Episode 3 & 4: The Double Initial Murders of Rochester, NY: Parts 1 & 2

⚠️ Trigger Warning:

This episode contains sensitive content involving crimes against children, including sexual assault and murder. Listener discretion is advised.

🔔 Correction Note:

Amanda provides a quick correction at the top of the episode:

• Wanda Walkowicz was murdered on April 2, 1973 (not 1972 as previously stated).

• Michelle Maenza was murdered in 1973, not 1983.

Amanda apologizes for the error and is committed to improving editing and proofreading going forward.

🔍 Episode Summary:

In this chilling and emotional episode, Amanda delves into the unsolved series of crimes known as the Alphabet Murders or Double Initial Murders that occurred in Rochester, NY, in the early 1970s. This episode focuses on the first known victim, Carmen Colon, a 10-year-old girl whose abduction and murder shook the community and remains unresolved to this day. Our focus turns to Wanda Walkowicz, an 11-year-old girl who tragically became the second known victim in the terrifying Alphabet Murders. Like Carmen Colon before her, Wanda’s life was marked by hardship — and her death would send shockwaves through the community.To close out this emotional episode, we examine the heartbreaking case of Michelle Maenza, the third known victim of the infamous Alphabet Murders that haunted Rochester, NY in the 1970s. Just 10 years old, Michelle was abducted in broad daylight — and this time, someone saw it happen. Despite witness accounts and physical evidence, the case remains unsolved more than 50 years later.

Amanda walks listeners through:

• Carmen's early life and complex family background

• The events leading up to her disappearance on November 16, 1971

• Disturbing witness accounts from the day she went missing

• The heartbreaking discovery of her body and the initial investigation

• Suspicions surrounding Carmen’s uncle, Miguel Colon, and his eventual polygraph clearance

• Societal reflections on crowd apathy and the impact of unreported sightings

• Wanda's early life, family background, and the difficulties she faced growing up

• The timeline and details of her disappearance on April 2, 1973

• Witness sightings and inconsistencies in her final known movements

• Discovery of her body and the forensic evidence found

• Community response and tips that flooded in, including potential suspects

• How this case echoes the tragic patterns of the Alphabet Killer's other known victims

• Michelle's background and life at home on Webster Crescent

• The severe bullying she endured at school and the events leading up to her disappearance

• A rare eyewitness account of the abduction

• The timeline from when she left school to when her body was discovered

• Crime scene details, forensic evidence, and similarities to the earlier murders

• How investigators began linking the Alphabet Murders together

• A chilling witness interaction with the suspected killer

• The community’s grief and Michelle’s final resting place

🕵️‍♀️ Case Details:

• Victim Name: Carmen Colon

  • Age: 10

  • Date Missing: November 16, 1971

  • Body Found: November 18, 1971, near Churchville, NY

  • Cause of Death: Strangulation; signs of sexual assault

  • Status: Unsolved

• Name: Wanda Walkowicz

  • Age: 11

  • Date of Disappearance: April 2, 1973

  • Location Last Seen: Hillside Delicatessen on Conkey Avenue, Rochester, NY

  • Date Found: April 3, 1973

  • Cause of Death: Strangulation

  • Notable Evidence: White cat hairs (not from her home), semen, pubic hairs, custard in stomach

  • Vehicle of Interest: Light-colored Dodge Dart seen near both her last known location and the dump site

• Name: Michelle Maenza

  • Age: 10

  • Date of Disappearance: November 26, 1973

  • Date Found: November 28, 1973

  • Location Found: Ditch off Eddy Road, Macedon, NY

  • Cause of Death: Strangulation

  • Notable Evidence:

    • White cat hairs (also found on Carmen and Wanda)

    • Semen sample

    • Cheeseburger remains in stomach

    • Partial fingerprints

    • Missing coat found ½ mile away

    • Witness sketch of the suspect

    • Light-colored 1966 Chevy seen near the crime scene

🧠 Additional Notes:

• Wanda was in special education, described as shy but resilient and protective of her younger siblings.

• Her home life was unstable; her mother struggled with alcoholism, and her stepfather had a criminal record.

• Wanda was likely abducted on her short walk home after running errands for her family.

• Her murder bore unsettling similarities to Carmen Colon’s case: both had matching initials, were found in rural areas, and showed signs of abduction and assault.

🕯 Community Response:

• Citizens for a Decent Community launched another billboard campaign:
  “It happened again. Who killed Wanda Walkowicz?”

• Over 200 tips were submitted within days to the Secret Witness line.

• Despite initial leads and suspects, the investigation stalled again — until the killer struck once more.

• A classmate saw Michelle getting into a vehicle at Webster Ave & Ackerman St

• Multiple witnesses reported seeing Michelle or the suspect vehicle

• A bystander on Route 350 encountered a suspicious man with a young girl in a car and later provided a composite sketch

🧬 Forensic Links:

• All three girls (Carmen, Wanda, Michelle) were:

  • Special education students

  • Found in rural areas

  • Strangled

  • Found with white cat hairs

• Autopsies revealed sexual assault and attempts at redressing

• Partial palm and wrist print recovered from Michelle

• Blood group analysis indicated the killer might be a secretor

📰 Media & Police:

• The first mention of the “Double Initial” theory appeared in the Democrat and Chronicle on Nov. 28, 1973

• Police remained cautious about linking the murders but did interview known sex offenders, welfare workers, and school employees

• Despite efforts and public attention, the case remains unsolved

📢 Call to Action:

If you have any information about the Alphabet Murders or the cases of Carmen Colon, Wanda Walkowicz, or Michelle Maenza, please call:

📞 New York State Police Troop E Headquarters: 585-398-4100

📚 Sources & Further Reading:

The majority of the information in the case came from 

"Alphabet Killer: The True Story of the Double Initial Murders" Cheri Farnsworth.

"Nightmare in Rochester: The Double Initial Murders" Michael Benson; Donald Tubman. 

https://troopers.ny.gov/homicide-victim-walkowicz-wanda-lee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet_murders

https://canalsidechronicles.com/2022/04/21/dna-sample-may-unmask-rochester-alphabet-killer/

72 Romeyn Street Rochester: https://goo.gl/maps/epxpHhtL52tneZpJ7

746 Brown Street Rochester: https://goo.gl/maps/hq54ZQASetGWYbe2A 

Map from Guillermina's apartment to Felix & Candida Colon's House