A mother is stabbed to death more than 40 times
On January 11, 1980, 25-year-old Nadine Madger was found brutally murdered in her apartment in Willoughby, Ohio. Nadine, a young mother, was stabbed over 40 times with a butcher knife. Her husband, Mark Madger, discovered the scene when he returned home from work that evening. Their six-month-old son, who was in a playpen in the living room, was left unharmed. The shocking brutality of the crime left the community in distress, especially since there were no clear motives or signs of forced entry into the apartment. Authorities initially struggled to identify a suspect, and the case went cold for several decades.
The breakthrough in the case finally came in 2022 when Willoughby police announced that Stephen Joseph Simcak, a former U.S. Marine, had been identified as the killer. Using advanced DNA technology, including genealogical analysis, investigators were able to match blood found on Nadine's clothing to Simcak. The blood evidence was a key clue, as it suggested that the perpetrator had injured himself during the attack, leaving his DNA at the scene. Investigators also discovered that Simcak had called in sick from his job at Lincoln Electric on the day of the murder, and that he had previously owned a yellow Dodge Dart—similar to the vehicle seen near the crime scene on the day of the murder.
Stephen Simcak had no prior criminal record, and it remains unclear if he knew Nadine or why he committed the crime. Unfortunately, Simcak died in 2018, four years before his identification as the killer. This meant that justice could not be fully served, leaving Nadine's family without the opportunity to confront him or understand his motives. At a press conference held by the Willoughby Police Department, Nadine's husband, Mark, and her son, Dan, expressed both relief that the case was solved and frustration that Simcak was never brought to justice during his lifetime.
Authorities continue to investigate and appeal for any further information that might provide insight into Simcak's motive or clarify other aspects of the case.
