In the quiet community of Idaho Falls, the life of Susan Michelbacher, a dedicated 34-year-old White/Caucasian special education teacher, was tragically cut short in March of 1987. On the morning of March 19th, after dropping off lesson plans at her school, Michelbacher was abducted from a grocery store parking lot. The perpetrator, who had entered her unlocked van, forced her to drive to two different banks and withdraw a total of $2,000.
For two days, her whereabouts remained a mystery, casting a shadow of fear over the town.
The search for Susan Michelbacher came to a devastating end on March 21, 1987, when her body was discovered in a desolate, rural area a few miles outside of Idaho Falls. The scene told a story of a brutal and violent end; she had been sexually assaulted and shot multiple times. An autopsy would later reveal she had been shot nine times. The community was left in shock and mourning for the loss of a beloved teacher and friend, whose bubbly personality and determination were remembered by those who knew her.
The investigation into Susan Michelbacher's murder quickly led to a suspect named Paul Ezra Rhoades. His capture came about after he crashed his mother's car in Nevada on March 25, 1987. Inside the vehicle, police discovered the handgun that was later proven to be the weapon used in her murder, as well as two other recent killings in the area. Rhoades was arrested at a nearby casino where he was found playing blackjack.
Paul Ezra Rhoades was subsequently charged with the kidnapping, rape, and first-degree murder of Susan Michelbacher. His trial in 1988 resulted in a conviction, and he was sentenced to death. This was one of two death sentences he received; the other was for the murder of 21-year-old Stacy Baldwin, who was killed just weeks before Michelbacher. Rhoades was also sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 20-year-old Nolan Haddon. For years, Rhoades maintained his innocence in the Baldwin and Haddon murders, though he did express remorse for his part in Michelbacher's death before his execution. On November 18, 2011, Paul Ezra Rhoades was executed by lethal injection, bringing a final, somber close to a dark chapter in Idaho's history.
