Sally Kandel, a 14-year-old girl, was tragically murdered on September 12, 1972, in Carol Stream, Illinois. She had left her home for a short bike ride after dinner, promising to return by 7:00 p.m., but never made it back. Her bicycle was discovered abandoned along Lies Road later that night, and her body was found early the next morning in a nearby cornfield. She had suffered severe head injuries, including a comminuted skull fracture and brain lacerations.
Her clothing was torn, and she had multiple lacerations on her body, indicating a violent attack.
Richard Milone, a 22-year-old resident of Wheaton, Illinois, was arrested and charged with Sally Kandel's murder. Prosecutors presented circumstantial evidence, including bite marks found on Sally's body, which were used to convict Milone. He was sentenced to 90 to 175 years in prison following a bench trial in DuPage County. However, years later, new forensic analysis suggested that the bite mark on Sally's thigh matched the dentition of Richard Macek, a known serial murderer. Additionally, Macek reportedly confessed to the crime, raising serious doubts about Milone's conviction.
Milone sought legal relief multiple times, arguing that the forensic evidence used against him was flawed. His case was revisited in various courts, including appeals and habeas corpus petitions, but his conviction was upheld despite the emerging evidence suggesting another perpetrator. The case remains a troubling example of the challenges in forensic science and wrongful convictions, with lingering questions about whether justice was truly served in Sally Kandel's murder.
