In Memory

Roxanne Woods

Roxanne Woods

Roxanne Leigh Wood
April 15, 1956-Feb. 20, 1987

 

The Herald-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan), Monday, February 23, 1987, page 16, col. 5

Niles—The funeral for Mrs. Terry (Roxanne) Wood, 30 of 1524 Tam-O-Shanter, Niles, who was found slain in her home Friday will be held Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, Niles.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 20 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, Niles. Memorials may be made to the Special Olympics, South Bend, Ind.

The death is being investigated as a homicide, according to state police at the Niles post. Mrs. Wood reportedly was stabbed to death.

She was born April 15, 1956, in Niles, and was employed in the customer service department of Automated Molded Plastics Co., South Bend.

She was a member of Niles Junior Achievement. Survivors include: her husband; her father, Dale Woods of Niles; her mother, Patricia Chadwell of South Bend; one sister, Janet Woods of Niles; three brothers—Jerry, Bruce and Rick Woods, all of Niles; two half brothers—Brian Avery of South Bend and Brad Woods of Niles; and grandparents—Mr. and Mrs. Werner (Hilda) Airney of Niles and Lou Woods of Niles.

 

Addendum 2022:

Her husband found her dead after the couple had driven separately to go bowling and Wood returned home first.

The case went cold, and although Michigan State Police had reopened it in 2001 and again in 2020, it remained unsolved. That is until students involved in Western Michigan University’s cold case program got involved.

Students at WMU cataloged the 3,000-page case and logged about 1,200 hours of work over eight months, working alongside investigators to solve the mystery.

Almost exactly 35 years later, on Feb. 20, 2022, police arrested Indiana man Patrick Gilham in connection with the crime. He pleaded no contest to second-degree murder.



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

12/18/08 02:52 PM #1    

Wendy Rehm (Comar)

Horribly, Roxanne was a murder victim. The last information I have suggests that the crime is still unsolved although there are many 'theories' out there. I got to know Roxanne at Ballard and she was a really good person. Pretty shy but then so was I so we understood each other.

Rest in peace Roxanne! You are missed.

01/10/09 01:32 PM #2    

Michael Sirovica

Roxanne was murdered in her home Feb 20, 1987. She was 30.

https://friendsofsilverbrook.org/site4/obituaries/7271-wood-roxanne-leigh-woods-1956-1987


02/11/09 06:16 PM #3    

Steve Merica

I was at Roxanne's house for a new years eve party, then the next month she was murdered. She was a good friend!!

05/04/09 07:06 PM #4    

Rex Carpenter

I knew roxanna from kindergarten on we went to Electric Light School until 4th grade and then we all got moved around because of the school boundries then didn't catch up with her agiin until high school, she is missed.

06/10/09 05:37 PM #5    

Brad Woods (Roxanne And Jerry's Brother)

Everyone is right on my sister's posting. Roxanne was murdered in her Niles Township home on February 20, 1987. Roxanne is missed terribly and I continue to have hope that one day someone will have the smallest piece of information that could solve her terrible crime.
I urge anyone that may have had contact with Roxanne to please call the Michigan State Police, Niles Post (269-683-4411) and speak with Det. Suarez regarding the case. Many times cases like this are solved by a person reveiling a small piece of information that they felt was insignificant. You may hold that piece. If for some reason you are not comfortable contacting the police, contact me at bradawoods@comcast.net or call crime stoppers to remain anyonomous.
Thank you again to the class of 1974 for your wonderful memorial page. I wish everyday that I didn't have two members of my family listed on it.
Brad Woods

02/18/22 06:20 PM #6    

Wendy Rehm (Comar)

This may have been solved 35 years later.  

https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/suspect-in-1987-murder-on-parole-at-time-of-crime/


02/19/22 12:45 AM #7    

Rex Carpenter

Wendy , I sent you a PM but did it say who it was or is?? I would like to know as she was a friend since kindergarten & then up until she pasted.  Please let us know if it was or has been the person we all suspected or not ??

 


02/19/22 01:29 PM #8    

Sharon Simons (Hettinger)

I saw the press conference online yesterday.

The suspect was named, but I didn't recognize the name.


02/19/22 03:05 PM #9    

Susan Botts (Flowers--Class Of '75)

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/husband-feels-vindicated-after-michigan-police-arrest-out-of-state-man-in-1987-cold-case-of-wife-found-murdered-in-her-own-kitchen/
Patrick Gilham

go to top 
  Post Comment