A MURDER IN LAWN RIDGE

A MURDER IN LAWN RIDGE

NORMAN V. KELLY

Although he was living in Edelstein, Illinois he knew this area pretty well. He also knew the man whose house he was looking at that very cold September 21, 1983. It was only 38 degrees and the weatherman told his listeners that it was a record low for this date. The big man shivered a bit as he trekked silently up the road staying mainly in the grass. He knew the folks in tiny Lawn Ridge had dogs, lots of them, and he wanted to be stealthy. He stood in the shadows of a tree looking at the small, narrow driveway toward the garage located on the west side of the house, waiting…listening.

He was on the move again his breath shallow and easy he didn’t want to get too excited, slow and easy does it. He walked on the left side of the unattached garage. Once he stood in the shadow of the garage, he stopped and leaned against it his eyes never leaving the darkened house, keenly alert for sounds from within. All was quiet as he went around to the rear of the house where he would try the door first, then the windows. He didn’t like to leave any signs of forcible entry if possible, well aware that the police found valuable clues at the scene of the break-in. In a heartbeat he was standing inside the kitchen in a half crouch, eyes wide open, heart pounding, ready to react to danger.

He had a small flashlight that he used sparingly until his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. Easing forward he took his first steps inside the house. Did he hear something…someone? He stopped, cocked his head toward the hallway and the bedroom. Yes…he heard it again, and just as he was thinking about bolting out the back door the hall light went on. His heart in his mouth he froze. Somebody was coming and it didn’t look like he would have time to get away. He snapped on the light for a moment, just long enough to reach into a drawer where the lady of the house kept the butcher knives. His hand grasped one of the larger paring knives as he began a very slow retreat. Suddenly the kitchen light was on and the lady of the house screamed in terror as she saw the huge man standing there in the kitchen. Did she recognize him?

Terrorized she turned to run down the hall, but the man was much quicker. Halfway down the hall the woman felt the strong hands of the intruder on her shoulders. The scream in her throat was stifled forever.

TUESDAY NIGHT

James Scott scurried around his modest four-room house there in Lawn Ridge, located on a gravel road that separated Peoria County from Marshall County. He and his young bride had moved into the house last spring, and they enjoyed the quiet existence. He kissed his wife good night and left the house. It was almost a ritual for him to visit the Lawn Ridge Tap just a stone’s throw from his house before going to work. He got his can of soda and his chewing tobacco, hesitating only long enough to kid some folks in the bar that were eating raw potatoes. Saying good night, Scott left the saloon around 11:10 that September 20, 1983 for work over at the Caterpillar in Mapleton, Illinois.

NOT IN LAWN RIDGE

After a long night at work Jim Scott finally was pulling into his driveway around 7:45 the next morning, a Wednesday. It was a beautiful early fall morning, the kind of day he hated to waste sleeping. He went inside expecting to be greeted by his young bride he called out as he walked inside. As he looked down the hallway that separated the four rooms of the house he saw her there on the floor. Heart pounding, he ran to her calling out her name and as he looked down at his pajama clad wife he noticed blood…an awful lot of blood.

The dreaded call of a possible homicide went out to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department in Lacon, Illinois. In short order Sheriff James Frawley had his troops over at the Scott home making an inch-by-inch search of the house and area. Coroner Robert Ries was soon there making a preliminary investigation of the body. He scheduled an autopsy and told the sheriff that they could move the body. The crime tech people swarmed over the place as Sheriff Frawley contacted the Illinois Division of Criminal Investigation and the Peoria and Stark County Sheriff Departments. He knew this murder would stun the folks in Marshall County and he was not letting any egotistical thoughts about jurisdiction cloud his judgement. Whoever did this was a dangerous, perhaps maniacal killer and he had to be caught as quickly as possible.

