I've searched the forum but I couldn't find anything on this one, same with google. It's the case about a supposed suicide in 1977. The family received a letter 15 years after the suicide, that was a confession that it was in fact a murder. I thought the weirdest part of the story was the psychic who met a family member on a train, and told her it was a murder and laid out how it happened.
Just wondering if anyone had an opinion. To me it sounds like another case of the police rushing to a conclusion, as no investigation was done.

Yes, I remember that one. I do believe the letter and that it was a botched robbery like he said. I remember he said in the letter he said he was dying of AIDS and I guess wanted to clear his conscience. The whole psychic angle seemed far fetched to me.

There isn't much discussion on this eerie case. This seems to be another one of the better cases of the post "UM glory years". I actually came here hoping to find an update, sadly not. I wonder if the letter was genuine and can only hope the unknown author has died as he/she stated. One thing I thought was odd is his wife never heard or saw the attacker (if there was one) leave the house. I guess they never heard him arrive either.. bit strange that. And then the pyschic angle, I'll give it some merit. What does everyone else think of the strange death of Robert Dirscherl?

I have not watched this story in a long time. Regardless, I find it far easier to believe that someone who is on their deathbed and feeling guilty about an age old murder case would own up to it as opposed to believing that the note was some random prank. I also think it's more credible because, if I remember correctly, the family didn't even question Dirscherl's death until the note was found.

The psychic angle was poo poo and should have been left out of the story IMO.

The letter writer was irritating, asking the family to pray for him/her even though they admitted to killing rorbert dirschel. what nerve. I view the psychic segments with an open mind, but while I lean towards Dirschel being murdered, I'm not fully convinced. Space Invaderz had a good point about it being weird that the wife not hearing the intruder enter or leave. I would add that it's even more weird (weirder?) that she didn't here a scuffle, which there probably was, as Dirschel wasn't shot from behind so he must have seen his attacker, it would seem. He certainly would have retaliated.

But, the police work appears to be pretty bungled here, so that makes me believe it very well could have been homicide. Plus, I would imagine Dirschel would have at least killed himself alone as opposed to doing it while his wife was in the next room. The far-fetched scenario by police had Dirschel pulling the trigger with his toe to explain how he could shoot himself with a shotgun. What? Then the police rationalized that he committed suicide because he had an unsucessful surgery a few years back, but he sounded like he was in relatively good shape to me.

I would strongly lean towards he was murdered. Not 100%, but a strong 90 or so.

What does everyone else think of the strange death of Robert Dirscherl?

If what the family said was true...he wouldn't shoot himself because he had athlete's foot. He'd been through a lot worse.

This is a toughy. 99.9% of the time, I'm convinced the suicide/murder ones are suicide, as I have posted elsewhere in hypothetical terms. This one is a little different, certainly in part because the family didn't appear to think the police were wrong until they received a random note of confession.

That said, if the UM depiction is accurate at all, there are significant problems. This was early in the morning, and it would appear that Mr. and Mrs. Dirscherl were really just getting up. If it this is indeed a murder, Someone would have managed to get in to the house with NEITHER Mr. or Mrs. Dirscherl seeing him, and without doing anything to break in, yet also doing this while he knew the house was full of people. Whatever he was after (this still isn't entirely clear), he must get caught, shoot Mr. Dirscherl, and then slip out of the house, again unnoticed by Mrs. Dirscherl, all in a very short space of time if the UM segment is to be believed.

Without a motive, and without any obvious signs that there had been anyone else in the house (even though this person would have had to have been ducking potential witnesses at nearly every turn), it's hard to assume this is what happened, at least for me. The psychic stuff is a non-starter. My guess is that the old aunt, knowing how important it would be to the family if some sort of corroboration for the murder story could be found, dummied up the whole thing. Notice how she --- the one who supposedly met the woman on the train --- is not interviewed in the segment.

EDIT: Fran, the sister who told the story about the psychic, was deceased at the time the UM segment was filmed, explaining why she didn't appear on the segment. I still say the psychic stuff is bogus.

