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Episode 4 focuses on the police investigation, their conclusions as to the nature and motive of the double murder and how the circumstances as well as additional testimonies by villagers lead them to four suspects. But as their continuous questioning lead to no confession and lacking convincing evidence, a murder weapon and even the site of the murders, they soon had to admit that they were facing a very complex case that soon proved to be clearly out of their league.
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- Rudolph Isler
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Previously on the Crystal Cave Murders. Following the discovery of the bodies of the 2 teenage girls who mysteriously disappeared during a bike tour 9 weeks earlier, a hiker stumbled upon their remains in the forest by the crystal caves. This man's behavior before and immediately after the discovery, as well as the testimony of his then wife, were rather puzzling, raising several questions. And despite the advanced decomposition of the bodies that made it difficult to determine if the girls had been sexually assaulted, the investigators were convinced that the case would soon be solved. Given that the bodies were found near the crystal caves in the treacherous and inaccessible terrain, the police concluded 3 things.
Narrator:A) The girls did not meet their fate at the locations where their bodies were found. B) it was very likely that more than one person had been involved in hiding the bodies and C) The murderer must have been very familiar with the area. But the location of the bodies near the caves also raised one paramount question: Did the girls decide to visit the caves or not? We will focus on this crucial question in detail in a later episode, But it does not hurt to reflect on it already now, yet without trying to find a conclusive answer. Now let us assume that they indeed did decide to visit the caves.
Narrator:Inevitably the question arises: When did they make that decision? Once they were at the crossroads or already when they left the youth hostel? And since they were seen at the crossroads with their bicycles later, overlooked the sign and junction at the Fox Place during their downhill ride. However, if they decided to visit the caves while at the crossroads, how did they get to the crystal caves from there?
Narrator:Did they travel on foot? Did they use their bicycles, despite them later being found at the crossroads, or were they given a ride in a car? It takes approximately 50 minutes to walk from the crossroads to the crystal caves along the road. By car the same distance can be covered in 10 to 12 minutes. By bicycle, it being an uphill ride around 25 minutes. On the contrary, if the girls never intended to visit the caves at all and were murdered elsewhere, then why were their bodies transported and disposed of near the crystal caves?
Narrator:Why would the murderer hide them so close to a popular tourist attraction, instead of choosing a more secluded location, like a pond or a remote burial site further away, a task that he could have accomplished alone? Again, all these questions I will try to answer in a later episode. So bear with me. I promise you won't regret it.
Narrator:My name is Rudolf Isler, and this is The Suspects, episode 4 of The Crystal Cave Murders, an investigative true crime podcast by Playground Media Productions.
Narrator:All interviews were recorded in German and translated into English. All voiceovers were done by speakers that are not related to the case. All individuals mentioned in this podcast must be considered innocent and cannot be prosecuted or convicted as the 30 year statute of limitation for murder in Switzerland was reached in 2012. The presumption of innocence applies.
Narrator:With the bodies found the police finally had new leads. But also a few more puzzling questions to solve. The forensic examination indicated that in both cases the cause of death was attributed to severe blows to the head inflicted by a heavy, blunt object. Apart from that, it seemed undisputed that it was a premeditated murder. No one could possibly anticipate the girls being at the crossroads that day at precisely that time, especially since they themselves did apparently not know their precise location. And as we mentioned earlier, the perpetrator gave away one important clue.
Narrator:He must have had detailed knowledge of the area around the crystal caves. Then shortly after the bodies were uncovered, a woman who was 54 years at the time and resided in a house together with a lodger, directly across from the sawmill, where the family who spotted the girls at the crossroad lift came forward with a new and quite significant observation. The following testimony is based on an official police document.
Neighbour:At around 9 PM, we were in the kitchen of my house. Our house is located right at the edge of the forest behind the sawmill. At this time, we were looking out the window as we had done many times before. From there, we have a direct view of the forest and the mountains beyond. We can also see a section of the road leading from the fox place to the dance place and further up even a good part of the mountain road. We then saw a light on the road coming from the dance place going in the direction of the Fox place just around that time. We could not tell whether it was a passenger car, a motorbike, or some other vehicle. We just noticed a fast moving light. I remember saying to my lodger, some one must already been making preparations for the 1st August at the crystal caves. Because of that remark, I am certain this all happened on Saturday, July 31st.
Narrator:The police investigator added the following note at the bottom of the page.
Policeman:The informants can actually see the section of the row mentioned from their kitchen window. This has been verified by us.