Who on this planet would want to kill a sweet, lovable young woman like Pamela Marie Scott? Like every TV mystery program the spotlight quickly shines on the husband of the female victim. In this case that thought may have entered the investigator’s minds, but not the minds of the people that knew Pam and James Scott. No, the killer of Mrs. Scott was not a citizen of the local community. A murder like this could happen in Peoria, Illinois, or Chicago, but certainly not here in tiny Lawn Ridge, Illinois…no way. An ominous fog of fear swept over Marshall County and as the word spread around the surrounding counties the fear increased. In towns where everyone knew everyone the very thought that a killer could be living next door caused suspicions to run rampant.

PAMELA MARIE SCOTT

Pamela was mourned throughout the county and for those that knew her the pain was deep. Pam was born June 22, 2963 to Ronald and June Loser of Princeville, Illinois at the time of her death. She graduated from Dunlap High School where she was known as a friendly, sweet girl that was active as a majorette. The couple was married fifteen months before the murder moving in to the small house there next to a gravel road that separated Marshall and Peoria Counties. They were a happy twosome, and well known in the neighborhood.

Just a stone’s throw from the Scott home was the Lawn Ridge Tap a very local watering hole where friends and neighbors met to talk over the world’s problems. Linda Rumbold, the owner and proprietor was a friend and neighbor of the Scotts, but knew Jim better because Pam did not drink. A neighbor woke Linda up with the horrific news about the murder of Mrs. Pam Scott.

“You just don’t think it could happen here, it’s scary, real scary, you don’t think it could happen but my God, it did.” She shook her head “Jim would stop in every night before he went to work to get his can of soda and his chewing tobacco.” She smiled “I remember we were in the tap eating raw potatoes when he came in and kidded us about the potatoes.”

Jim’s good friend Rich Placher used to ride with Jim to work. “Jim got bumped so I didn’t ride with him anymore. Jim called me and asked me to be a pallbearer. I went over to his house to get his motorcycle and secure the place after the police were finished with It. I also took care of his dogs. Pam’s death hit me like a kick in the head.”

Linda talked about the dogs. “We have dogs, they have dogs, and if a strange car came down the road why those dogs would bark. I checked… I guess nobody heard anything. All we had in the bar that night were regulars.”

Over at Dunlap High School the silence in the halls reflected the sadness for Pam Scott. In the principal’s office, Craig Whitlock told the press that “Pam was a frail girl, sorta small but she was friendly and always very pleasant.”

Steve Caldwell, owner of Steve’s Market gave Pam her first job when she was sixteen. “You couldn’t walk in to the store without Pam talking to you. She always came up and said, ‘hi, howya’ doin’ and it wasn’t mechanical either.”

Granny Bee, assistant to the butcher loved Pam. “She was a hard worker, she’d scrub ceiling to floor. She was great with kids and loved her step-kids, it’s going to be hard on them…really hard.”

The intruder took some personal items of Pam’s including her wedding ring. Pam’s great aunt went with Jim to get a wedding band for his wife. He would put it on her finger and bury her with it. Pam’s great aunt, Kay DeWeerth who’s pain was so deep she trembled, “Anything for Pammy,” she said “anything.”

A MURDER IN LAWN RIDGE

PART TWO

Who Murdered Pam Scott?

On a Saturday three days after Pam’s life was taken, her husband, family, neighbors and friends attended a three-hour visitation. Pamela Marie Scott was laid to rest at Swan Lake Memorial Gardens. She was dressed in a western outfit Jim had bought her for a wedding out at Prairie Park. Tucked inside her casket were a leather jacket, Jeans and a T-shirt. Pam left behind her parents a sister, a brother, and her two beautiful step-children.

A LINGERING FEAR

There was a run on double locks up in Lacon and in the surrounding areas. People that never locked their doors now made almost a ritual out of securing their homes. The question about the silent dogs still haunted them as they wondered how anyone could walk the neighborhood streets and not stir up the dogs.

The Marshall County, Peoria, Stark and State authorities talked to over 250 people as they pushed their investigation fourteen and fifteen hours a day. Motive can drive an investigation but in the death of Pam, police were pretty certain that burglary was the motive. Consensus was that the man had gotten in to the house through the bathroom window and was surprised by Mrs. Scott. They have no idea what she might have said but perhaps she knew the man and if so, the killer felt he had to silence her.