Wow I can't believe there hasn't been more discussion on this case, I personally think its one of more intruguing cases on UM. It's painfully obvious this man did not commit suicide. Why would he choose to kill himself like that? I wonder if the family always had their doubts about him committing suicide? Also does anyone remember where Robert Dirscherl kept his gun? I don't remember them mentioning that.

I don't think he killed himself.

Sort of off topic... did the actress who played the psychic also have a role in the mini series North and South? She looks really familiar.

I am currently writing a book about this "unsolved mystery." The TV show scratches the surface, barely. The family approached me last year and I have been investigating it a great deal. The psychic angle is not a farce. I'm as much a cynic as anyone, as was the family, but it seems to have some substance. The full investigation is pretty wild and the allged suspect's past is very intriguing. The book should be done very soon. Hopefully, there will another update after the book comes out.

Jack,

This is very exciting news! Thanks for letting us know about your book. I'm sure there are many folks on this board who will be interested in reading it.

Do you think your book will be published this year or next? Please keep us informed. Thanks!

The book should be published this year -- ideally. I'll keep everyone updated.

Robert Dirscherl was my father. When the train arrived in California, my Aunt Fran introduced the lady she met on the train to her son who was picking her up. Aunt Fran and her son went to a recording studio (he helped produce Natalie Cole records) and recorded the train incident because it was so amazing. I too had a very tough time w/ the psychic aspect...was not a believer. The info the lady provided was detailed and spot on. This was a stranger boarding a train in New Orleans, meeting my Aunt from Indiana, who had been visiting my mom in Florida, and then heading to California. Still can't explain it.

odd

well i just saw this on an old tape and was spooked

The book on this case is done and is about to be sent off to the publisher. It should be out in about 6 months or so. You have to read it if you want to see how badly this case was botched -- as well as a very weird supernatural edge it has to it. I'll post when it's on the shelves. It's called Night of the Beast.

I just can't conceive how a guy who is getting ready for church suddenly decides he can't go on and kills himself. I think he was murdered.

The book on this case is done and is about to be sent off to the publisher. It should be out in about 6 months or so. You have to read it if you want to see how badly this case was botched -- as well as a very weird supernatural edge it has to it. I'll post when it's on the shelves. It's called Night of the Beast.
Lifetime re-aired this today, saying that Bob's wife has died but the family is still looking for answers.

I guess the book has not come out yet (November + 6 months is May) but maybe it got published early; if so, has anyone read it and can summarize what it said that UM left ou
t?

The book, Night of the Beast, is finally out. You can get it on Amazon.com. Here's a blurb:
March 13, 1977: Robert Dirscherl, respected business man and patriarch, is found bleeding from a shotgun wound in his chest. On his bed is his favorite shotgun, poised among splattered blood. The police hastily ruled suicide. The family was stunned, convinced it was murder. In a letter postmarked March 13, 1993, the family received its first eerie confirmation that their suspicions were correct: “I have AIDS. I am dying. I must make my peace with the Lord. I killed your daddy 15 years ago. He found me in his bedroom. I had no choice. Please pray for me.” New Orleans on an Amtrak train, 1995, the murdered man’s sister-in-law is approached by a lady who was summoned by the spirit of her dead father to tell the true tale of what happened the morning of March 13, 1977: Robert Dirscherl was murdered. October, 1997, Noreen Renier, noted psychic tells the same tale: Dirscherl was murdered. The case was officially dropped for many mysterious reasons, but psychics – as well as the worldly facts of the case – say the same thing. It was not suicide. It was a killing. Moreover, there were dark, seedy implications of a young man in the sway of drugs and some larger, malevolent group who was willing to steal and to kill not just for money or thrills – but for some greater satisfaction

The book, Night of the Beast, is finally out. You can get it on Amazon.com.

Thanks so much for keeping us updated. I've kind of been obsessed for the past couple years with books that cover UM cases. I'm headed over to amazon to have a look at Night of the Beast right now. :)

Thanks so much for keeping us updated. I've kind of been obsessed for the past couple years with books that cover UM cases. I'm headed over to amazon to have a look at Night of the Beast right now. :)


OK, no one mentioned how the cop in the segment says, "His left shoe was off....he must have used his big toe to pull the trigger" WTF???

