Casefile True Crime - Case 201: Janet Chandler

Episode Date: March 4, 2022

When 22-year-old Janet Chandler was abducted while working the night shift at the Blue Mill Inn on January 31 1979, her disappearance appeared to be part of a robbery... --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Elsha McGill Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn This episode's sponsors: Searching for Sarah MacDiarmid – New podcast from Casefile Presents Crime Weekly – Listen to new episodes released every Friday ShipStation – Try ShipStation FREE for 60 days with promo code ‘CASEFILE’ For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-201-janet-chandler

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local Crisis Centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. On the evening of Friday, January 30, 2004, hundreds of enthusiastic moviegoers crowded into the Nicarbaca Theatre in downtown Holland, Michigan. With a rich history dating back to the early 1900s, the 536-seat theatre had housed a wide variety of shows over the years. But none quite like this one. A group of film students from a nearby Christian art school named Hope

College were both excited and apprehensive to reveal the project they'd been working on so hard for the last few months. They scanned the room and took note of the audience. It was a mixed bag. Guests ranged from classmates to members of law enforcement and other esteemed locals. The movie's production had stirred up some big emotions around town and the community was eager to see it. Finally, the moment the students had been waiting for arrived. The lights went down and the screen lit up as the film's opening titles began. Classical piano music filled the room, followed by the mesmerizing sound of a woman singing. As the movie played, one observer, a member of law enforcement, was particularly transfixed.

His mind raced as he absorbed every detail. After 80 minutes, the film came to an end. The credits rolled, but the audience remained silent and still, completely captivated by what they had just seen. Then the house lights switched on and the room suddenly erupted into tears and applause. Meanwhile, 80 miles away, one man did what he did every night. He picked up a glass and drank to forget. 25 years earlier, on Wednesday, January 31, 1979, the phone rang at the Holland Police Department in Michigan. It was just after 2 a.m. and a guest staying at the Blue Mill Inn across town had reason to believe that a robbery was underway in the motel's front office.

He'd been on the phone with the motel's night clerk when he overheard an intruder barge in and demand money. The guest immediately hung up and ran into his colleague's room next door. When they tried calling the front desk again, the line was engaged. Police quickly arrived at the Blue Mill Inn. A two-story motor lodge located on Interstate 196 touted as the finest in budget lodging. Upon entering the lobby, officers soon discovered that $200 was missing from a cash draw behind the front desk, as was another $300 from a bank deposit bag in the back office. The front desk itself was unattended. The Inn's night clerk, a 22-year-old woman named Janet Chandler, was nowhere to be seen.

Janet's purse was missing, her coat was still draped over her chair, and her half-smoked cigarette smoldered away in the ashtray. Police couldn't immediately rule out the possibility that Janet had voluntarily left the premises, but January was Holland's coldest month and snow blanketed the town. It seemed unlikely that she would have willingly gone out into such gruelling conditions without her coat. There were no eyewitnesses to the robbery, though the motel guest on the phone to Janet when the incident took place was able to provide some information. They described a deeper voice to man speaking to Janet, who told him, please don't take it all, sir. One person saw a vehicle outside,

but they hadn't got a good look at it. They believed it could have been a dark-colored four-wheel drive, possibly a jeep. Two sets of footprints were imprinted in the snow, leading from the Inn's entrance to where a vehicle had been parked. Sure enough, tire tracks indicated it was a four-wheel drive. Curiously, the Inn's front door was unlocked. This was odd, given that the motel had strict security procedures in place requiring employees to lock all doors after dark. Access to the front lobby could only be gained by buzzing an electric intercom. Co-workers confirmed that Janet was meticulous about making sure the front door was locked at all

times, but several guests recalled that the door had been unlocked approximately half an hour before Janet disappeared. It was fast becoming clear that Janet Chandler had been abducted by the robber, who might have ordered her to take her purse with them, assuming it contained money or other valuables. The scenario left police dumbfounded. Major crime was rare in Holland. Robberies weren't unheard of, but robbery involving abduction certainly wasn't a common occurrence. If the perpetrator just wanted a quick cash grab, why take the night clerk with them? Janet Chandler had surprised her parents when she announced that she'd accepted a job at the Blue Mill Inn. Her roommate and best friend, Laurie Swank, also worked at the motel and had put

in a good word for Janet. It was a strange choice for the Hope College student, who was studying vocal education with the dreams of becoming a music teacher. With a little luck, she hoped to one day work in the opera. Janet's parents, Jim and Glenner, thought their only daughter would be better suited to a part-time job elsewhere. Working as a night clerk sounded like a dangerous role, and they felt her skills could be put to better use in a different field. Janet had previously worked in childcare and studied nursing, jobs that suited her strong nurturing side. But Janet was adamant. She was eager to start making her own money to gain some independence. She was also feeling burnt out from so much studying, and was keen to take a semester off

