Over forty-four years have passed since the murder of two teenage girls shook the community of Morton Grove, but new efforts are underway to finally crack the unsolved case. Sue Ovington and Eyvonne Bender, both 17, were found shot and killed in St. Paul Woods Cook County Forest Preserve after a shopping trip in September 1979. According to NBC 5 Chicago, local authorities have just sent key evidence off to a specialized lab in the hope that modern DNA testing can provide the break they've been unable to find for decades.
With fresh eyes, Morton Grove police decided to once again look into the cold case by reviewing past evidence and following new leads. This latest move to involve a Florida lab comes two months after the Morton Grove Village Board agreed to foot the bill for this advanced forensics work. However, the submission of evidence to the lab has been called into question by Tom Sprague, a former classmate and driving force behind the renewed efforts to solve the crime. "It's just so slow and we can't get any information from the police department," Sprague told NBC 5 Chicago, expressing frustration at the pace of the investigation.
Further complicating matters has been the Morton Grove Police Department's reluctance to release details of their investigation over the years, leading to NBC 5 Investigates filing an open records request, which was denied, and ensuing litigation for alleged violation of the Freedom of Information Act. "The people of Morton Grove deserve better than this," Sprague asserted in his statement to NBC.
As reported by CBS News Chicago, a former classmate of the victims has donated $10,000 to Cook County Crime Stoppers, bringing the total reward for information leading to an arrest up to $20,000. "People know what happened, not just one person, I think multiple people know," Sprague said, urging anyone with information to come forward.
In their continued quest for closure, the community and the families hope that these latest efforts to solve the crime will finally turn up the answers that have eluded them since that fateful day in 1979. Morton Grove police have also opened direct lines for tips, welcoming anyone with information to call (847) 663-3815 to speak to a detective or (847) 663-3828 for the tips hotline, as per CBS News.