Narrator:The date this account was written, which, mind you, is not the day it was reported, was January 18, 1983. It is also worth noting that the report signed by the police sergeant did not bear the signature of neither the lady nor her lodger. Meanwhile both have passed away. In an interview conducted in August 2022, her neighbor and good friend, the mother of the family who witnessed the girls at the crossroads, made reference to this statement.
Mother:Upon reading the newspaper, we came across an announcement urging anyone with relevant observations from the night after the girl's disappearance to contact the police. So when I provided my testimony about having seen the girls, I made sure to mention that our neighbors had informed us about witnessing lights in the forest near the Crystal Caves during the Saturday to Sunday nights. They were certain that these lights came from torches, not car headlights. They claimed to have reported their observations to the police. When I went to sign my testimony, I once again brought up this information to the prosecutor. To my surprise, he responded by saying he had no knowledge of this. As far as he knew, no such report had been filed.
Narrator:Whether she mentioned this before or after the testimony of her neighbor is uncertain. It could, of course, be possible that her neighbor had not yet reported it by then. But, regardless, the interesting point is that her recollection contradicts her neighbor's testimony in the police report attributing the source of the light coming from a moving vehicle. She firmly insists to this day that her neighbor was absolutely certain it was not a vehicle but rather emanating from a flashlight, and that they repeatedly talked about this. When I raised this significant disparity during our interview, she elaborated on her belief that the police always carried out their work in a somewhat careless and unprofessional manner.
Mother:It was really odd to observe that the police never seemed to be taking notes during our conversations. They would just chat with us in a somewhat casual manner and then move along. I got the distinct impression that they weren't really listening to what we were saying. It felt as if they weren't really taking our statements seriously.
Narrator:Finally and before the end of the year the police had identified their first suspect. 32 year old chauffeur from the nearby town of Alstetten. He came under scrutiny because of his past conviction for sexual offenses. He was questioned by the police on several occasions, but lacking evidence that reached beyond his former offenses, they had nothing at hand to connect him to the crime. There was no doubt about his record of rape and abuse of women and children. He had, at the time, already confessed to several crimes.
Narrator:But he did not so to a felony in 1994, 12 years after the Crystal Cave Murders, for which he was also found guilty. He served his sentence in 2004 but has since remained in custody as a preventive measure due to his continued perceived threat to society. Presently he is facing a multitude of health issues, including diabetes, severe breathing problems, and obesity. In 2019, he made headlines when he expressed his desire to seek assistance from Exit, a Swiss organization that facilitates medically assisted euthanasia. Exit carries out compassionate and responsible assessments of each individual case, providing competent assisted suicide.
Narrator:With over 145,000 members, it stands as one of Switzerland's largest associations, safeguarding its members from arbitrary treatment in times of illness or accidents and supporting their right to self determination. Initially it was uncertain whether prisoners were permitted to pursue assisted suicide. Meanwhile this question has been answered. They are. To this day the now 70 2 year old suspect steadfastly denies any involvement in the Crystal Cave Murders.
Narrator:His relatives, residing in the municipality of Oberiet, where the double murders occurred, even hired a private detective during the eighties and spent considerable resources in their quest to find the true culprit, hoping to absolve him. At no point did they question his admission of the terrible crimes mentioned, but they too remained resolute in their belief that he had no connection whatsoever to the Crystal Cave Murders. The chauffeur had done everything to prove his innocence, including supplying his D. N. A.
Narrator:To the investigating authorities years later. Despite enduring repeated police interrogations, no evidence linking the chauffeur to the 1982 double murders emerged. Aside from his previous criminal offences, the authorities lacked substantial grounds for his arrest. A few years ago a private investigator was denied an interview with him, and as I am recording this episode my request is still pending. Given the proximity of the bodies to the crystal caves, along with the reported break in that had been brought to the attention of the investigators and the finding of the suspicious writing utensils near one of the victims, it came as no surprise that the police turned their attention towards the cave guides.
Narrator:Specifically, they honed in on 3 individuals. One of the suspects has already been mentioned before. The innkeeper at the restaurant only 500 meters away from the caves. When questioned by the police, the innkeeper stated that on the Saturday the girls disappeared. He was working in the restaurant most of the day, leaving the establishment around 3:30 pm. Being on duty that day, he had a tour appointment with 2 German couples at 4 PM. He estimated having left the caves no later than 5:30 or 6 PM, locking the padlock at the gate. Neither on his drive past the crossroads and along the forest road nor at the crystal caves, while giving his tour, he had seen the girls or noticed anything suspicious. Strangely enough, his now ex wife, who claimed to have seen a hiker making a phone call at their restaurant after discovering Bridget Myers' remains, had a slightly different recollection of his whereabouts that day.
