Marilyn Baers, a 45-year-old woman, was tragically murdered on August 20, 1983, in Joliet, Illinois. She was the owner of a ceramic shop, The Greenware by Merry, located on Cass Street. On that fateful day, she and three customers—Barbara Dunbar, 38; Anna Ryan, 75; and Pamela Ryan, 29—were brutally attacked inside the shop. The four women were tied up and slain, suffering a total of 43 stab wounds. Anna Ryan was also shot in the neck.
The crime scene was described as horrific, with a significant amount of blood pooled in the back kiln area of the shop.
The murders were part of a series of violent killings that terrorized Joliet during the summer of 1983. Law enforcement officials were deeply concerned about the possibility of a serial killer operating in the area. The investigation eventually led authorities to Milton Johnson, a man who had been released from prison earlier that year after serving 12 years for a violent crime. Johnson had a history of extreme brutality, including a previous conviction for rape and torture. Within weeks of the ceramic shop murders, Illinois State Police questioned Johnson about his whereabouts and his connection to the crime wave that had gripped the region.
The killings at Marilyn Baers' ceramic shop marked the final act in a string of murders that had put the Joliet community on edge. The fear among residents was palpable, with many taking extra precautions to protect themselves. The case remains a chilling reminder of the violence that shook the town during that summer.
