In her Cape Girardeau, Missouri, home, 65-year-old Mildred Wallace became a victim in a series of brutal crimes that haunted the region. On June 21, 1982, her life was violently taken when an intruder, Timothy Wayne Krajcir, subjected her to a horrific ordeal. Wallace was shot, sexually assaulted, and strangled inside her own residence. The attacker left behind crucial evidence, including his blood, a bootlace used as a garrote, and a palm print.
Investigators also discovered bits of the assailant's skin under Wallace's fingernails, a testament to her struggle for life.
For years, the murder of Mildred Wallace remained unsolved, one of several cold cases that cast a shadow over Cape Girardeau County. The community was left in fear as a serial killer, later dubbed the “boogeyman in the blue bandana,” moved through different states, leaving a trail of victims. Krajcir was known to stalk his victims, breaking into their homes and waiting for them. His method often involved wearing a blue bandana to conceal his face during his assaults.
The breakthrough in the case came decades later, thanks to advancements in forensic science. In 2007, authorities were able to analyze DNA evidence left at the crime scene. This analysis definitively linked Timothy Wayne Krajcir to the murder of Mildred Wallace. At the time of this discovery, Krajcir was already incarcerated for other crimes. Faced with the irrefutable DNA evidence, Krajcir was charged with the murders of Wallace and several other women in the area. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the murder of five women in Cape Girardeau and was sentenced for his reign of terror.