Narrator:She said her husband had already left around 1:30 P. M. To purchase flowers and a new tie in the neighboring village of Alstatten because they were invited to a birthday celebration on the Sunday evening. He returned to the restaurant around 4 P. M, she said.
Narrator:If that is correct, who then did the tour with the Germans at the Crystal Caves? Confronted with his wife's dissenting statement, the innkeeper firmly contradicted it and remained adamant to only having left the inn shortly before 4 p. M. It is important to note that the innkeeper, who was only 21 years old at the time, was significantly overweight, lacked climbing experience, and, as he constantly testified, was not familiar with the area around the caves at all. Therefore it would have been impossible for him to dispose of the bodies, he explained.
Narrator:Surprisingly, after being interrogated a few times and without further verifying his real whereabouts that day, the innkeeper was subsequently ruled out as a possible perpetrator. Today the restaurant no longer exists, and only a few people in the village have any recollection of him. He moved away shortly after the incident, changed his profession, and worked as a marketing consultant. Several years later he suffered a stroke and later claimed to have no recollection of any details from that day. He only recalls driving past the cross roads in his orange opal, but did not observe the girls or anything suspicious along the forest road.
Narrator:When approached by a private investigator many years after the murder, he was the only one among the suspects who displayed strong annoyance and refused to discuss the matter. Instead, he chose to be represented by a lawyer, making it impossible for anyone, including myself, to contact him.
Narrator:The second suspect was a 55 year old factory worker and part time cave guide, known for being a rather peculiar individual who frequently spent his free time at the Crystal Caves. He moved into the spotlight of the police because on the same afternoon, shortly after the innkeeper had completed his tour with the German visitors and departed around 5:30, he passed by the caves. Being off duty that day, he returned from a mountain hiking trip accompanied by his dog.
Narrator:Showing a sense of duty, he briefly checked on the caves to ensure everything was in order. He, too, did not notice anything out of the ordinary. However, there were rumors circulating that while being at the caves he encountered some individuals interested in visiting but that had not made an appointment. He explained that, given the circumstances and him not being on duty, it was not possible to accommodate at all. Very puzzling is the account that was later given by his wife.
Narrator:She mentioned that when her husband set off for the hike with this German shepherd dog he was wearing a jumper but when he returned, not only was the sweater missing, but his clothes were filthy and wet. He claimed to have lost it. Despite a reward being offered for its return, the jumper was never found. Mind you, the claims about the missing sweater and rejecting the visitors were never officially confirmed. He, too, consistently maintained his innocence but remained under suspicions for the rest of his life.
Narrator:His daughter had firsthand witnessed the enfolding drama.
Daughter:The weeks right after the discovery of the bodies were absolutely dreadful. The police subjected our entire family to relentless interrogations, and my dad was questioned endlessly. I vividly remember a particular incident where they practically shouted at him, pushing him to confess to the crime. The whole procedure became so absurd that they, at one point, even suspected me being an accomplice to the murder. Following these events, everything changed at our home and in our family.
Narrator:In an attempt to avoid family conflicts, he started drinking more than before and increasingly devoted his free time to his faithful shepherd, Dark, spending hours with him alone at the crystal caves. The constant suspicions and accusations gradually took a toll on him, transforming him into a broken man. His daughter is firmly convinced he had absolutely no involvement in the crime. Nevertheless, even to this day, there are individuals who remain convinced that, although he may not have been the actual perpetrator, he withheld crucial information and might have been somehow linked to the case. Adding to that assumption is that until his death in 2,008, he was frequently being heard making the following enigmatic remark to his dog.
Speaker 9:Oh, my good boy, if only you could say what you had seen that day.
Narrator:The 3rd and final suspect among the cave guides was a 20 3 year old man residing in the Canton of Appenzell. He was the cave guide that discovered the break in on the Sunday morning. He had a deep passion for geology and possessed extensive knowledge of the caves. Prior to the murder, he enjoyed a close friendship event, and they ceased all communications. Of Of particular suspicion was the fact that he happened to be employed at the very company whose name was imprinted on the ball point pen discovered near Bridget Myers' body.