I rewatched this segment just now, I'm almost certain he was murdered.

One thing I noticed about this case was that the police said that they just ruled it a suicide on the while they were on the scene because they had to work with what the evidence suggested, and it looked like suicide. The end.

But not long after that, a different segment came on where it was stated that police are trained to investigate every suspicious death as a homicide, and process the evidence accordingly, until they can be sure that they are actually dealing with a suicide.

I just thought it was odd that two different police departments in two different segments had such different procedures they followed when processing a scene. I thought this kind of thing was standardized? Or maybe the police in Mr. Dirscherl's were just plain old incompetent.

Or maybe the police in Mr. Dirscherl's were just plain old incompetent.

That's my vote.

LE has almost always universally stated that anytime there is a death that is considered "suspicious", they always look at a homicide first until they can eliminate it. I cannot fathom how they could have reached the conclusion of suicide so quickly. Based off of the fact that he was getting ready for church should have been enough to cast a huge shadow of doubt on the suicide theory.

I'm drawing a blank, was there ever a motive behind his murder? Was it a bungled burglary attempt that went wrong and Robert was killed because he found stumbled upon the burglar? If this is true I would have a hard time buying that theory. Who breaks into someones house on a Sunday morning, and why? Unless of course he knew the Dirscherls and figured they would have already been gone and headed to church.

It took them 15 minutes to rule it a suicide. 15 minutes. His family said the reports showed the police interviewed people who hadn't spoken to Robert in years and failed to interview many close friends.

I believe the family thinks it was an intruder. Maybe the guy thought the family had already left for church. Their car might not have been in the driveway, but in the garage. Or maybe the guy snuck in and planned to rob the place once the family left, but was spotted.

One thing I noticed about this case was that the police said that they just ruled it a suicide on the while they were on the scene because they had to work with what the evidence suggested, and it looked like suicide. The end.

But not long after that, a different segment came on where it was stated that police are trained to investigate every suspicious death as a homicide, and process the evidence accordingly, until they can be sure that they are actually dealing with a suicide.

I just thought it was odd that two different police departments in two different segments had such different procedures they followed when processing a scene. I thought this kind of thing was standardized? Or maybe the police in Mr. Dirscherl's were just plain old incompetent.

You are so right. My father who was a police officer always told me that when they approached a crime scene, such as this one, you immediately treat it as a homicide until you can completely rule out all evidence to suggest otherwise. Just like Kurt Cobain(whether you think he was murdered or committed suicide, thats a story for another day) The police arrived at the scene and immediately ruled it a suicide without doing any thorough investigation.

You are so right. My father who was a police officer always told me that when they approached a crime scene, such as this one, you immediately treat it as a homicide until you can completely rule out all evidence to suggest otherwise. Just like Kurt Cobain(whether you think he was murdered or committed suicide, thats a story for another day) The police arrived at the scene and immediately ruled it a suicide without doing any thorough investigation.


Didn't even know that about Cobain's death. I thought it had been investigated better than that. (Wasn't there different handwriting on the bottom of the suicide note and someone finally fessed up to adding that in?)

What's with the immediate suicide rulings..... These investigators should be natural skeptics and want to make sure they've eliminated foul play before confirming a suicide.

There are certain kinds of perps who stage suicides when they kill someone. UM segments have quite a few examples of staged suicides. Some are so well done that it takes a lot of work to find the one little clue that proves it was actually a murder.

This is one of the most obvious police-bungled "investigations" ever profiled on UM. Usually in the "was it murder or suicide" segments they present a possibility of both sides of the coin. In this case, there was never a viable reason given as to why Robert would have suddenly up and decided to kill himself. In the middle of putting on foot cream, nonetheless. One thing I've wondered though, did police ever delve into the possibility of an accident?

