Cold case files
Read our cold case file and see if you correctly predicted the killer’s identity…
Michelle Martinko was like any other teenager on the cusp of starting her adult life. The high school senior was popular, clever, loved to sing and was an upbeat member of the school twirling squad.
The pretty, vibrant blonde performed in theatre productions and had plans to go to university, where she wanted to study interior design.
It was an exciting time too. There were just a few weeks left of 1979, and there must undoubtedly have been excitement as to what the next decade might bring. At the time, Michelle lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with her parents Albert and Janet – and her older sister, Janelle.
On 19 December that year, though, everything changed for the Martinko family. Michelle had attended a choir dinner at a local hotel and at around 6.30pm, she’d headed to Westdale Mall. She was driving her parents’ 1972 tan Buick and the teenager loved the shops. The mall had only been open for a few months.
Still in her dinner outfit – a black dress, tights, heels and a waist-length white and brown fur jacket – she was collecting a new winter coat. She was seen chatting to friends she’d bumped into and browsing merchandise.
Only when she hadn’t returned home by the early hours of the morning, her terrified parents called the police at 2am to report Michelle missing.
Around two hours later, the police located the family car, still parked in the north-east section of the shopping centre car park. Although the windows were frosted, they could see someone slumped inside…
Tragically, they discovered
Michelle’s bloody body in the passenger seat footwell. The 18-year-old had been brutally stabbed more than 10 times in the face and chest – the girl who had been so full of life was now dead.
Michelle must have been so scared and defensive wounds on her hands showed police that she’d bravely tried to fight off her attacker. She’d even been taking self-defence classes to keep herself safe, but she had been overpowered.
Investigators found no fingerprints or weapons at the scene, but believed a blade to the heart would have likely been the fatal blow. Poor Michelle had lost a third of her blood, but there was DNA…
It looked like there was blood on the gearstick – and on the back of Michelle’s dress. But who would want to hurt her? Her devastated friends and family couldn’t understand why she’d been attacked and killed so viciously.
Police had a theory, though… Could Michelle have known her killer? They thought that her murder could have been personal because she’d received so many stab wounds to her face.
Suspicion fell on her ex-boyfriend, Andy Seidel, who was rumoured to have been possessive of Michelle, and friends and family hadn’t warmed to him. But he was quickly cleared of any wrongdoing.
While her heartbroken loved ones laid Michelle to rest way before her time at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, police launched a murder investigation. More than 200 phone calls and letters were received by the police from people who all wanted to help or offer information.
Police worked tirelessly, chasing every lead and interviewing hundreds of people.
And when it seemed like no progress was being made, a reward of $10,000 (£7,200) was offered to help catch the teen’s killer.
Michelle’s family also tried, unsuccessfully, to sue to the shopping centre for negligence in providing ‘reasonable security’ for Michelle.
‘A blade to the heart would have likely been the fatal blow’