Carol's Last Christmas on Radio Misfits

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Carol Rofstad. It’s a date we hoped would be commemorated with true closure, perhaps long awaited criminal charges. That wait continues. But there are some milestones to actually celebrate. Appropriate recognition for Carol is coming on the ISU campus and in the academic history of the institution. Thank you to all of our listeners and supporters for continuing on this 5 year journey with us. The episode is titled It’s Not Over. And it isn’t. [Ep 20]

The veteran journalists and investigators on our team have always endeavored to work responsibly with law enforcement. In this case, we have waited more than 2 years to release an episode of our podcast that might have had an effect on a pending case. This is another example of George Seibel’s extraordinary abilities in analyzing cold cases no one else has been able or willing to solve. This Utah case was set for trial in October 2024. Now it appears it will never go to court…though the family finally has the answers it has needed for so many years. [Ep 19]

When a cold case is “on ice” for a half century, you can expect long lulls in the investigation. But our Genuine Human team is committed to keeping the tips and analysis alive. After we were informed that our final suspect, the “last man standing” would be potentially talking to police, we enlisted George Seibel to school us all in the art of interrogation. If you had suspect #2 in the hot seat, what would you do? [Ep18]

Our list of known living suspects has now dwindled to one. In this episode we focus on the Last Man Standing, who at one point offered to tell all , but McLean county authorities refused his request for immunity. Was he the “lookout”, waiting for Carol to return home from the Cellar? Why did he cut his hair and suddenly leave town when the heat was on? His wife at the time pleaded with police to believe her suspicions. Our team tracks down the Last Man’s former sister-in-law who has quite a story to tell. [Ep17]

15 months after admitting he was on the crime scene the night Carol was attacked, and after calling Genuine Human’s lead investigator George Seibel twice, we learn that suspect #1 has gone permanently silent. Rest assured, this does not mean an end to the investigation. It might encourage long locked lips to tell what they know.  [Ep16]

Just how often were women being attacked in the 1970’s at or near Illinois State University? The Genuine Human team explores crimes that were reported to police but largely unknown to the public. And some are strikingly similar to the fatal attack on Carol, including an another assault with a tree limb. It’s no wonder George sees some common threads. [Ep15]

After a 15 month production hiatus (requested by law enforcement,) the Genuine Human team is back on the case. And you won’t believe what we’ve been sitting on! Persistence leads the prime suspect to make phone calls…old habits are hard to break. Normal police are dealt a blistering blow for a murder case that was botched decades after Carol’s. Will it help or hurt future cold case momentum? [Ep14]

An ISU alum plugged in to campus politics has remarkable recall of 1975 and the events before and after Carol’s murder. He’s kept a detailed scrapbook with names, dates and facts. He also had personal run-ins with one of the principal suspects. And we hear from yet another sorority sister who got an untimely phone call on the very day Carol was attacked. [Ep13]

The Genuine Human Team uncovers a series of attacks on women in and around. Fell Street in the mid to late 70’s. Some of the cases bear a striking similarity to Carol’s. Not a single one has been solved. [EP12]

In this episode we hear directly from the ISU professor who used the murder weapon as a teaching tool. Did he know that the case was still open? And to say that there’s a surprise ending is an understatement. Have we solved the case .We’ll let our listeners decide and hopefully urge Normal police and McLean County prosecutors to take action. [EP11] cqW4m52iI0xHchq9CwPk