PART 2: The 1980 Murder of Rose Burkert & Roger Atkison, The Investigation

On September 12, 1980, Rose Burkert and Roger Atkison were brutally murdered at a Holiday Inn in Williamsburg, Iowa. To this day, this case remains unsolved. In part one, we went through the crime scene in detail. Today, in part two, we step beyond the crime scene and into the investigation that followed. Who were Rose Burkert and Roger Atkison, and what brought them to that Holiday Inn room on the night of their deaths? We trace their final movements, reconstruct the timeline, and examine how investigators first pursued the case. SOURCES (Full list of sources available upon request; the character limit was reached for this description)Hatcher-Atkison, Marcella, Axed! The 1980 Amana, Iowa Ax Murders, 2023Cooper, RJ, Rumors surround 1980 killings, September 20, 2009, St. Joseph News-PressHermiston, Lee, Keeping cold cases alive, August 16, 2015, The GazetteBlume, Jim, Investigators look for break on ax murders, May 31, 1981, The Des Moines Register“Hotel Homicide”, The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes, October 12, 2019, OxygenFBI, VICAP ALERT # 2020-03-03, March 25, 2020Smith, Rick & Burnham, Jeff, Motel ‘fling’ deadly, March 15, 1992, Cedar Rapids GazetteAutopsies: Head blows killed 2, September 18, 1980, The Des Moines TribuneFowler, Cornell, Public help sought in murder cases, September 19, 1980, The Des Moines TribuneHighway 30 murder victim identified, September 22, 1980, Iowa City Press CitizenMuller, Lyle, Authorities probe link between murder suspect, motel slayings, May 16, 1983, Iowa City Press CitizenSeery, Tom, Court rules on suit involving double murder in Amana, October 18, 1984, Iowa City Press CitizenSherman, Cymphanie, Iowa’s Unsolved: Hotel murders still haunt Amana community, 40 years later, May 25, 2021, KGANHayden, Aly, Is a Serial Killer Responsible For 4 Brutal Hotel Murders?, October 12, 2019, Oxygen300 motel guests sought for double-murder clues, September 15, 1980, Quad City TimesOwen, Mike, Inn’s bustle hides shock of slayings, September 16, 1980, Quad City TimesDodd, D’Anne, Galesburg link to deaths probed, September 16, 1980, Quad City TimesArpy, Jim, Unsolved slayings form pockets of fear, September 19, 1980, Quad City TimesPublic’s help sought in tracing couple, September 20, 1980, Quad City TimesMystery woman’s sketch draws flood of calls to Cedar sheriff, September 20, 1980, Quad City TimesCunningham, Rusty, Motel murders linked, October 1, 1980, Quad City TimesDarr, Kent, One year ago - horror in Room 260, September 14, 1981, Quad City TimesDavidson, Tom, Hatcher checked in ax murder, May 16, 1983, Quad City TimesSupport the showIf you have any information on any of the cold cases covered, you can submit a tip here: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-crime-victims/iowa-cold-case/cold-case-tip-formIf you liked the show and are interested in supporting my work, check out my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CardinalCrimes?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creatorSave $20 on a Buzzsprout paid plan using this referral link!: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2372693Theme Song: Shrouded Lament by james.lfo, William Claeson