Shivangi Sinha
On the night of September 4, 1977, a campus police officer at Trenton State College noticed the door to the Kendall Hall auditorium was open. Upon entering, he saw someone lying on the main stage. Initially, he assumed a trespasser had fallen asleep there, as the college had not yet opened for the semester. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered a partially naked woman covered with a piano cover and lying in a pool of blood. The woman was identified as Sigrid Stevenson and was already dead. Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ episode titled ‘Murder, Center Stage’ delves into this chilling murder, which has become a haunting tale on campus. The episode aims to refocus attention on the victim, who lost her life to a horrific attack.
Sigrid Stevenson Sneaked Into Her Campus Before the Semester Began
Born on January 24, 1952, Sigrid Miller Stevenson was the daughter of Peter Cooper Stevenson and Barbara Jean Smith Stevenson. She grew up in Alameda County, California, where those close to her described her as a fun-loving and quirky child. Sigrid had a deep passion for music; after listening to a tune for just a few minutes, she could instantly play it on the piano. Her passion led her to join Trenton State College in New Jersey to study music. Despite the distance from her home, Sigrid knew this was her true calling.
Upon joining college, Sigrid immersed herself in the theatre community and spent her days practicing the piano. Her friends recognized her immense talent and believed she had a bright future. In September 1977, Sigrid returned to campus a few days before the new semester began. Her accommodation was arranged with a local family, but since they were not home, she needed a temporary place to stay. Sigrid decided to make Kendall Hall her home for those few days. It was easy to sneak into, and the green room had sofas that were comfortable to sleep on.
Sigrid Stevenson Was Killed While Playing the Piano
On September 2, some students had put on a production, and Sigrid was in the green room with them. Many people saw and talked to her, and on September 3, she was seen on campus riding her bicycle. On the night of September 4, a campus police officer noticed a bike parked outside Kendall Hall and suspected someone had trespassed. When he entered the auditorium to investigate, he saw someone lying on the main stage. Initially, he thought the trespasser had fallen asleep, but as he got closer, he saw a lot of blood. The person was lying face down, a little away from the piano, with their hands tied behind their back. Noticing an earring, the officer concluded that the victim was a woman.
When the authorities arrived, the body was identified as Sigrid Stevenson. Her hands had been tied behind her back using handcuffs, and the autopsy revealed she died from severe blunt trauma to the head. Her mouth was gagged with her blouse, and she also had lacerations on the back of her head, as well as on her face, thighs, legs, and torso. Signs of sexual assault were evident, suggesting she had been attacked while practicing the piano. Bloody drag marks indicated she had tried to drag herself away before succumbing to her injuries.
New Leads in Sigrid’s Murder Were Found After Decades
The injuries sustained by Sigrid Stevenson were similar to those that a police baton could inflict. Additionally, her hands were handcuffed, typically a possession carried by police officers. The authorities interviewed all campus police officers, but each one passed the polygraph test. With no leads from this angle, investigators turned to the people who had last seen Sigrid on September 2, the day of the theater production. Many noted that while she appeared her usual self during the first half of the play, she was visibly upset in the second half and mentioned to a few people she had gotten into an argument with.
Upon questioning, the police learned that one of the last people Sigrid had spoken to was named Chuck. He was an actor in the play and had been playing the part of a police officer. Chuck was questioned, but nothing new emerged from the interrogation. In 2011, cold case officers revisited Sigrid’s case and decided to obtain DNA from the crime scene. They found her knotted blouse, which had been tied around her mouth at the time of her death. Although the police in 1977 had kept the blouse in custody, technological limitations prevented further analysis. In 2011, the knot was untied, and a partial male DNA profile was found.
The Police Believe Sigrid’s Killer Can Still Be Caught
The police also had a statement from Chuck’s ex-girlfriend, who had alleged physical abuse against him and claimed that he had once boasted about killing a woman before her. She was deeply suspicious of his involvement in Sigrid’s murder. However, when the DNA from the blouse was tested against Chuck’s, it was not a match. Despite this, the police remain hopeful of solving the case and believe a few leads are worth pursuing. One such lead is a janitor who was not questioned at the time of the incident but was dismissed shortly afterward.
Another person managing the lights of the production on September 2 and was seen talking to Sigrid is also a suspect. The investigation continues as they seek to uncover the truth behind Sigrid’s death. Given the nature of the killing and the fact that she was found within the campus, it suggests that whoever committed the crime knew the layout of the college pretty well and also had keys to the hall, which would give them access. They believe the case is quite solvable, and they just need a little help from someone who might have seen anything suspicious on the day Sigrid was killed.
Read More: Chuck: Did He Kill Sigrid Stevenson? What Happened to Him?
