Carol Ann Dougherty: Rapist and killer identified in 1962 Bucks County cold case

Rapist and killer identified in 1962 Bucks County cold case

The Bucks County District Attorney's Office announced that William Schrader was identified as the person responsible for the rape and murder of Carol Ann Dougherty in 1962.

BRISTOL, Pa. -  A decades-long search for justice in the case of 9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty's murder has finally reached a conclusion.

Investigation reveals Schrader's crimes

What we know:

Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn announced that William Schrader was identified as the person responsible for the rape and murder of Carol Ann Dougherty in 1962. 

The Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury's findings were based on eyewitness statements, forensic evidence, and a confession from Schrader to his stepson.

Schrader, who died in 2002, lived near the crime scene and was seen outside the church around the time of the murder. 

He fled to Florida shortly after being questioned by police, as investigators honed in on three other suspects.

The backstory:

Carol Ann Dougherty was last seen alive outside St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church on Oct. 22, 1962. Her body was discovered by her father inside the church, where she had been raped and strangled. Despite the passage of time, the case remained under review by law enforcement.

The Bucks County District Attorney says they now know Schrader's criminal history includes a pattern of violence and sexual abuse against young females, including immediate family members. He was convicted in Louisiana in 1985 for the death of a 12-year-old girl.

Grand Jury findings and expert testimony

What they're saying:

Dr. Veronique Valliere, a clinical and forensic psychologist, testified that the perpetrator was a psychopath with a deviant sexual arousal for prepubescent victims. Her analysis aligns with Schrader's behavior and confessions.

The Grand Jury's 53-page report, approved by President Judge Raymond F. McHugh, detailed the evidence linking Schrader to the crime, including his confession to his stepson and the forensic exclusion of other suspects. 

Investigators say they conducted that interview with the stepson within the past year, where he detailed two different confessions from Schrader.

Pubic hair analysis in 1993 also played a crucial role in the investigation. Of the pubic hair samples collected from 176 men over the decades, 141 were tested. 

Schrader was the only person who could not be eliminated as the source of a pubic hair found clutched in Carol Ann’s hand. 

The Bucks County District Attorney says investigators also recently attempted to build a DNA profile from evidence collected, but were unsuccessful. In that process, they became laser-focused on the evidence they did have.

"The work that was done to keep this alive is nothing short of remarkable," says Jennifer Schorn, Bucks County District Attorney.

The investigation reviewed and eliminated other initial suspects, including Frank Zuchero, Wayne Roach, and Rev. Joseph Sabadish. 

Zuchero's confession was deemed unreliable, Roach had a verified alibi, and Sabadish was confirmed to be elsewhere at the time of the murder.

Family's closure and community impact

"This finding finally brings closure and truth to a wound that never healed," said Kay Dougherty, the younger sister and only immediate surviving family member of Carol Ann Dougherty. "My family finally has the truth that we have sought for six decades," she added.

Radio personality Mike Missanelli, who hosted a podcast about the case, said, "I think he’s really happy I think he’s smiling up there," referring to his cousin, the Bristol Police Chief at the time of the crime.

Kay Dougherty expressed, "Though nothing can bring Carol back we can finally let her rest in peace knowing her story has been told her truth, revealed, and her memory honored."