from college to focus on work for a while. Ultimately, Jim and Glenner trusted their daughter to make the right decision. Janet was sensible and conservative with strong Christian values, and they supported her no matter what. Regardless, the break from studying seemed to do her good, and by the night of the Blue Mill Inn robbery, Janet had re-enrolled at Hope College part-time. With just one more year of hard work before she finished her degree, her dream of becoming a music teacher would soon be a reality. Jim and Glenner were awoken by the phone ringing in the early morning hours of January 31, 1979. It was the police, and they quickly filled the couple in on their daughter's disappearance. Much to the chandelier's dismay, they were asked

whether there was anyone Janet might have run away with. Her parents strongly rejected this possibility. If Janet had up and vanished in the middle of a shift with no explanation, they knew something terrible must have happened. Jim Chantler was disappointed with himself. He had visited his daughter at the Blue Mill previously, and noticed some questionable looking characters loitering in the lobby. It had made him feel uncomfortable, and he now wished he had queried it more. The chandelers were advised to stay put. The roads were icy and dangerous, and the police already had a snow plow out looking for any sign of Janet. A blockade had also been established to try and prevent any vehicles leaving town

without their occupants being questioned. Jim ignored the advice and immediately jumped into his car, driving the dark back roads around Holland searching for his daughter. When Janet's younger brother Dennis found out what was happening, he joined his father in the search. Holland's police department was small, and all six of its officers soon gathered at the Blue Mill Inn. Despite being the middle of winter and far from peak tourist season, the motel was at full capacity. This was due to an ongoing strike that was taking place at the nearby Chemtron paint plant. In October, close to 200 Chemtron employees had stormed out seeking better work conditions. Union officials sought help from experienced

strikers who travelled from interstate to help on the picket line. The situation was very tense. Those who willingly crossed the picket line to continue working were faced with all kinds of harassment. Consequently, Chemtron was forced to outsource security to protect their property and keep the non-striking staff safe. They hired the Wacken hut security company, which contracted a team of approximately 80 security guards to work at the paint plant until the strike was over. Most of the guards lived outside of Holland, and the Blue Mill Inn became their temporary home. The no frills accommodation had all the basic comforts the security guards required between their intense 12-hour shifts, while the dive bar next door provided the perfect

place to blow off steam. The bar became a meeting place for the Wacken hut guards, the strike breakers, and local single women. Despite the large number of guests staying at the Blue Mill Inn on the night Janet Chandler was taken, there were almost no witnesses to the robbery or abduction. All police had to go on was the description of the deep-voiced man overheard confronting Janet and the sighting of a dark coloured four-wheel drive. By the following morning, whoever had taken Janet had made no attempt to contact her family or claim a ransom. Police knew time was of the essence if they wanted to find Janet safe and well, but they had no way of knowing where to look.

The only potential clue lay in another incident that took place just 40 minutes before the robbery at the Blue Mill Inn. At a liquor store just three miles away, a 20-year-old female employee had clocked off for the night. As she left the building, a young man attempted to grab her and drag her into his car. The woman managed to fight him off and escape and reported the incident. She described the assailant as a white male around 18 or 19-years-old who was 5 foot 8 inches tall with long stringy brown hair and glasses. Police wondered whether the same man could be responsible for Janet's abduction. A composite sketch of the suspect was distributed as investigators attempted to determine whether the two incidents were related.

Another potential link surfaced 54 miles north in the town of St Joseph. On the night before the abduction at the Blue Mill Inn, a four-wheel drive was stolen during a break and enter at a residential address. The green and white GMC Jimmy bore similarities to the vehicle seen at the Blue Mill. Officers around the district were alerted to be on the lookout for the Jimmy. As at near 1.30 am on the morning of February 1, 1979, a snow plow driver made his way along the dark highway near the city of South Haven, 30 miles south of Holland. There had been an inch of fresh snowfall overnight, and it was the plower's job to keep interstate 196 clear for motorists. As his headlights illuminated the snow-covered road, he noticed

something strange in the highway's median strip near the turnoff to the nearby town of Covert. There were fresh tyre tracks in the snow leading into a heavily wooded area. The snow plower got out into the freezing night air and followed the tracks. They brought him to a snow bank that was out in the open. There, underneath a fir tree, he saw a horrifying sight. Poking just slightly out of the clean white snow was the arm and torso of a naked woman. It was Janet Chandler. She had been raped and strangled, possibly with a rope, wire, or belt. Her hands and feet had been bound prior to her death, and her mouth had been taped shut. However, none of the bindings or tape were found on or near her body. Her clothes,

