Cold Case Solved: Serial Child Abuser Identified as 1962 Rapist and Murderer of 9-Year-Old Carol Ann Dougherty
A decades-old murder mystery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania has finally been solved, thanks to the tireless efforts of investigators and a surprising revelation from the suspect's own family. William Schrader, a serial child abuser with a history of violent crimes, has been identified as the killer of 9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty, who was brutally raped and murdered at a local church in 1962.
The breakthrough came after a grand jury investigation, which relied on eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and a confession made by Schrader to his stepson years after the crime. The revelation that Schrader had confessed to killing another little girl at a Pennsylvania church was particularly significant, as it provided concrete evidence of his guilt.
Schrader's dark past is well-documented, with a history of violent crimes dating back to his childhood. He was in and out of reform school and later joined the Army, but was dishonorably discharged after attempting to murder another man. He was convicted of attempted murder and served time at Eastern State Penitentiary before settling down with family members in Bristol.
However, it was not until recent years that Schrader's surviving family members came forward with their "deepest, darkest secrets" to help detectives bring closure to the case. In November, Schrader's stepson revealed that the serial child abuser had twice confessed to killing a little girl at a Pennsylvania church.
The revelation has finally brought closure to Carol Ann Dougherty's family, particularly her sister Kay, who praised investigators and others for their dedication to solving the cold case. "After so many decades of unknowing, this finding finally brings closure and a truth to a wound that never healed," Kay said.
Schrader died in prison while serving time for other crimes. His conviction and imprisonment are a testament to the power of perseverance and determination in solving even the most heinous of crimes. The case is a reminder that justice can sometimes be delayed, but never forgotten.
A decades-old murder mystery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania has finally been solved, thanks to the tireless efforts of investigators and a surprising revelation from the suspect's own family. William Schrader, a serial child abuser with a history of violent crimes, has been identified as the killer of 9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty, who was brutally raped and murdered at a local church in 1962.
The breakthrough came after a grand jury investigation, which relied on eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and a confession made by Schrader to his stepson years after the crime. The revelation that Schrader had confessed to killing another little girl at a Pennsylvania church was particularly significant, as it provided concrete evidence of his guilt.
Schrader's dark past is well-documented, with a history of violent crimes dating back to his childhood. He was in and out of reform school and later joined the Army, but was dishonorably discharged after attempting to murder another man. He was convicted of attempted murder and served time at Eastern State Penitentiary before settling down with family members in Bristol.
However, it was not until recent years that Schrader's surviving family members came forward with their "deepest, darkest secrets" to help detectives bring closure to the case. In November, Schrader's stepson revealed that the serial child abuser had twice confessed to killing a little girl at a Pennsylvania church.
The revelation has finally brought closure to Carol Ann Dougherty's family, particularly her sister Kay, who praised investigators and others for their dedication to solving the cold case. "After so many decades of unknowing, this finding finally brings closure and a truth to a wound that never healed," Kay said.
Schrader died in prison while serving time for other crimes. His conviction and imprisonment are a testament to the power of perseverance and determination in solving even the most heinous of crimes. The case is a reminder that justice can sometimes be delayed, but never forgotten.
it's just so sad that it took this long to catch this monster 
9 yrs old Carol Ann was brutally murdered & her family had no closure for decades 
its like they say 'justice is served' but what about the pain & trauma that families have to endure? 
lets hope that his family's secrets coming forward finally gave justice to Carol Ann's family 
I'm stunned by the sheer complexity of this cold case resolution, which has been years in the making 
. It just goes to show that even after decades of neglect, justice can still be served and closure can be achieved for victims' families 
. Nevertheless, it's heartening to see investigators who have dedicated their careers to solving this case finally bring closure to Carol Ann Dougherty's family 
.
it's like a huge weight's been lifted off the family's shoulders. I mean, 63 years is a long time to not know what happened to their sister...it's heartbreaking. The fact that the suspect's stepson came forward with this info is just mind-blowing 
. It's a good reminder that justice can take time but always comes eventually 
.
This case is like, totally unbelievable! I mean, 63 years of hiding behind a mask of normalcy 
and pretending to be a good guy 
while living a double life 
. It's wild how his family came forward with the truth 
and helped crack the case 
.
especially her sister Kay, who's been carrying around this secret for decades 
. And let's be real, justice was served 
, even if it took a long time.
and that good guys (and gals) like investigators and family members are out there fighting for truth and justice 
. Keep shining, detectives! 
. And his family comes forward after all these years with secrets that helped crack the case? It's like something out of a movie thriller 
. But for real, it's sickening to think about what this guy did to those little girls back in '62. Like, who is this dude, right? And how did he get away with this stuff for so long? The fact that his stepson had to keep these dark secrets hidden from the world is just...wow 
. Anyway, glad justice was finally served, but it's also a reminder that there are still some super bad people out there who need to be held accountable 
.
The family must've been living in constant fear & uncertainty for so long. I'm just glad justice has finally been served 
but the fact that his own stepson came forward with the truth is what really made this case crack 
and to think it all started from eyewitness accounts & forensic evidence 
anyway, so much closure for Carol Ann's family & finally some answers after 60+ yrs of waiting 
. It's not over until it's over, but I'm glad this case is finally closed 
.
also it's wild that the guy confessed twice but no one knew about it till recently feels like we're living in a true crime novel 
meanwhile carol ann's family had to live with the pain of not knowin' what happened to their sis. hope kay and her fam finally got some peace, even if it came 60 yrs after the fact 
... I remember when I was a kid, we used to talk about the 'Golden Age' of detective work, you know, like Columbo or something? 
Anyway, it's amazing how much progress has been made in solving crimes and bringing justice to victims and their families 
. It's crazy how DNA and new info can make all the difference in solving a case like this 
