Chicago Detective Identified as Killer in 65-Year-Old Cold Case

A Chicago homicide detective has been identified as the killer in the 1960 cold case murder of 8-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz, a crime that remained unsolved for over 65 years. Investigators used new DNA technology and genetic ancestry databases to link former Chicago Police Department officer Thomas Francis McInerney to the girl's death.

Gloria was last seen on November 12, 1960, on her way to a nearby church for communion. Her body was found days later in a ravine miles from her home, having suffered two gunshot wounds to the head. The brutal crime sparked a massive manhunt involving local and state police, as well as community volunteers.

Early in the investigation, authorities deduced that Gloria had been killed in nearby woods and gathered eyewitness accounts of a young man seen with the girl. However, no suspect was identified at the time. The investigation gained new momentum this year when the FBI utilized DNA evidence submitted to a family tree website, eventually leading investigators to McInerney, who was 24 years old at the time of the murder.

Further analysis of DNA, fingerprints, and ballistics confirmed McInerney’s involvement. McInerney, an Army veteran, lived near the Kowalewicz family. He served on the Chicago police force for 28 years before working as an investigator for the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Las Vegas and Reno until his retirement in 2004. He died in 2006.

CPD’s Chief of Detectives Kevin Bruno expressed the department's commitment to unsolved cases, stating that investigators worked tirelessly for over six decades. "The fact that he was a police officer is deeply troubling to all of us that have made a career out of this most noble profession," Bruno told the Chicago Tribune. "But at the same time, it’s not something we’re going to minimize or shy away from."

Gloria Kowalewicz's brother, Adam Kowalewicz, expressed relief that her killer was identified, hoping it would bring peace to his parents, who have since passed away. However, he also conveyed frustration that McInerney escaped justice during his lifetime. "He never paid his dues," Kowalewicz stated. "You hope he’s going to pay his dues with the good lord."

McInerney's family could not be reached for comment. During his career, he received an award for Outstanding Federal Defender Investigator in 2003 and was a father of five and grandfather to many.