Chicago police say former detective Thomas F. McInerney Jr. has been identified as the man who abducted and killed 8-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz in 1960. The breakthrough followed advances in DNA and fingerprint analysis applied to evidence preserved for more than six decades. A former investigator said McInerney may have been responsible for other crimes, although no additional victims have been publicly confirmed. McInerney died in 2006 without facing charges in the case.
| 1) | The 1960 disappearance and murder |
| 2) | Evidence preserved across six decades |
| 3) | McInerney’s position inside the police department |
| 4) | Why investigators suspect there may be other victims |
| 5) | A long-awaited measure of closure |
The 1960 disappearance and murder
Gloria Kowalewicz was walking from her home to St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Church shortly before 8 a.m. on Nov. 12, 1960, when she disappeared. The 8-year-old was expected to attend Mass but never arrived. About four hours later, her body was discovered in a ditch in a forest preserve southwest of Chicago.
Investigators recovered a bullet, her coat, shoes and a small white communion purse containing a prayer book. Evidence was also found along the highway leading back toward Chicago. Despite an extensive investigation, the person responsible was not identified at the time.
Evidence preserved across six decades
Chicago police later formed a task force that canvassed hundreds of homes and interviewed more than 1,300 people. More than a dozen individuals underwent polygraph examinations. The investigation continued over the years with assistance from Illinois State Police and the FBI.
The eventual lead came from a fingerprint lifted from the strap of Kowalewicz’s communion purse. Modern forensic methods helped investigators connect that print, along with DNA evidence, to Thomas F. McInerney Jr. The preserved material allowed detectives to revisit the case after technological advances made further analysis possible.
McInerney’s position inside the police department
Thomas F. McInerney Jr. had recently joined the Chicago Police Department when Kowalewicz was killed. He worked as a violent crimes detective and remained within the department while the case went unsolved. He later served for 28 years, retired and moved to Las Vegas.
McInerney died in 2006 at age 70. Because the identification came after his death, he was never prosecuted or held accountable in court. Police said the finding was devastating because the alleged killer had been part of the agency investigating the child’s death.
Why investigators suspect there may be other victims
Michael Gould, a former investigator and founding member of a major police K-9 unit, said the circumstances appeared deliberate and warned that investigators should examine whether McInerney was connected to other unsolved crimes. Gould said serial offenders rarely stop after a single successful act, but his assessment remains a theory rather than a confirmed finding.
“My prediction there are going to be other victims [linked to McInerney]. I don’t think this was a sole act,” Gould said.
Gould also said McInerney may have exploited public trust in police officers to lure a child into his vehicle. He noted that police K-9 methods were not widely adopted for this type of investigation until the mid-1980s, meaning investigators in 1960 had fewer tools for tracking a suspect or locating hidden evidence.
A long-awaited measure of closure
The Chicago Police Department said detectives never stopped seeking answers and that the identification may bring some relief to people who knew Kowalewicz. Her parents have since died and were unable to receive the news during their lifetimes. The family attorney did not provide a public response to requests for comment.
Police described McInerney’s alleged conduct as incompatible with his service and said his actions left Kowalewicz’s family and community searching for answers for decades. The identification resolves the question of who investigators believe killed the child, while leaving open whether additional cases can be connected to him.
| 1 | Gloria Kowalewicz was killed on Nov. 12, 1960, while walking to church. |
|---|---|
| 2 | A preserved fingerprint and DNA evidence led police to former detective Thomas F. McInerney Jr. |
| 3 | McInerney died in 2006 and was never prosecuted in the case. |
| 4 | A former investigator believes McInerney may have had other victims, but no additional cases are confirmed. |
| 5 | The identification followed decades of police work and advances in forensic technology. |
Summary
The identification of Thomas F. McInerney Jr. gives investigators and the Kowalewicz family an answer more than 65 years after Gloria Kowalewicz was killed. The evidence also prompts questions about whether a former police detective could be linked to other unsolved crimes. Those questions require separate investigation and corroborating evidence, while the 1960 murder identification rests on preserved forensic material and modern analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was identified in the case?
Thomas F. McInerney Jr., a former Chicago police violent crimes detective, was identified as the suspected killer of 8-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz.
What evidence led investigators to McInerney?
A fingerprint from the strap of Kowalewicz’s communion purse and DNA evidence preserved from the investigation were analyzed with updated forensic technology.
Are other victims confirmed?
No. A former investigator said McInerney may have been responsible for other crimes, but the available account does not confirm any additional victims.