If you google, "Robert Dirscherl Sr. Mysterious Death News Footage" you can find a news report on the forbidden site which delves deeper into the mystery of Robert Dirshcerl's death. They even name a suspect in the case, and also touch on several things left out by the UM broadcast. For example, they state that the shotgun used had a 30" reach to get to the trigger but the farthest Robert Dirscherl could reach was only 26"...yet they still ruled it a suicide.

EDIT: Just want to warn you guys that the video shows a post mortem picture of Robert. It's not graphic at all (it's shown on a public News show), more or less how a dead person would look in a casket, but thought I'd warn you nonetheless.

Good news report.

Mr. Dirschel was preparing a reading for an early morning service at church and confirmed the pronunciation of some of the words with his wife. People intending to immediately kill themselves just don't plan their day in that much detail, even if they're trying to make the whole thing look like a suspicious death.

Adding to the insult of this being labelled a suicide is the victim's catholic faith, in which suicide is seen as a terrible sin. Not only did they falsely claim he killed himself, but this could bring extra heartache to his family, friends, and his fellow church members. In a way, the investigators sentenced him to hell.

What suicidal person holds the shotgun, of which they can't reach the trigger, up over their head and shoots themselves in a downward motion? I've never heard of it. People who use a shotgun, and their toe to fire it (as claimed here), don't hold it up in their air over their heads. They hold it in a completely different and more natural position.

People with loaded pistols within reach (as Mr. Dirschel had, but an intruder wouldn't have seen) use that to commit suicide, and do not contort themselves into awkward positions to use a shotgun.

The perp didn't even try to stage the scene as a suicide to throw off the cops. If even half of what's been reported is true, the scene they arrived at looked like a murder and the evidence pointed to murder. This "suicide" was a lazily investigated murder.

WOW...I googled that and watched the video on the forbidden site...the detail in the note from Bob was amazing.I was always very skeptical of the notes and thought perhaps the family had come up w. them as a way to explain the murder,and esp. the note from beyond the grave,but I can tell you now,several yrs after initially seeing this,that from my own personal experience,the dead WILL find a way to get through if they need to,and I think that's just what happened here.
I never thought Bob committed suicide,I just doubted the notes,but I have to say I'm skeptical no more.I hope the death cert. gets changed,and this case gets solved.Prayers for this family.

Is it just a "coincidence" that one of the Dirscherl's neighbors was a career criminal, his crimes included burglary, theft, etc., who knew the layout and also died of AIDS years later?

Is it just a "coincidence" that one of the Dirscherl's neighbors was a career criminal, his crimes included burglary, theft, etc., who knew the layout and also died of AIDS years later?

And that neighbor may have been in a perfect situation to know Mr. and Mrs. Dirschel's regular routine. He could have known they went to church on Sunday, and either planned to kill one or both of them, or he goofed up on the time of day (druggies don't generally have a good grasp on stuff like that) and when he broke in, he wasn't expecting anyone to be home.

If he was such a heavy drug user, I could imagine a situation where he'd have been strung out and awake all saturday night and wasn't exactly sure what time it was on sunday morning when he broke into the Dirschel's home.

I'm kind of surprised they didn't look into local burglars as possible suspects. If they hadn't ruled it a suicide so quickly, they may have ended up with this neighbor's name in the file and finally put the case together.

That confession note saying I killed your daddy, I have AIDS, please pray for me also makes a lot of sense when it's revealed that this suspect knew the family well enough to be a visitor in their home. IMO, very few complete strangers would hold on to the address and write something like that to the surviving family.

I'm kind of surprised they didn't look into local burglars as possible suspects. If they hadn't ruled it a suicide so quickly, they may have ended up with this neighbor's name in the file and finally put the case together.

They ruled it a suicide after 15 minutes! That's crazy. Because of that ruling, they didn't even bother to take fingerprints. I thought it was an axiom in LE to investigate every "unnatural" death as a homicide until you can rule it out. The police in this case could not have ruled out homicide without taking any fingerprints. Sadly, because there were no fingerprints taken, we'll probably never know for sure.

The sad thing is I get the feeling Bob was a very forgiving type of person and probably would have been easy on him for being in the house in the first place.

