropped her off. Her abduction was a hell of a lot more risky and would involve much more work than the Valley killer was used to. He's not the kind of killer that's going to attack with so many people close by.

I honestly think we have 3 separate killers here:

*The Valley killer doing his thing hiding in the shadows of desolate areas and picking up hitchhikers in the 80's.

*Molly was most likely killed by Rodney Stanger. He lived in the area, knew the woods, used the pond countless times, matched the description provided by Molly's mother, moved away shortly after the murder and went on to kill again.

*Lisa was most likely killed by a local in the Agawam area who either knew her or crossed paths with her a couple times. The timing and local just make for a random killer to strike seem very unlikely. Plus, according to the eyewitness sighting, the killer drove on to private property to drive into the woods to rape and dump her body. A random killer or even a serial killer is not going to take such a route to kill somebody, imo.

Is a serial killer possibly responsible for her death? It's a possible but I doubt it. I have a felling it was someone she knew and someone who lived either in Agawam or close by. The fact that she was found in that wooded area where LOCALS were known to party makes it obvious that it someone who was familiar with that area... Like someone else said serial killers usually don't that kind of risk

It's possible it was random but I think the more likely scenario is that it was someone who knew her or crossed her path a few times previously. It's nice to see the case reopened.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/crime/murders/das-office-re-opening-lisa-ziegert-murder-case

Thank goodness for recent advances in forensics...now these cold cases may have a good chance at being solved. Too bad these cases had to be unsolved for so many years.

Did she have a boyfriend at the time that this happened? Was he interviewed by authorities? Do you know if Robert Burno was ever investigated or interviewed by them?

I'm sorry for your loss.
Robert Burno could be an interesting suspect is this case and he definitely at least my opinion is the main suspect in the Molly Bish case. He looks EXACTLY like the police sketch of the Bish suspect. The fact that he lived in Agawam back in '92 when Lisa was murdered makes me even more suspicious. Has anyone heard anything about two carpet workers who worked very close to the card shop Lisa worked at as possible suspects? If they have Robert Burno's DNA and it doesn't match that would rule him out as a suspect