Hi, park enthusiasts. I'm your host, Delia Diambra, and today's case is one that I think is a true

testament to understanding just how massive an undertaking it is to investigate a multi-victim murder,

and how tricky a case can be when the suspected murder weapon is a piece of nature.

The story takes place in Starved Rock State Park in Illinois,

which is home to 13 miles of trails that loop along the Illinois River.

Its unique name comes from a Native American legend that dates back to the 1760s.

The legend details the history of a bitter battle for power

between two indigenous tribes that resulted in

one tribe taking refuge on a massive rock inside of the park. The story goes that while the group

was cornered by their enemies for several days without access to food or water, they all starved to

death. And thus, Starved Rock state park got its name.

The park is heralded as one of Illinois' most beautiful destinations.

Its big attractions are canyons that feature vertical rock walls, sandstone bluffs, and access to waterfalls.

These sites are just as enchanting during the winter months as they are in the summer and

spring, because everything, including the waterfalls, freezes over and the canyons turn into essentially

ice caves. In March of 1960, a violent killer cornered three middle-aged women near one of

these scenic areas and left a bloody trail of clues that led police straight to him. But in recent years, some have

questioned if there's much more to the story than meets the eye. The Starved Rock murders, as they're

often referred to, is a case that I covered years ago when Park Predators first came out. But just this

year, new developments in court hearings once again surged it back into the

headlines. So I decided to revisit this story with updated reporting that will likely leave you

with some answers, but perhaps even more questions. This is Park Predators.

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