Matilda Jeannette Messer, a 56-year-old woman, was tragically murdered on June 10, 1966, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was one of the victims of the infamous serial killer known as the Cincinnati Strangler. The perpetrator, Posteal Laskey Jr., was suspected of killing seven women in Cincinnati between December 1965 and December 1966. Messer was attacked in one of the city's parks, where she was beaten, raped, and strangled.
After committing the crime, the killer tied Messer's dog to a tree near her body.
The Cincinnati Strangler primarily targeted women between the ages of 31 and 81, many of whom lived in housing complexes inhabited by lower-income residents. The murders instilled fear throughout the city, leading to widespread panic and increased security measures. The police eventually arrested Laskey Jr. in December 1966 for one of the murders, though he was never formally charged with the others. However, authorities and the media attributed the cessation of the killings to his arrest.
Messer's murder was part of a series of brutal attacks that terrorized Cincinnati during this period. The victims were often strangled, and in most cases, they were sexually assaulted. The investigation into the Cincinnati Strangler was extensive, with law enforcement working tirelessly to identify and apprehend the suspect. The case remains a significant chapter in the history of criminal investigations in the United States.