I think the letter is real. The language the letter writer used is extremely unusual in "he found me in his bedroom". That line stuck out to me. Assuming it was the family who wrote the note, or was a hoax, why phrase it like that? Why not say "I broke into your parents home and killed your father". "he found me in his bedroom" is out of the ordinary in how thats phrased, and sort of suggests that maybe the burgalar had another motive, was just going to rob the place and thought it was empty and then ran into Robert and killed him. Or that the killer was hiding in the bedroom for some reason and Robert stumbled into him somehow or something like that.

I dont think a hoax letter would be phrased as this letter is.

Robert Dirscherl was my father, and this 35-year-old story continues to evolve. As recently as 2010, new forensic experts reviewed the facts and agree this wasn't a suicide, yet the authorities won't admit they may have erred. Since so much has happened with this case, and so many family members and friends don't know all the details, I decided to write a book about it...to redeem my father's legacy and share the truth with those interested. The book was a labor of love, not an economic endeavor. It was recently released and is available in print and e-versions through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks. The book is titled: Healing Wounds...The Redemption Legacy. Check out my website at intelligentdesignind.com if you're interested in more info and more video of the 1997 news footage. Thanks for your interest and support!
DDD

This one was broadcast over here in the UK a few weeks ago and I found it fascinating.

Like others in this thread, I find it very hard to believe that this was a suicide. If it is true that there was a neighbour who burgled and then died of AIDS...well, that's pretty significant.

Has anyone read either of the books advertised in this thread? "Justice4Dad", I read the free excerpt of your book on Amazon and it looks well written, might have to give it a read someday :)

I think the letter is real. The language the letter writer used is extremely unusual in "he found me in his bedroom". That line stuck out to me. Assuming it was the family who wrote the note, or was a hoax, why phrase it like that? Why not say "I broke into your parents home and killed your father". "he found me in his bedroom" is out of the ordinary in how thats phrased, and sort of suggests that maybe the burgalar had another motive, was just going to rob the place and thought it was empty and then ran into Robert and killed him. Or that the killer was hiding in the bedroom for some reason and Robert stumbled into him somehow or something like that.

I dont think a hoax letter would be phrased as this letter is.
yes and the line 'I killed your daddy' stuck out to me as well.It certainly sounds like somene who knew the family,else it would not have been phrased that way,imo.

This one was broadcast over here in the UK a few weeks ago and I found it fascinating.

Like others in this thread, I find it very hard to believe that this was a suicide. If it is true that there was a neighbour who burgled and then died of AIDS...well, that's pretty significant.

Has anyone read either of the books advertised in this thread? "Justice4Dad", I read the free excerpt of your book on Amazon and it looks well written, might have to give it a read someday :)
me too,thanks for posting,Justice4dad.

This case was so bungled. No one would kill themselves over athlete's foot. Athlete's foot is an annoyance, not even very painful or distressing. Seriously, LE? Fail.

Robert Dirscherl was my father, and this 35-year-old story continues to evolve. As recently as 2010, new forensic experts reviewed the facts and agree this wasn't a suicide, yet the authorities won't admit they may have erred. Since so much has happened with this case, and so many family members and friends don't know all the details, I decided to write a book about it...to redeem my father's legacy and share the truth with those interested. The book was a labor of love, not an economic endeavor. It was recently released and is available in print and e-versions through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks. The book is titled: Healing Wounds...The Redemption Legacy. Check out my website at intelligentdesignind.com if you're interested in more info and more video of the 1997 news footage. Thanks for your interest and support!
DDD

Thanks for posting! I definitely have to check out the book...is there any possibility that the authorities will reclassify his death and reopen the case?

I never knew about the neighbor who later died of AIDS. What was he looking for in the Dirscherl's bedroom? I also want to know if they can compare the handwriting on the note to the neighbor in question.

I never knew about the neighbor who later died of AIDS. What was he looking for in the Dirscherl's bedroom? I also want to know if they can compare the handwriting on the note to the neighbor in question.

