Keith and Elaine Dardeen were a well liked and respected couple in their community of Ina, IL. In November 1987, they had a 2 year old son, Peter, and Elaine was seven months pregnant with a baby girl. On November 18, police were sent to the Dardeen family home for a wellness check after Keith hadn’t shown up for work. They found three bodies all tucked into the same bed: Elaine, Peter, and a brand new baby girl. Elaine had been beaten so severely that she had gone into labor and delivered her baby who was tragically met with the same fate as her mother and brother. 

Keith was nowhere to be found so he immediately became the prime suspect. The next day, Keith’s body was found in a wheat field not far from the home. He had been shot, had a head injury, and his penis had been severed. It was clear that he had not committed this crime. So investigators start digging into Keith and Elaine’s lives and find…nothing. They had no enemies and no one had a single bad thing to say about them. 

Over three decades have passed and police are no closer to solving the case today as they were in 1987. Could this have been the work of a serial killer, a potential home buyer, or someone else entirely? 

Come along as Hannah and her little mom discuss spider friends, eight-tracks, and Southern Illinois.

If you have any information pertaining to this case, please contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 618-244-8004.

*Researched by Stephanie*  

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of mutilation and homicide. Listener discretion is advised.

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Sources:

Cesaric, C. (2024, May 18). Inside the chilling Dardeen family murders: Who killed them? People. https://people.com/dardeen-murders-unsolved-who-killed-illinois-family-8649561

Chicago Tribune. (2000, March 13). 13-year vigil of fear eases in Illinois town. Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/03/13/13-year-vigil-of-fear-eases-in-illinois-town/

Crime Immemorial. (n.d.). The Dardeen family murders. Crime immemorial: A casebook of unsolved murders. https://crimeimmemorial.com/2023/04/19/the-dardeen-family-murders/

Hayes, B. (2024, January 17). The Dardeen family murders: A brutal crime that haunts Southern Illinois. True crime write-ups. https://truecrimewriteups.com/blog/dardeen-family-murders/

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Dardeen family homicides. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardeen_family_homicides

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/l9ul8t/the_dardeen_family_murders_no_mercy_no_motive_no/