Police verified alibis, took statements and followed up on hundreds of tips. Some of the men took and passed lie detector tests, while others were cleared of suspicion by other means. The police were now three weeks into the investigation and still no arrest. It just didn’t seem possible that the police, in fact all those departments, couldn’t solve the murder of Pam Scott. It was frustrating to everyone and very scary for the local citizens.

OCTOBER 25, 1983

The great news spread through Marshall County like rolling thunder as The Lacon Home Journal and Peoria Journal Star reported that a suspect was arrested in the murder of Pamela Scott. Who…who was it? The bets were on some transient or a deviate from Peoria, being the killer. Wrong! The man arrested was currently living in tiny Edelstein, Illinois.

The suspect was a big man six-foot four and 240 pounds, unemployed and an acquaintance of James Scott. The county folks rejoiced at the good news and now could only hope that this man police told the media was Carl W. Allwardt was indeed the killer of Pam Scott.

Sheriff Frawley refused to say why the man was in the LaSalle County Jail, but the rumor was the prisoner was more secure there. Frawley said that the man had confessed he had entered the Scott home, but other details were not reported. They questioned the suspect in Toulon, transferred him to Ottawa, but at the moment, details were sketchy. The talk was about who this guy was and whether or not the locals knew him. Was he in the tavern the night of the murder? Was he one of the regulars or was he considered a stranger? Questions… a lot of questions but very few answers.

ARRAIGNMENT

Judge James Bumgarner of the Tenth Judicial Circuit traveled around to the smaller counties administering justice, and was the judge at the suspect’s arraignment. It would be the first chance that the folks got a look at the alleged killer so there was some excitement in the courtroom. Finally some details were coming out and the reporters and citizens clamored for the news.

Edward Zukosky the prosecutor was there presenting the case for the People. Kevin Galley would represent the defendant as the Public Defender. The charges would include home invasion, murder, burglary and whatever else they could conjure up to keep this man in jail forever or perhaps execute him. Zukosky argued for a higher bail but it was finally set at $300,000.00. The sum made little difference however, since it was clear that he could not come up with a bond even if it were a few thousand dollars. Finally, before the hearing was over three counts of murder were included in the charges.

GIVE US SOME DETAILS.

According to what the investigators found out, Carl Allwardt, a 33-year-old unemployed man from Edelstein admitted that he had entered the home of James Scott with the intent of burglarizing the place. The man told police that he had been drinking at the local tavern until around two in the morning and upon leaving the saloon he walked about 2 blocks up the road. He told them that he had actually entered another house but finding nothing to steal he selected the Scott home. He was in the act of looking around, when he was surprised by Mrs. Scott. At that point he grabbed a paring knife and slashed her throat.

Sheriff Frawley and his people arrested Allwardt at 7:50 p.m. on October 24, 1983, at his residence over in Edelstein, Illinois. The suspect had only a minor police record, and was certainly not a man that police would naturally suspect. Once he was confronted with what the police had on him he readily admitted the crime. Frawley said that the suspect gave a very detailed confession. Police then took the suspect to two gravel roads in rural Edelstein where the admitted killer led them to two separate piles of personal things he had tossed in some deep ditches in a wooded area. They found bloodied clothing, the murder weapon, a paring knife, Pam’s purse with her I.D. and personal effects. Her checkbook and rings were also recovered. Police found $3.67 cents in the purse.

Coroner Robert Weiss in his inquest reported that the woman’s throat was slashed and that the attacker slashed her at least four times. There was also a cut to her arm indicating that she had tried to defend herself from her attacker.

Police told the reporters that Allwardt had made quite a bit of noise at the back of the Scott’s home, apparently trying to determine if any was at home. He then entered the house and as he was looking around, Mrs. Scott woke up. She confronted the intruder and was then chased down and slashed. The prisoner was detained in LaSalle County to await his trial.

FOLKS SIGH WITH RELIEF

So there it was. The terror subsided, people would never be the same, the town would never really forget, but the stark terror was over. The days turned into weeks, then months, and finally at the end of 114 days there was a trial to attend. Surely this killer would be sentenced to death row, after all wasn’t that where he belonged?

