True Crime On This Day February 14th

Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by Ben Oakley

February 14th

On February 14th in true crime, Valentine’s Day murder, stardust nightclub fire, Valentine Sally Jane Doe, cold case murder.

1945

In Lower Quinton, England, 74-year-old Charles Walton was beaten with his own stick and had his neck cut open with a gardening tool.

The killer shoved a pitchfork through his neck, pinning him to the ground, and a cutting hook was embedded in the side of his neck with a cross carved on his chest. Walton’s killer has never been found. Read the full story for free.

1978

The San Diego County Jane Doe is a cold case that has never been solved. The body of a petite white girl between the ages of 14 to 18-years-old, was discovered on the side of a road in Otay, California. She had died 48 hours earlier.

The girl had been poisoned and tortured to death then set on fire. Strangely, the investigators have never disclosed the type of poison used. As of 2022, the murder remains a mystery and is an active cold case investigation.

1979

In Afghanistan, the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan, 58-year-old Adolph Dubs was shot dead after being kidnapped by militants.

The Afghan police had attempted a rescue but found Dubs dead. The Americans blamed Soviet KGB agents who retaliated by saying that Dubs had been killed by the CIA to discredit the Russians.

The death of Dubs led to the United States supporting oppositions to the Afghanistan Government which in turn led to the Soviet invasion of the country later in 1979.

1980

In Baldwin, Pennsylvania, 25-year-old Michael Rosenblum disappeared under mysterious circumstances. A day earlier, after numerous encounters with drugs, his parents finally banished him from their home.

He left with his girlfriend, Lisa. During the 14^th, after a quick visit to the hospital for a drug hangover, Lisa was driving them home when they stopped at a gas station.

Rosenblum suddenly became agitated and drove off in her car, leaving Lisa stranded at the station. He was never seen again.

His father actively searched for him, under the assumption that he could finally get him off drugs for good. Although the car was found two weeks later, it was impounded and remained unidentified for three months.

Later investigators claimed that the car fiasco led to a mishandling of the case and had lost them valuable time. In 1990, a skull fragment was found a few miles from where the car was found.

A coroner confirmed it was highly likely that it belonged to Rosenblum but couldn’t confirm a cause of death. Rosenblum’s family believed that the Baldwin police department covered up the disappearance.

Despite a large reward and numerous searches, the disappearance remains unsolved.

1981

In Dublin, Ireland, the Stardust Nightclub caught fire, killing 48 people and injuring 214. The Valentine’s Day tragedy began in the early hours of the morning when the DJ announced there was a small fire and requested the 700 attendees to leave calmly.

The failure of lighting in the club led to widespread panic which caused trampling and confusion. A large number of attendees ran into the men’s toilet thinking it was the exit.

Firefighters on the outside managed to save approximately 25 people from the toilet areas alone.

Five of the victims remained unidentified until 2007 when DNA technology solved the mystery. An inquest in 1981 concluded that the fire was caused by arson which exonerated the owners from any legal responsibility.

The fire is so well known in Ireland that songs, TV movies, and documentaries have been made about the incident.

In 2009, a committee decided it would not be in the public interest to reopen an inquiry but changed the decision from arson to an open verdict.

They claimed that there was no evidence of accidental nor purposeful cause of the fire. Despite clear breaches of fire regulations, the owners of the club have never been charged.

1982

In Coconino County, Arizona, the decomposing body of an unidentified teenage female was discovered under a cedar tree near a truck park on westbound Interstate 40.

She had been murdered by suffocation or strangulation approximately four days prior and had last been seen at the truck stop with an unidentified older male.

Because her remains were discovered on Valentine’s Day and because she could not be identified, she became known as Valentine Sally. Her identity remains a mystery and her case remains unsolved.

1983

In Johnstone, Scotland, 11-year-old Tracey Waters was on her way to the local youth club when she disappeared. The following morning, her body was found under a hedge.

She had been assaulted, beaten, and strangled to death. Just over two months later, Waters’ uncle, Adam McDermott, was arrested and charged with her murder.

Despite a thorough investigation, it was decided there was not enough to charge him and he was released shortly after. In 2001, after years of vigilante attacks, McDermott vanished himself.

Police suspected he had taken his own life but would not rule out foul play. Waters’ murder has never been solved and remains an active cold case.

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