Shivangi Sinha
In August 1975, 14-year-old Kathie Rottler eagerly planned a visit to a popular teen hangout spot. She invited her best friend, Kandice Smith, and her younger sister, Sheri Rottler, to join her. Deciding to make the evening more adventurous, the trio opted to hitchhike. They were picked up in a van driven by Thomas Edward Williams, leading to a harrowing night that would leave lasting scars. The episode of ID’s ‘People Magazine Investigates’ titled ‘The Indiana Slasher’ delves into the chilling details of his crimes and how he was ultimately brought to justice.
Thomas Williams Abducted Three Teenage Girls in His Car
Thomas Edward Williams was born on May 21, 1934, to George and Edna Williams. Raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, he was the youngest of four siblings, with an older brother, George, and two older sisters, Mary and Agnes. Although little is known about his early years, his upbringing appeared to be relatively typical. His father worked as a construction laborer while his mother managed the household. It is likely that the family’s resources were modest, making their financial situation somewhat constrained.
In August 1975, Thomas was driving along the 800 block of East Washington Street with sinister intentions. According to police, he was “hunting” for victims. During this time, he encountered 14-year-olds Kathie Rottler, Kandice Smith, and 11-year-old Sheri Rottler, three young girls who were hitchhiking and seeking a ride. Thomas, who was driving a white station wagon, offered to help and invited the girls to sit in the front passenger seat. However, he had no intention of taking them to their requested destination. Instead, he continued driving, leaving the girls powerless. Unbeknownst to them, he had removed the screws, bolts, and door paneling from the passenger-side door, ensuring they couldn’t escape as he drove them farther away.
Thomas drove the girls to a cornfield in Hancock County, Indiana, where he revealed a gun and a knife. After tying their hands, he forced them out of the car. He then brutally assaulted Sheri, stabbing her three times in the throat and another 15 times in the chest. Following this, he slashed the throats of the other two girls and left all three for dead. Miraculously, the two older girls managed to reach the highway and flag down help. Police arrived at the scene and found Sheri, who was barely alive. She was given urgent medical care alongside the other two survivors.
DNA Genealogy Helped the Police Identify Thomas Williams
The police conducted a thorough investigation of the crime scene but found only a rope, a handkerchief, and a cigarette butt. Unfortunately, due to the limited forensic technology available at the time, these items provided no actionable evidence. A composite sketch was created, and multiple leads were pursued, but none led to a breakthrough. The case remained unsolved for decades, though the survivors never stopped advocating for justice. In 2018, they reached out to retired IMPD Sgt. David Ellison, who reignited the investigation. By 2021, advancements in forensic science allowed investigators to reexamine the evidence, and they successfully extracted a full DNA profile from the recovered items.
Investigators partnered with the private forensic laboratory DNA Labs International and utilized resources like FamilyTree.com and GEDmatch.com, with financial support from the media company Audiochuck. Through genetic genealogy, they identified individuals whose DNA closely matched the evidence from the crime scene. This breakthrough led them to Thomas Edward Williams’ daughter, who willingly provided a DNA sample for comparison. Just a month later, in January 2024, the police announced they had successfully identified the perpetrator, naming Thomas Edward Williams as the killer.
Thomas Edward Williams Passed Away While He Was in Prison
The police informed the victims that Thomas Edward Williams, known as the “Indiana Slasher” by both media and law enforcement, had died years earlier. At the age of 49, he passed away on November 13, 1983, while serving time in a prison in Galveston, Texas, for a bank robbery. Though his surviving victims were disappointed that he never faced justice for his heinous crimes, they were relieved to finally receive the closure they had sought for nearly 50 years.
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