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jasimon1 · 06-08-2005, 03:34 PM

I just had to post this because I was totally excited when I saw it. I was watching UM one day and they were doing a story about a girl who lived in Woodstock Illinois (pretty sure, she might have lives in one of the small towns near by). ANyway, I know for sure that she was going to school at the catholic high school in Woodstock, met a guy and after she broke up with him, (again I'm blurry on this part) I think he killed her whole family except her because she was at a friends house sleeping over. They were doing an interview with her and when they did a flash back to her meeting him in high school, it was MY high school they used. I live like 5 min from Woodstock so she probably still lives in the area and while they were doing her interview it was probably just convienent to use a local high school. The high school she went to is a very up tight catholic school so I can understand why they probably didn't want it used. I just thought it was really cool. If anyone remembers this episode or has a copy of it, I would love to get one!

DarkDante · 06-08-2005, 03:59 PM

This is the Colleen Ritter-Richard Church incident which is one of the very best UM segments from a documentary standpoint. The bit where the deranged Church arrives at the Ritter household in the middle of the night could be straight out of any box office smash horror film. Some really great acting here which sadly was lacking in the later seasons.

It's interesting that you mention that case today because it was actually just aired on Lifetime about a few hours ago and an editted version of it can be found on the "Bizarre Murders" DVD where the segment is labelled "Richard's Rampage" and is one of the highlights of the entire package. You should know however that the case is quite old by now (coming up on twenty years in the next few years) - Church was soon captured and sent to prison without the possibility of parole. I don't know if Colleen Ritter is still living in the area but hopefully she has been able to move ahead from this tragedy. It's such a sad case of a mentally unstable young man (Church) who nobody suspected was becoming unhinged (in Robert Stack's words) until it was too late and the horrible rampage occured.

Church btw only murdered Ritter's parents - her friend, brother and his friend went either unharmed or made it out alive. Colleen Ritter though was badly injured although it seemed she made a full recovery. Out of curiosity did you happen to know either Rick Church or Colleen Ritter?

Later.

Btw: For any of the regulars reading this did anyone notice a bit of comic relief I guess during this segment? - Even though it is a very serious segment did anyone notice that Richard Church was a Bruce Springsteen fan? - He had a "Born In The USA" poster hanging in his bedroom.

jasimon1 · 06-08-2005, 04:08 PM

I didn't realize that it happened that long ago! No, I didn't know them but I'm kinda tempted to look in the phone book for her just out of curiosity. We didn't move up near there till 1990 so that would have been 5 years too late and I was only 10 when we moved. Plus, not to be snotty but even if I was around the same age, the school she went to is the type where they don't associate with public school kids. They are a little high and mighty about that. I just asked my boss who went to my high school about the same time Colleen was in high school and she said it was the same way back then. She didn't know either of them either, she says probably because of that. Thanks for all the info! And do you know if the scene of them outside the school is in the DVD?

dynoguy88 · 06-13-2005, 07:55 PM

I have the DVD and yes, the scene of "Rich" waiting for "Colleen" outside of the school is on it.

I know everybody deals with grief in different ways, but I was very impressed with how Colleen handled herself while being interviewed in this segment. She didn't cry once, she didn't even tear up. She even said that she is handling it the best she can and that she refused to let Rich ruin her life anymore than he did. That's extraordinary courage to have at such a young age.

Looking back at the case, it is surprising that he only killed Colleen's parents. He stabbed her younger brother twice after seeing him in the hallway, but left his friend alone. Colleen also had a friend spending the night, who I believe even slept in the same room with her but he left her alone as well.

jasimon1, small world that this all happened close to where you live. I always feel the same way when I see a segment that took place in Michigan - which is where I live. If I had to guess, I would bet that Colleen and her brothers (her OTHER brother was spending the night at a friends house the night of the attack) probably don't live there anymore. It might have been too painful for them after everything that happened, but who knows? I could be wrong. You might be able to find some old newspaper articles about this case at your local library just in case you're curious if the family moved away or not.

KyooMac · 06-14-2005, 08:10 PM

The Rolando Cruz/Jeanine Nicarico case is that way for me. I grew up in Aurora and had seen RC around. He spent a long time in jail for something he didnt do. Now, even though they have an idea of who actually committed the crime, Brian Dugan has confessed to it, her death is still unsolved.

Brent88 · 06-14-2005, 11:00 PM

I watched that case again today while the cable was out... and it is one of the best segments ever on the show.

Rick Church was captured in 1992(or 1993), somewhere around there working at a fast food restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah. He pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence at a correctional facility in Joliet, Illinois.

The attack happened on the early morning of August 21, 1988. I was only 4 weeks old(WOW).