as well as personal belongings including jewellery, a wristwatch, a billfold, and her driver's license were missing. It was determined that Janet had only been killed approximately six hours before her body was discovered. There had been five inches of snowfall in the 24-hour period that she'd been missing, but her body was only lightly dusted with snow. Her clothes, as well as personal bodies, were only lightly dusted with snow. She had only been dumped shortly before the snowplow driver had discovered her. The case was bigger than the small Holland Police Department could handle. Complicating matters further was the fact that the abduction occurred in Ottawa County, whereas Janet's body was found in Van Buren County. This meant that different

departments were responsible for different facets of the investigation. Dozens of detectives and uniformed officers were brought in from out of town and helped coordinate a major search of the area where Janet's body was found. Sniffer dogs and helicopters scoured the surroundings, however not a single piece of evidence was found. Motorists were asked to report any vehicles seen parked near the covert turnoff between 9 p.m. Wednesday and 1 30 a.m. Thursday. Nobody came forward. A potential breakthrough occurred when the green and white GMC Jimmy, stolen from St Joseph's the night before Janet's abduction, was recovered. The thief was revealed to be the owner's 18-year-old grandson. The tires of the Jimmy were compared to the tire tracks leading to the

snowbank where Janet's body was found. They weren't a match. The stolen Jimmy was ruled out of the investigation, although police remained adamant that a four-wheel drive of some sort had been used in Janet's abduction. News of Janet's murder utterly shook the small town. Terrified Hope College students lived in fear that a killer targeting young women was on the loose and they were advised to exercise caution. Encouraged by a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, an influx of tip-offs came through from all over the country. One concerned citizen was in a bar when they overheard a group of men boasting about their involvement in Janet's murder. Yet when police looked into this report, they concluded the

drunken men were just joking in very poor taste. Not one of the many tip-offs led to a promising suspect. The question still remained, who killed Janet Chandler? The respectable college student had no known enemies or nefarious links. She had been brought up in a wholesome family and the majority of her friends were from church. Although she had dated men in the past, Janet's family said she didn't have any serious boyfriends. They couldn't think of anyone who would wish her harm. Perhaps Janet was randomly targeted. It seemed as though she didn't know her abductor as she was overheard calling him Sir instead of his name. Was he an outsider passing through town who fled immediately after committing the opportunistic crime?

He could have been one of the many visitors to the Blue Mill Inn, though none of the guests could highlight anyone particularly suspicious. Some town's folk looked inward, certain the person responsible was among the local community. He might have worn a mask to avoid Janet's recognition. Was the robbery just a ruse to throw police off the killer's tail? Another theory emerged that Janet may have accidentally been killed while being held captive. One detective believed that the way she was tied up indicated she might have accidentally strangled herself while trying to break free. If this was the case, the killer might have dumped her body out of sheer panic. It seemed like everyone had a theory, but nobody had the answers.

A memorial for Janet Chandler was held at Hope College, during which the school's president commented. An event such as this touches our deepest thoughts and emotions. Questions of why flood our minds with no ready or satisfying answers, and there is relatively little anyone can say. We trust that God will give Janet's family and, to all her friends, a special measure of grace and strength at this time. Two weeks after Janet's murder, the strike at the Chemtron paint plant finally came to an end, and the Wackenhart security guards scattered back to their hometowns. Things quietened down around Holland, but the investigation into Janet's murder continued round the clock. By July, five months had passed and investigators still weren't any closer to

solving the case. The task force, which at one point had 20 people, was now ever seen by a team of just four. The reward for information was bolstered to $3,000 in an attempt to boost the dwindling tips that were coming through. Police questioned and re-interviewed Janet's friends, family members and co-workers, as well as people who were staying at the Blue Mill Inn at the time of the murder. There was nothing to suggest who could have targeted Janet or why. Her best friend and roommate, Laurie Swank, who was a manager at the motel, hadn't been working on the night of the attack. Laurie couldn't think of any guests who would want to harm Janet. Around half a dozen persons of interest emerged during the course of the investigation,

some of whom were subject to polygraph testing, but none were concrete suspects and there wasn't enough evidence to make any arrests. Police continued to follow every lead, but came to nothing but dead ends. Despite amassing more than 1,000 pages of notes, the identity of Janet's killer remained a mystery. The case was reluctantly shelved, but members of the Holland Police Department refused to let it go entirely. A photo of Janet was pinned to a communal bulletin board, so they would never forget. 12 years later, in August of 1991, a 34-year-old vagrant named Donald Leroy Evans was detained in Colorado on suspicion of raping and murdering a 10-year-old Mississippi girl named Beatrice Ruth. Upon his arrest, Evans not only confessed to this crime, but he also made a

