Smoking Out a Killer: The Case of Susan Shumake

In 1981, the tragic murder of Susan Schumake at Southern Illinois University remained unsolved for decades, haunting her community and family. Though investigators initially focused on a local serial killer named John Paul Phillips, biological evidence eventually proved he was not responsible for this specific crime. The investigation was revitalized twenty years later when DNA technology allowed police to re-examine evidence and target a different original suspect, Daniel Woloson. Authorities successfully obtained a DNA sample from discarded cigarette butts in Woloson's former vehicle, which provided a definitive match to the crime scene. After being confronted with the forensic findings, Woloson inadvertently...