Some new articles on Kathy Bonderson case

[Kane]

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/13280320.htm

http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=388

After searching through the Google news, I came across some articles on the mysterious death of Kathy Bonderson. One of those articles briefly mentions the fact that the case was profiled on UM in the early '90s.

As you know, Kathy Bonderson was found dead in a burning car on October 25, 1987. Initially, her death was believed to have resulted from a traffic accident. But an autopsy later determined that it was a homicide.

It has been announced that Bonderson's death is getting another look. It is hoped that publicity and new technology will help shed some light on the case.

[crystaldawn]

Wow, thanks Kane for posting those! That is one of my favorite UM cases and had always wondered if anything had happened with it. One interesting thing in that article is that although personally I always thought there was foul play involved I thought that all the autopsy determined was she died from a blow to the head and they stated that it could have come at the hands of a violent assault she could have obtained that by hitting her head in a car accident. Any theories on what happened to her anyone?

[Kane]

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Wow, thanks Kane for posting those! That is one of my favorite UM cases and had always wondered if anything had happened with it. One interesting thing in that article is that although personally I always thought there was foul play involved I thought that all the autopsy determined was she died from a blow to the head and they stated that it could have come at the hands of a violent assault she could have obtained that by hitting her head in a car accident. Any theories on what happened to her anyone?

You're welcome, Crystaldawn.

Ever since I first saw that segment on NBC, I have always believed that there was foul play. Although it was possible for her to have died from a fatal blow to the head as a result of a traffic accident, the theory doesn't stick when you consider the fact that the gasoline tank in Kathy's car was undamaged.

Not only has the killer remained unidentified, but also a motive has never been established. It's possible that investigators have their own theories as to who killed her and/or why, but haven't had enough evidence to publicly disclose such information.

[justins5256]

Here are some more from the archives...


OBITUARIES KATHY BONDERSON
Grand Forks Herald (ND)
October 27, 1987
Estimated printed pages: 1

Kathy Bonderson, 35, New Rockford, died Sunday, Oct. 25, 1987, in New Rockford.

Services will be at 2 a.m. Wednesday in the first Lutheran Church, New Rockford. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today in Evans Funeral Home, New Rockford.
Kathryn J. Omoth was born July 8, 1952, in New Rockford, the daughter of Milton and Marian Omoth. She grew up and went to school here. She married Robert Bonderson May 20, 1978, in New Rockford. She worked at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd.

Survivors are her husband, sons Jamie and Jason, both at home, parents, sister, Peggy (Mrs. Ken) Irmen, Bismarck; brothers, James and Kevin, both of New Rockford; four nephews, and one niece.
Edition: FINAL
Page: 5A
Dateline: NEW ROCKFORD, N.D.
Copyright (c) 1987 Grand Forks Herald
Record Number: 8701020621


OFFICIALS EXHUME BODY TO PROBE SUSPICIOUS DEATH
Grand Forks Herald (ND)
December 25, 1987
Author: Associated Press
Estimated printed pages: 2

Officials exhumed the body of a New Rockford woman believing an autopsy might answer questions about her death, a state Highway Patrol captain said.

"I guess the thinking is that this thing isn't right from the start," Capt. Bill Byram said of the death of Kathy Bonderson.
Bonderson's badly burned body was found Oct. 25 in her car along a county road. She was buried before a cause of death was determined.

Byram, the district commander for the Highway Patrol, terms the death "suspicious." There was no structural damage to the woman's car, and the gas tank was full when it was found, he said.

"No damage to the vehicle, and yet we have a body. They don't go hand in hand," Byram said Thursday.

Investigators have determined that other details of the incident "don't add up," he said. But he refused to elaborate.

"As we got into it further, we found more questions that needed answers," Byram said.

"We owe it to the public to find out why this happened and how it happened beyond a reasonable doubt," he said.

Bonderson died as she was searching for her teen-age son who had not come home the night before. The interior of her car somehow caught fire between 3 and 3:30 a.m. Oct. 25, Byram said.

The Eddy County Sheriff's Department began the investigation and didn't turn the case over to the Highway Patrol until some 5 hours after the car was found, he said. In that time, the car had been moved and the body removed to a funeral home, making it difficult for investigators, he said.

Byram said the sought the order to exhume Bonderson's body after he received the results of tests on evidence conducted by the state crime lab in Bismarck.

Eddy County Sheriff Edward Allmaras and State's Attorney Robert Manly signed the order to exhume the body, he said.

"We're not calling it foul play at this point. We want more evidence," Byram said. "If it's what we think, it is we'll have to go further."

The results of the autopsy should be available from the Ramsey County medical examiner in St. Paul early next month, Byram said. Officials also are awaiting results of further tests from the state crime lab, he said.
Edition: FINAL
Section: REGION
Page: 4B
Dateline: DEVILS LAKE
Copyright (c) 1987 Grand Forks Herald
Record Number: 8701060512

OFFICERS PURSUE LEADS IN SUSPICIOUS N.D. DEATH
Grand Forks Herald (ND)
February 24, 1988
Author: Associated Press
Estimated printed pages: 2

The autopsy of a New Rockford, N.D., woman's body failed to reveal how she died, but investigators are continuing to pursue leads in her suspicious death, a Highway Patrol captain said.

Kathy Bonderson was found dead in her burned-out car Oct. 25. Her body was exhumed in December at the request of Capt. Bill Byram of the Highway Patrol and on the order of Eddy County Sheriff Edward Allmaras and State's Attorney Robert Manly.
Results of the ensuing autopsy by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner in St. Paul proved inconclusive because the body was too badly burned, Byram said this week.

Byram said that he plans to secure final reports from the state Crime Laboratory this week and will meet with Eddy County authorities next week to decide whether to proceed further with the investigation.

"We're not publicly able to say it was foul play at this point," Byram said Tuesday. "If we decide that we're going to push forward, that will mean we need to go out and knock on doors," he said.

Bonderson left home the night of Oct. 24, to search for her teen-age son who had not returned home, Byram said. The interior of her car somehow caught fire between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. he said.

Bonderson was buried before a cause of death was determined, Byram said.

The patrolman said he thinks the woman's death is suspicious because there was no damage to the vehicle that would indicate a traffic accident and because the car's gas tank was full then it was found.

The state crime laboratory in Bismarck is analyzing 13 or 14 items that were found in and around the burned-out vehicle, Byram said. He refused to say what the items are.

Several people already have been interviewed in connection with the investigation, but Byram declined to identify them or discuss what they said.
Edition: FINAL
Section: REGION
Page: 6B
Dateline: DEVILS LAKE
Copyright (c) 1988 Grand Forks Herald
Record Number: 8801040517

[Rayroy]

I just watched this segment and I immediately thought to myself it was the husband. She was in the passenger seat all neatly in after flying from an accident? Oh please. That was a major red flag and all the other stuff that was found like the undamaged gas tank et al. I'm wondering how far was the fire from her home? The son saw another car behind his mother's car. That leads me to believe it was either the sheriff or the husband's girlfriend. The car behind was his ride back. The girlfriend I could see helping because she wanted the wife out of the picture. The sheriff being so vehemently against the autopsy makes me believe he was the one in the car behind or he was friends with the husband and he was covering for him. No one is that dead set against an autopsy unless they are hiding something or know an autopsy will reveal something they did not want to reveal. He's dead now, so he can't be charged. I'm wondering if they girlfriend is still around and assisted him in killing her.

[Rayroy]

My guess with the neck injury is he either strangled her or broke her neck fighting with her.