how long, justice

Reading the story of Marise Chiverella , a little girl sexually assaulted and whose unsolved murdered occurred 45 years ago today is a reminder that like JonBenet's case answers can be illusive and the heartbreak, devastation and hope for justice is never ending--

45 years later, Chiverella murder remains unsolved
March 18, 2009
tragan@standardspeaker.com

"Today marks 45 years since the body of a 9-year-old girl was discovered in a Milnesville stripping pit. Her mother, who is now in her eighties, still waits for the day her killer is brought to justice.“It feels like part of yourself is gone. It’s as if you lost a piece of yourself,” said Mary Chiverella, whose daughter, Marise, was found sexually assaulted and strangled on March 18, 1964.

...In 1994, a special state police unit looked into the Chiverella murder hoping to profile the killer.

The criminal investigative assessment unit from Harrisburg sifted through a case file more than six volumes thick and described the case review as “routine.”

In a 40-year anniversary story of the murder case, Ed Conrad wrote that Capt. John Rice, who was commander of Troop N in Hazleton in 2004, said evidence in unsolved crimes is reviewed almost every year. He also confirmed at the time that any DNA evidence linked to the case came back negative.

Investigative aids in 2009 have improved since the 45-year-old murder, according to Troop N Commanding Officer Capt. James W. Murtin.“We have two full-time criminal investigative assessment officers here at Troop N, and they review open homicide cases yearly, including cold cases,” Murtin said.

He said homicide cases can be re-opened at any time because they are never officially closed. Murtin said a case is closed only when it’s been resolved by someone being prosecuted for the crime.

Criminal assessment officers look through old cases to determine if there has been any new evidence added or if any of the old evidence can be applied to new investigative techniques.

“We also give the case a new fresh set of eyes during the process,” Murtin said. If anyone has any knowledge that can help investigators solve this case, contact state police at 459-3890.'