I believe he was trying to steal money. I think he figured that the Dirscherl's would already have left for church that morning.

I just don't believe that the five that were convicted are guilty. Way too much evidence points to their innocence.

I just don't believe that the five that were convicted are guilty. Way too much evidence points to their innocence.
five people were convicted in this case? are you sure you are replying to the right thread?

I believe it was murder. Not suicide

OOPS ! I thought i wrote that in the post about the KC Fire Fighters. How the heck did i miss that? Hmmmmmmmmmm

You should read the book to find out how bad the LE fail really was. Lots of details concerning the investigation, forensics, weapon issues and attempts to overturn the case. Not to mention a second homicide covered up by the investigating officer. This story gets even stranger than the Unsolved Mysteries episode.
DDD

I bought the book and am currently reading it.A couple of things stuck out at me.
The first is that (I don't know the stats on it) but wouldn't someone commiting suicide likely shoot themselves in the head,not the chest????
Also,Bob's job involved weekly travel,wouldn't it be more likely,if he'd wanted to kill himself,that he'd have done it while out of town,and not at home where his family would find him? It reminded me of the segment on Elvis where his step-brother claimed Elvis had commited suicide,but...the only problem with that is,Lisa,who was a child at the time,was there.Not buying that one.Had it been suicide,IMO Elvis would have been the type to at least wait until she was back home with her mother.
That leads to another thing that makes me think this wasn't suicide,which was Ginny's comment that Bob had mentioned to her about getting Dan up for church.If a parent were going to kill himself,that would be the last thing you would tell your spouse to do!
Just a few thoughts I thought I'd mention.

well at least the killer is likely dead now

Bumping this thread up due to some current discussion of this case in another thread.

Thanks for bumping! After reading the thread, I bought the book written by the son! Can't wait to read it. Downloading to my Kindle now...

Reviving this thread

A young woman posted on the Unsolved website to report that she knew a neighbor of the Durschels who died of AIDS, a young man who confessed he murdered someone.

Matches up in my opinion

....Also,Bob's job involved weekly travel,wouldn't it be more likely,if he'd wanted to kill himself,that he'd have done it while out of town,and not at home where his family would find him? It reminded me of the segment on Elvis where his step-brother claimed Elvis had commited suicide,but...the only problem with that is,Lisa,who was a child at the time,was there.Not buying that one.Had it been suicide,IMO Elvis would have been the type to at least wait until she was back home with her mother.

Not only was Lisa present, it was her last day there before going back to her mother's to resume school! Also, Elvis was engaged to be married, planning a tour, etc., etc., and lastly a review of the autopsy results confirmed cause of death as his heart and not drugs after all! I can scarcely imagine the brother's motives to say such terrible things except attention and possibly revenge, as Elvis caused problems for a third Stanley brother, Billy.

I feel like this case has not been discussed enough. It is probably in my top 5 segments ever. Something that always stuck out to me in the letter was the part that said "I had no choice". I think this was said because the killer knew the family. I also felt regret in the letter as well. This person was trying to make amends for their sins in the face of death. I do think the killer is likely dead now. I also think that the killer felt they were giving the family some form of closure by making it known this man did not kill himself.

That note was absolutely authentic the wording still gives me chills.

Re: this tragic RD case, I don't think it was a suicide. I know in some instances these cases are exactly what they appear to be - but, I do think someone murdered him in his home - and that the years-later "death-bed" written confession to the crime was authentic.

It's possible that someone broke into the house with the intent of burglary/robbery, and RD caught the guy in the act of trying to rip them off (when he went to the bedroom to put on his foot medication). Then, the killer left quickly without stealing anything, because he heard the wife in the house as well & didn't want to get caught. I question whether the killer knew someone was in the house before he/she entered, or whether he/she thought the house was empty?!

The fact that there were no signs of forced entry doesn't mean much. It's possible that - given the RD & his wife were up early that morning - they may have unlocked some doors due to having gone outside at some point or planning to go outside (or they forgot to lock their doors from the night before). And, the killer came in undetected through an unlocked/open door, or maybe even an open window.