Narrator:This connection raised eyebrows and intensified scrutiny towards him. Despite being 68 years old now, he over and over expressed his reluctance to provide any further comments or participate in interviews. Instead, he issued a statement explaining his stance on the matter.
Suspect 3:From my own painful experience, I only know too well that any statement I make in connection with this matter would inevitably lead to the most diverse interpretations and conclusions and would therefore, in no possible way or form, contribute to finding the truth. Because of this, I refrain from commenting on the case once and for all.
Narrator:When questioned by the police in 1982, especially about the presence of the ballpoint pen with his company's logo near Bridget's body, he explained that it was simply a Company giveaway, and was frequently used by all cave guides. It would remain, along with the other writing utensils, in a locker inside the crystal caves. When asked about the details regarding the discovery of the break in on Sunday morning, he reiterated the same information he had previously provided. The padlock on the gate was missing, but there was no visible sign of disturbance near the entrance or in inside the caves. He too was also soon dismissed as a potential suspect.
Narrator:Once again, I'd like to emphasize that the information I have, 42 years after the double murder, is a blend of reliable facts, written reports, testimonies, and recollections of individuals from 1982. It's expected that these accounts may not always align perfectly. Unfortunately, we do not have access to the police files. And even after the official closure of the case in 2012, it remains impossible to obtain the official records from the Public Prosecutor's Office. Access is denied, citing that my podcast's interest is primarily commercial and private, thus not deserving protection.
Narrator:Even though the police investigations may have been inadequate at times, I strongly believe that they did indeed double check the suspect's alibis and reconfirm their statements. I would also assume that they gathered more comprehensive and dependable information than what is currently at my disposal, thereby lacking evidence to arrest any of them. No charges were ever filed against any of the 4 suspects. Inevitably, the absence of transparency and the deliberate concealment of facts by the police fueled speculation. Among them emerged a tantalizing question: Is it possible that the police have been, and perhaps still are, harbouring a secret, a clandestine truth that surpasses their obvious incompetence and insufficient investigations conducted back in 1982.
Narrator:In 2018, a police spokesperson made the following statement to the press.
Suspect 3:The case remains unforgotten. Every new lead, every clue, and every indication will continue to be taken up even if the statute of limitations has been reached. The statute of limitations, I want you to be aware to that, is a matter for the public prosecutor's office. The police, however, investigate independently.
Narrator:Considering the close collaboration between the police and the prosecutor's office, it is evident that the statement provided must be seen as nothing more than empty words. Regardless, by early 1983, the case had come to a standstill. The police were without a murder weapon. Unable to establish the location of the girl's death, and without any concrete evidence connecting any of their suspects to the double murder. Their strategy of applying pressure on the suspects proved futile and potentially impeded the investigation's progress in pursuing alternative leads.
Narrator:Then in early 1983, seemingly short on leads and ideas, the investigators turned to the widely watched television program, Casefile XY Unsolved, in a final attempt to identify the individual who captured the girl's last photograph, and to gather additional information from individuals who had not yet come forward with any relevant details. But to everyone's surprise, and for the first time ever, they also presented a sensational and very promising new lead. A lead based on the discovery of a device they had located near Kering Gattaca's remains in the off cave. Remarkably, it involved the mother of the family residing at the sawmill once again.
Mother:So one day I headed over to the sawmill. Right? And guess what? Just as I got there, these investigators showed up. 1 of them, all smug and confident, started talking about them having some new evidence and they finally figured out how the girls were murdered. But you know, it was all hush-hush, so I didn't even bother asking for details. But I could tell they were convinced that the stalking they had found was the murder weapon. It seemed they had it all figured out.
Narrator:Be sure to tune in to episode 5, the case file XY unsolved. To get all the details about this supposedly game changing stalking the woman mentioned and the police presented live in the studio, and how they managed to connect it to the double murder. Additionally, we will thoroughly investigate the questionable reenactment of the Crystal Cave Murders being prominently showcased as a segment on the groundbreaking television program that served as the blueprint for Crimewatch UK, America's Most Wanted, and Crime Stoppers Australia. Trust me. It's going to be another intriguing episode you don't want to miss.
Narrator:Please do visit our website at thecrystalcavemurders.com for additional information, including maps, photographs, videos, and even the details, should you wish to support the makers of this podcast. My name is Rudolf Eisler, and this was The Suspects, episode 4 of The Crystal Cave Murders, an investigative true crime podcast brought to you by Playground Media Productions. Available on Apple Podcasts or almost any platform of your preference.