Mr. Zukosky commented that he’d never gotten much pressure to seek the death penalty. They had this admitted killer where they wanted him and the death sentence was certainly a possibility.

October was the month Judge Bumgarner had set for the trial of Carl Allwardt. The preliminaries were out of the way and the physicians had examined the defendant pronouncing him fit for trial. The defense attorney Kevin Galley from Lacon was a damn good lawyer, so the killer’s rights would be protected. All was ready, the jury pool was rounded up and the County of Marshall was excited. This trial is one of those hot tickets I told you about and folks were anxious to either be on the jury or in the audience when the big show began. The judge postponed the trial!

THE BIG SHOW IS CANCELLED

It costs money to put on a major trial and when plea bargains can accomplish so much, the trial is often a waste of assets and time. This case seemed to fit well into the mold of saving money and obtaining justice in the bargain. The SA and the public defender discussed the up-coming trial at length and finally an agreement was made. The defendant would plead guilty to some of the charges if some of the other charges were dropped. The death penalty would not be sought, and the matter would be concluded with a lengthy jail sentence. This might not be a politically wise move on the part of Mr. Zukosky, but as I said, he was not getting any real pressure for the death penalty. Picking a jury that would vote for the death penalty was not that easy to do in the first place so the deal was made. Now all they had to do was to get the judge to accept the terms and this case could be marked ‘Solved and Closed,’

On October 26, 1983 all parties met in Judge Bumgarner’s courtroom. The plan was to have a full-blown hearing on the plea-bargaining and the sentencing as well. The defendant would be questioned by the judge, and then, and only then, would Judge Bumgarner decide the final outcome and fate of Carl Allwardt.

James Sackfield, the sheriff and other investigators were in attendance as the hearing got under way. The defense and the prosecutor had prepared well and things moved along rather smoothly. The plea of guilty was entered and the prosecutor told the judge that the defendant would plead guilty to the third murder count and the others would be dropped.

The judge instructed the defendant that he had a right to a trial, and certainly did not have to plead guilty. After making sure that Allwardt understood his rights the judge asked him if he had anything he wanted to say.

Clad in the orange uniform of a county prisoner the big man looked up at the judge and in a surprisingly low voice for such a large man Allwardt addressed the court.

“The only thing is your honor is that I am truly sorry. I am sorry for what happened. I still don’t know why It happened. I mean I still don’t know why it happened and probably won’t for a long time.”

Judge Bumgarner then sentenced the defendant, killer of Pam Scott, to fifty years in the state penitentiary. The prisoner was given credit for the 114 days he had spent in jail then led off by guards to his cell. He would then be transferred to the state facility where he would stay until his parole…if ever. He was also fined for some costs of $95.00 but he certainly did not have money to pay it. The prisoner would become eligible for parole in twenty-five and one half years. Mr. Zukoski told reporters “I’m glad that justice could be served.” Bang went the gavel and the case was closed. The memory of Pamela Marie Scott would linger in the minds of all the people that knew her and forever in the minds of the people that loved her. One day long after this book has been forgotten, Pam’s killer might walk out of the pen into freedom, but the people of Marshall County will never forget Pam Scott. Her death was such a tragic loss, such a senseless killing that it is hard to comprehend. The sad thing is that that is true for all the cases in my book, Murder In Your Own Backyard, available only in the Peoria library. This true story was taken from the pages of that book. ******** After being paroled, Carl William Allwardt, 59, pleaded guilty in February 2010 to criminal trespass to a residence in Toulon. He admitted entering a neighbor's home about 1 a.m. Jan. 30, 2009, in circumstances chillingly similar to those in which he killed Pam Scott.

He has since been released. A quick check of IDOC records shows no current record of him. He is presumed to be a free man as of 02.09.2015 ********

See more at: http://www.pjstar.com/article/20100417/News/304179912/?Start=1  Editor’s Note: Norm is a monthly contributor to ASO, a Peoria Historian and author or hundreds of articles about Peoria, Il. norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net