shocking revelation. He admitted to having killed up to 70 people across 22 American states over the course of a decade. Most of his victims were taken from road stops or public parks. Police were dubious about Evans' claims. It wasn't unusual for killers to confess to crimes they didn't commit, and Evans had no evidence to back his stories. In addition, he claimed most of his professor victims were either homeless or involved in sex work, which made it difficult for police to investigate. That was until Evans claimed responsibility for two unsolved murders that took place in Florida in 1985. Regarding the deaths of 38-year-olds Ira Jean Smith and Janet Movic, he provided details that only the killer could possibly know. Evans claims that he was a

prolific serial killer didn't seem quite as questionable. A special FBI task force was established to sift through hundreds of unsolved murders across the United States to determine if Donald Evans could be a potential suspect. Janet Chandler's case was amongst the files. Evans was a drifter who moved constantly from state to state, and it was soon revealed that in 1981, he lived at three different addresses in Holland, Michigan. For Holland police, this was the best lead they'd uncovered since Janet's murder 12 years earlier. Yet, a further dive into Evans' history failed to uncover any information that placed him in Holland in January 1979. What had initially seemed like a promising league was yet another in a series

of dead ends. Hope College Associate Professor David Shock liked to keep things interesting for his communication students. With a background in journalism, he thought it would be useful for his pupils to learn how to establish good relationships with law enforcement. In 2003, Professor Shock organized for his class of eight students to meet with a detective from the Holland Police Department, a 30-year veteran of the force who was about to retire. During the meeting, the professor asked the detective if there was one case that he wished could be solved. The detective didn't hesitate. He pointed to the photo of Janet Chandler that had remained pinned to the police bulletin board for over 20 years and said, the Chandler case.

Professor Shock's interest was immediately peaked. An idea started churning in his head. What if his students made a film about Janet Chandler's life, not necessarily with the aim of solving the case, but as a means to keep her memory alive? They could speak to Janet's loved ones and people who worked on the case. At the very best, it might uncover some new leads, and if not, it would still be a fascinating educational tool for his students that would also pay tribute to a young life tragically lost. The project was given the green light, and with only four months to get the documentary done, Professor Shock's students quickly got to work scheduling interviews.

21-year-old Sarah Hartman was apprehensive. Although she was excited about being involved with the film, the prospect of interviewing a murder victim's parents unnerved her. But as she sat down across from Jim and Glenna Chandler at their home, her anxiety quickly dissipated. The elderly couple were warm and approachable, despite their obvious nerves. They spoke lovingly about their daughter, reliving fond memories, like the time their neighbours gathered outside their window to hear Janet sing. They reminisced about her beautiful voice, her dedication to Christ, and her habit of underlining significant passages in the Bible.

Despite 24 years passing since Janet's murder, the Chandler's grief was still immense. Now in their golden years, it pained the couple to think they could die without their daughter's killer ever being brought to justice. Glenna said, A parent never expects their children to go before them. You learn to live with it. That's about all you can do. One day at a time. It didn't take long for Professor Shock's students to become personally invested in Janet's case. Collectively, they spent hundreds of hours researching everything they could about the crime and interviewing everyone from Janet's former music teachers

to detectives who had attended the Blue Mill Inn on the night of Janet's abduction. The more they found out, the more committed they became to discovering the truth. One thing was abundantly clear. Everyone who worked on the case had a different theory about what happened on that night back in 1979. One investigator believed Janet had fallen victim to a serial killer. Another thought they knew who was responsible, but didn't have the evidence to prove it, and that person had since passed away. They believed the killer didn't act alone, but up to three individuals could have been involved. The takeaway message seemed to be that Janet's case would likely never be solved,

regardless of how many people wanted closure. The only thing that could propel the investigation forward would be the emergence of new evidence. When the documentary, which was titled Who Killed Janet Chandler, screened at the Nicaragua Theater on January 30, 2004, Holland police chief John Krytov was completely enthralled. He had been a young member of the Holland police force at the time of Janet's murder, and like so many other officers, the case continued to haunt him. Krytov had been thinking about it more and more ever since the Hope College students started poking around, and now, seeing Janet's loved ones talk on the big screen about their need for justice, he felt even more compelled to do something. Krytov made contact with Michigan