06-08-2005, 03:34 PM	#1
jasimon1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 04, 2004 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 382	Hey, I know that place! I just had to post this because I was totally excited when I saw it. I was watching UM one day and they were doing a story about a girl who lived in Woodstock Illinois (pretty sure, she might have lives in one of the small towns near by). ANyway, I know for sure that she was going to school at the catholic high school in Woodstock, met a guy and after she broke up with him, (again I'm blurry on this part) I think he killed her whole family except her because she was at a friends house sleeping over. They were doing an interview with her and when they did a flash back to her meeting him in high school, it was MY high school they used. I live like 5 min from Woodstock so she probably still lives in the area and while they were doing her interview it was probably just convienent to use a local high school. The high school she went to is a very up tight catholic school so I can understand why they probably didn't want it used. I just thought it was really cool. If anyone remembers this episode or has a copy of it, I would love to get one!

06-13-2005, 07:55 PM	#4
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,675	reply I have the DVD and yes, the scene of "Rich" waiting for "Colleen" outside of the school is on it. I know everybody deals with grief in different ways, but I was very impressed with how Colleen handled herself while being interviewed in this segment. She didn't cry once, she didn't even tear up. She even said that she is handling it the best she can and that she refused to let Rich ruin her life anymore than he did. That's extraordinary courage to have at such a young age. Looking back at the case, it is surprising that he only killed Colleen's parents. He stabbed her younger brother twice after seeing him in the hallway, but left his friend alone. Colleen also had a friend spending the night, who I believe even slept in the same room with her but he left her alone as well. jasimon1, small world that this all happened close to where you live. I always feel the same way when I see a segment that took place in Michigan - which is where I live. If I had to guess, I would bet that Colleen and her brothers (her OTHER brother was spending the night at a friends house the night of the attack) probably don't live there anymore. It might have been too painful for them after everything that happened, but who knows? I could be wrong. You might be able to find some old newspaper articles about this case at your local library just in case you're curious if the family moved away or not.

06-14-2005, 11:00 PM	#6
Brent88 Member Forum Star Join Date: Aug 01, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 16,174	I watched that case again today while the cable was out... and it is one of the best segments ever on the show. Rick Church was captured in 1992(or 1993), somewhere around there working at a fast food restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah. He pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence at a correctional facility in Joliet, Illinois. The attack happened on the early morning of August 21, 1988. I was only 4 weeks old(WOW).
	__________________ Brent

06-08-2005, 03:59 PM	#2
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	This is the Colleen Ritter-Richard Church incident which is one of the very best UM segments from a documentary standpoint. The bit where the deranged Church arrives at the Ritter household in the middle of the night could be straight out of any box office smash horror film. Some really great acting here which sadly was lacking in the later seasons. It's interesting that you mention that case today because it was actually just aired on Lifetime about a few hours ago and an editted version of it can be found on the "Bizarre Murders" DVD where the segment is labelled "Richard's Rampage" and is one of the highlights of the entire package. You should know however that the case is quite old by now (coming up on twenty years in the next few years) - Church was soon captured and sent to prison without the possibility of parole. I don't know if Colleen Ritter is still living in the area but hopefully she has been able to move ahead from this tragedy. It's such a sad case of a mentally unstable young man (Church) who nobody suspected was becoming unhinged (in Robert Stack's words) until it was too late and the horrible rampage occured. Church btw only murdered Ritter's parents - her friend, brother and his friend went either unharmed or made it out alive. Colleen Ritter though was badly injured although it seemed she made a full recovery. Out of curiosity did you happen to know either Rick Church or Colleen Ritter? Later. Btw: For any of the regulars reading this did anyone notice a bit of comic relief I guess during this segment? - Even though it is a very serious segment did anyone notice that Richard Church was a Bruce Springsteen fan? - He had a "Born In The USA" poster hanging in his bedroom.

06-08-2005, 04:08 PM	#3
jasimon1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 04, 2004 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 382	I didn't realize that it happened that long ago! No, I didn't know them but I'm kinda tempted to look in the phone book for her just out of curiosity. We didn't move up near there till 1990 so that would have been 5 years too late and I was only 10 when we moved. Plus, not to be snotty but even if I was around the same age, the school she went to is the type where they don't associate with public school kids. They are a little high and mighty about that. I just asked my boss who went to my high school about the same time Colleen was in high school and she said it was the same way back then. She didn't know either of them either, she says probably because of that. Thanks for all the info! And do you know if the scene of them outside the school is in the DVD?

06-14-2005, 08:10 PM	#5
KyooMac Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 05, 2005 Location: Chicago Illinois Posts: 123	The Rolando Cruz/Jeanine Nicarico case is that way for me. I grew up in Aurora and had seen RC around. He spent a long time in jail for something he didnt do. Now, even though they have an idea of who actually committed the crime, Brian Dugan has confessed to it, her death is still unsolved.