State Police, who held jurisdiction over Janet's case. They agreed that the murder was worth re-investigating, and who better to take the lead than Detective David Van Lopik, a veteran of the force who had been raised in Holland and remembered Janet's murder well. In April 2004, a task force led by Van Lopik was officially formed, with three officers from Michigan State Police and the Holland Police Department committed to solving Janet's case once and for all. This time, the investigators were determined not to leave any stone unturned. Despite the huge advances in technology since Janet's murder, they had no DNA or fingerprints to go on, leaving them to rely on good old-fashioned police work. They gathered all of the original

case notes and decided to start in Holland, then work their way outwards, starting with the Janet Chandler herself. The documentary had painted a rosy picture of Janet's life, but it had barely scratched the surface. If the detectives could learn more about who Janet was away from her family and teachers, perhaps they'd uncover a detail that could lead to a clue. As cold case member, Lieutenant John Slank remarked, The more we get to know about the victim, the more we understand the victim. The victim will oftentimes, even in death, point us to their killer or killers. Using the documentary to spark people's memories, the investigators hoped that the passing of time,

distance and circumstance would encourage someone to talk. They began talking to people who had moved in the same social circles as Janet and discovered that shortly after she'd first enrolled in college, something happened that shook her entire belief system. Janet had been seduced by an older man. While she'd always viewed premarital sex as a mortal sin, the middle-aged man soon convinced Janet to sleep with him. Before long, they were meeting at her parents' house on a regular basis to have sex. Their relationship went on for over a year, but Janet's parents never found out about it.

According to one of Janet's childhood friends, the relationship had a huge impact on her religious beliefs. Janet realized she could sin without being punished for it. Suddenly, her world started to open up. She began experimenting with alcohol, cannabis and dating, stepping outside the boundaries that she'd strived so hard to follow. With investigators now having a clearer picture, they were keen to speak to the person who likely knew her best around that period. Her best friend and roommate, Lori Swank. Lori had left Holland shortly after Janet's murder and hadn't maintained contact with many people there since. She was now working as a nursing assistant 630 miles east in the small

borough of Nescapec, Pennsylvania, when detectives surprised her with a visit. Lori fondly remembered Janet as a fun-loving musician, but when pressed, she admitted there was more to her than met the eye. When the two friends were working at the Blue Mill Inn, they'd gotten into their share of mischief. Lori divulged that both she and Janet had been having sexual relations with several of the Wackenhart security guards, whom she described as a wild group who liked to party. Things had sometimes gotten a bit out of hand. On one occasion, Janet had summoned one of the guards to the front desk. When he came down, she was waiting for him in an adjacent display suite wearing nothing but

a pair of cowboy boots. Lori, who was technically Janet's boss, had no choice but to give Janet a stern talking to. As far as she knew, Lori hadn't seen or heard anything that could help with the investigation. She said Janet didn't deserve what happened to her and that the whole situation made her feel physically sick. Quote, How can you live with yourself having knowledge of that? How can you live with it? I couldn't. The more people detectives questioned, the clearer it became that the Blue Mill Inn had been a hotspot for partying. One investigator described it as a, quote, den of iniquity, a place where the guests and staff could drink, take drugs and have sex without

any supervision. Therefore, it made sense to assume that the crime could have been committed by someone with a connection to the motel. Investigators compiled a list of all the guests who were staying at the Blue Mill at the time of Janet's murder. The majority had been Wackenhart security guards. Because the strike ended shortly after Janet was killed, many of the guards left town without ever being questioned by police. Tracking them down 25 years later wasn't an easy task. Most had lived transient lifestyles, moving from one job to the next across towns and states. The investigative team began traveling the country to question those of interest. Time and time again, the response was the same. Most of the guards said they barely

remembered Janet Chandler. Their time in Holland had been consumed by work. After gruelling 12-hour shifts, they retired to the Blue Mill Inn to eat and sleep before doing it all again the following day. On their rare breaks, they blew off steam in the dive bar next door or through parties in one another's rooms. The former guards were shown the Who Killed Janet Chandler documentary in the hopes it might jog old memories, but nobody knew anything about Janet's murder or had any information that could help with the investigation. That was until Harry Keith watched the film. Harry had worked as a security guard for Wackenhart, but he'd also been a keen photographer. During his stay at the Blue Mill Inn,

he'd taken his camera out on several occasions. Watching the documentary, an emotional Harry recognized one of the photos of Janet as one that he'd taken. And it wasn't the only one. Harry retrieved an old photo album. Inside were pages of photographs taken back during the Chemtron strike in 1979. They featured the wild alcohol-fueled parties that the investigators had been hearing about. In one photo, Janet sat on a guard's lap with a drinking hand wearing a guard's uniform. There was one guard who featured in several of the photographs and particularly caught investigators' eyes. During their questioning, a former Wackenhart employee had revealed they'd heard an unsubstantiated rumor that this individual might have been

involved in Janet's murder. That man was Robert Lynch, the guest who had called 911 to report a robbery taking place at the Blue Mill Inn, the night Janet was abducted. Robert Lynch had been nearing 40 during his time in Holland, making him one of the oldest Wackenhart security guards. Due to his age, he felt like a bit of an outsider and wasn't part of the hard partying crew. He'd since married and had two children, leaving the security game behind to open a beauty school with his wife. Detectives tracked Lynch down to the small Michigan town of Three Oaks, 80 miles south of Holland. By this point, the investigation had been reopened for an entire year and they were no closer to solving the case. They had no reason to believe the now

65-year-old Lynch was involved in Janet's murder, but Harry Keith's photos revealed the two definitely knew one another. Furthermore, upon re-listening to the audio of Lynch's 911 call, detectives had some new questions. Despite reporting what he suspected to be a robbery in progress, Lynch's voice sounded curiously emotionless. Was it possible the call was staged? If Robert Lynch knew anything about Janet's murder, he wasn't talking. He gave evasive answers, telling detectives he had very little memory of his time in Holland. This was credible, given that he had a serious drinking problem. With no evidence tying him to the crime, it was back to the drawing board. But the cold case team wasn't prepared to rule Robert Lynch out

completely. Even though they continued questioning other persons of interest and chasing up the smallest of leads, as the months passed by, they kept returning to Lynch. Maybe it was just a hunch, but they couldn't shake the feeling that he knew more than he was letting on. Lynch was questioned several more times, always maintaining that he had no knowledge of Janet's murder. Detectives weren't quite sure how to take him. On the surface, he appeared to be a committed family man with no serious criminal record. But his drinking habits suggested a man who was trying to drown some kind of sorrow. The detectives hoped that if they continued pressing him, some cracks would begin to show. In June 2005, Robert Lynch finally admitted that he and

Janet had been intimately involved, despite him being 17 years her senior. The two had sexual relations at the Blue Mill Inn and also met for a rendezvous at a vacant house. That wasn't all. Around the time that Janet was killed, Lynch heard that she'd attended a party with some of the other security guards that, quote, went haywire. He claimed not to know anything else about it, but for the cold case team, this was a huge revelation. After all these years and all the people they'd questioned, this was the very first they had heard about such a party. Still convinced that Lynch knew more than he was letting on, lead detective David Venlopik returned to question him just over a week later. Lynch was in a somber, reflective mood.

He began speaking about the death of his father before suddenly blurting out. I regret my whole life. Some of the things I've done I don't even want to talk about. Detective Venlopik recognized this was an important moment. He asked Lynch if the reason he drank was to forget. Lynch replied, I'm running from everything. After that, he went quiet. It felt like the breakthrough the investigators were waiting for was close, but just out of reach. Maybe Lynch needed more time. Three months later, Detective Venlopik returned to Three Oaks to interview Lynch yet again. He was accompanied by his partner, Detective Jeffrey Floor, who specialized in interrogation

and was known for his ability to break suspects. This time, Venlopik brought his secret weapon, a copy of the documentary Who Killed Janet Chandler. The detectives put the DVD in and pressed play. When it came to a part where Janet's father was shown fighting back tears, Detective Floor hit pause, turned to Robert Lynch and asked, you have children, right? You remember the first time you went somewhere with them and you just lost them. You remember that feeling you got inside your body. Now imagine, just imagine what that would feel like when you're talking about a 22 year old girl. You have a daughter, Janet's age. If she were killed, wouldn't you want to know what happened to her?

Lynch's eyes welled with tears. His lip quivered. It took four months and a total of 18 interrogation sessions, before Lynch finally admitted exactly what he meant when he said Janet had attended a party that went haywire. Just before 2am on Wednesday, January 31, 1979, Lynch and another security guard named James Nelson, who went by the nickname Baba, made their way down into the front lobby of the Blue Mill Inn. Janet was working behind the desk. Nelson had some exciting news. A surprise party was being held in Janet's honour. It was taking place at the residence of Arthur Piver, the head

security guard who was living in a guest house on the grounds of the Camtron paint plant. Janet stepped out from behind the desk and the two security guards pinned her arms behind her back and placed her in handcuffs. According to Lynch, Janet had no problem with this. She believed their story about the surprise party and allowed the men to blindfold her by duck-taping gores over her eyes. It was Lynch himself who came up with the idea to stage a robbery. With the Janet unable to see, they quickly pocketed cash from behind the front desk and the adjoining office so that it would look like the motel had been robbed. Nelson then walked to Janet to a waiting car outside. Several other Wackenhart security guards and a group of female motel

employees were standing on a balcony overlooking the front lobby. As Janet was whisked away, they watched with full awareness of the plan that was about to unfold. With the Janet safely off the premises, Lynch called 911 and made the false report about overhearing a robbery taking place. When the police arrived, he told them that the front desk clerk was nowhere to be seen. Needing a few hours of sleep before his shift at Camtron started in the morning, Lynch then went back to his room and went to bed. Exactly what happened to Janet at Arthur Piver's guesthouse in the hours that followed

remains unclear. The following day, Lynch worked his shift as though nothing had happened. It was his job to pay employees their daily allowances while also taking care of other clerical duties. After clocking off at around 6pm, he quickly freshened up, then made his way to Arthur Piver's place. Approximately 15 to 20 other guests were already there, six of whom were women. Janet Chandler was among them. She had been stripped naked and was sitting on a couch, her eyes glazed over as though she'd been drugged. Her hands were bound in front of her, and her mouth was sealed with duct tape while the party continued around her.

Music played as several partygoers drank and smoked cannabis, and one of the security guards danced around in his underwear. A docile Janet Chandler was paraded around the room as the other attendees heckled and shamed her. Robert Lynch watched on with drink in hand, as a mutual understanding filtered through the crowd. It was time to continue the humiliation. One of the other attendees, a Wackenhardt guard named Freddy Parker, fastened his belt around Janet's neck and led her to an upstairs bedroom. Several of the guards followed and lined up at the bedroom door. Lynch was one of them.

The group threw Janet onto the bed and blindfolded her with duct tape. One by one, they took turns raping her. Freddy Parker kept watch at the door, deciding who was permitted to enter. After Piver had the last say on who was allowed to participate. As Piver assaulted Janet, he yanked on the belt and shouted, You're going to die, bitch. You're going to die. James Nelson, Robert Lynch and Freddy Parker followed his lead, each raping and choking Janet with the belt until she was barely conscious.

While all of this was taking place, no other guests at the party did anything to intervene. In fact, they encouraged it. One of Janet's female friends was amongst them, but Lynch couldn't remember her name. As she watched the guards assault and beat Janet, her friend looked directly at her and said, You bitch. Eventually, after all the men were done, Robert Lynch got on top of Janet and used his knees to pin her down on the bed. He punched her, bit her on the neck, and then tightened his hold on the belt until Janet stopped moving. When it was clear she was no longer breathing, he ripped the duct tape off her eyes. The room erupted into panic.

After Piver threw a chair against the wall and yelled, the fucking party is over. Aware of what had just happened in the upstairs bedroom, most of the party goers pitched in to help clean up the crime scene. They knew police were on the hunt for Janet, and they had to get rid of her body, fast. Janet's binds were removed. Then several of the guards washed her down, before Lynch and Williams wrapped her up in a sheet and bundled her into a car. Under the cover of darkness, Lynch hit the snowy roads and drove nearly 40 miles south. Eventually, he pulled over on the 196 highway and dragged Janet's body off towards a snow bank.

Two weeks later, the chemtron strike ended and the Wacken hut security guards were no longer needed. The men left town, vowing never to speak about what had happened during their time in Holland. They allegedly operated under a code of silence, maintaining the unofficial Wacken hut company motto, I know nothing, I see nothing, I speak only in kind words. Many of their paths never crossed again, but Lynch's involvement with the Janet's murder followed him wherever he went. He turned to the bottle, desperately trying to erase the night from his memory. With the truth about what happened to Janet finally revealed,

one huge question remained. Why? What motivated this group of individuals to intentionally take Janet's life in the most brutal way possible? Lynch initially claimed he couldn't remember the name of Janet's friend who had witnessed and encouraged the attack. But as he was pressed further, he recalled her first name, Laurie. Armed with Lynch's confession, the detectives confronted Laurie Swank again. They were at a loss as to why Janet's supposed best friend would not only watch as Janet was viciously raped, but apparently encouraged. Swank continued to deny any knowledge of Janet's murder. Detective Jeffrey Floor gradually turned up the heat, stating,

You saw Lynch kill her, didn't you? Just tell the truth. Give up the battle. Just give up the battle and tell me you saw it. You were there when she died, weren't you? That's why you ran. No longer able to hide the truth, Swank finally broke, admitting that she'd been part of the plan all along. It all started when Janet began sleeping with the security guard who was already romantically involved with one of the Blue Million maids. The maid was furious, and she and Janet had a loud confrontation about the matter.

At the time, Laurie Swank had feelings for Arthur Piver, the head security guard who was living off-site at the Chemtron guesthouse. It was soon brought to Swank's attention that Janet had also been sleeping with Piver. Swank was livid. Wanting revenge against Janet, she confronted Piver and told him he wasn't the only guard Janet had been falling around with. This information enraged Piver, who in turn labelled Janet a, quote, whore, and said that he would take care of it. He began speaking to some of the other guards and maids who felt wronged by Janet, and they hatched a revenge plan they hoped would humiliate her and, quote, teach her a lesson.

The group believed that Janet, quote, thought a lot of herself and needed to, quote, be brought down a few notches. Arthur Piver, Robert Lynch, Laurie Swank, James Nelson, and three other guards gathered in the motel lobby and discussed exactly how to proceed. They decided that the men would convince Janet they were taking her to a surprise party in her honour, and once she agreed to go, they'd call Swank to come in and take over Janet's shift. From there, they would take her to Piver's guesthouse, where they would take turns raping her before eventually taking her life. As they devised the details, it was clear that the men were excited about putting the plan into action.

When the attack was underway, Laurie Swank entered the bedroom to find Janet naked and bound on the bed. She watched as the guards took turns raping her. Swank looked right at Janet, verbally abused her, and cheered the men on. After witnessing Robert Lynch pull on the belt that ultimately killed Janet, Swank said she feared for her own life. Although she vowed never to tell another soul what had happened, she was riddled with guilt. To maintain her innocent facade, she attended Janet's funeral, as did Arthur Piver and James Nelson. Swank left Holland shortly after in the hopes of leaving the secret behind, but fear followed her wherever she went. As the years passed by, Swank considered coming clean, but feared what it would mean for her relationship with her

own family. After Lynch's confession, she decided to tell the police the whole truth because it was the right thing to do, and Janet's family deserved closure. With Lynch and Swank confessing, other witnesses at the party also lifted the veil of silence and admitted their knowledge of the crime. One of Arthur Piver's former girlfriends, a chemtron striker named Patty Ward, admitted she had lied when providing an alibi for Piver for the night of the murder. She claimed Piver had forced her to say he was with her, warning she would end up dead on the side of the road if she didn't comply. Ultimately, it took the cold case team nearly two and a half years to uncover the full truth. One thing that continued to astound them was just how many people

had either participated in, or witnessed the attack on Janet, yet had remained silent for close to 30 years. It seemed almost inconceivable that someone hadn't come forward earlier. A witness who worked as a maid at the Blue Mill Inn provided some insight. She claimed that some of the guards who were involved threatened to kill anyone who spoke out. Over the years, they paid her visits at random to demand she keep her mouth shut, unless she wanted to end up just like Janet. The same thing happened to all six women who attended the party. Another explanation for the ongoing silence was the possibility that incriminating photographs existed of the attack. A photographer named Ronald Wyrick, who had been assigned to

capture images of the Camtron Strike, had also attended the party. According to Wyrick, while he didn't participate in the attack on Janet, he witnessed the whole thing and had even taken photos of it. He recalled that Janet appeared to be drifting in and out of consciousness and occasionally attempted to break free. Wyrick said, quote, Piver wanted to make sure I had a picture of him and her together. After Janet's murder, Wyrick handed the role of film to another guard, who promised to pass it on to Piver. Wyrick claimed that everyone at the party knew about the photos and lived in fear that Piver could use the photos against them if they ever went to the police. However, a search of Piver's

home didn't uncover the photos. If such images existed, they were never found. Robert Lynch, Laurie Swank, Arthur Piver, James Nelson, Freddy Parker, and Anthony Williams were each charged with three felonies, first-degree murder, committing a murder during the commission of a kidnapping, and committing a murder during the commission of criminal sexual conduct. If found guilty, they'd each face a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole. At the time of Arthur Piver's arrest, the 54-year-old was still living in Muskegon, the same city the Chandlers lived in at the time of Janet's murder. He had been there ever since the Chemtron strike ended.

Now divorced with two children, Piver denied having anything to do with the crime, and claimed he wasn't even at the party. He told one reporter, I can't believe that everyone that was supposedly there would say I was there. The other accused men also staunchly denied their involvement. 59-year-old James Bubba Nelson was living in West Virginia with his two autistic sons. He was claiming social security benefits when police approached him and placed him under arrest. Nelson admitted to having sexual relations with Janet, but denied having anything to do with her murder. 49-year-old Freddie Parker, who now walked with a cane as a result of diabetes,

claimed he moved to West Virginia nine days before Janet's murder took place. Not only was this disproved by multiple witness statements, but a next girlfriend of Parker's who worked as a maid at the Blue Mill Inn said she heard him loudly bragging about his involvement in the crime. The fifth and final guard, Anthony Williams, was extradited from Wisconsin and claimed he wasn't at the party on the night that Janet was killed. As the child dates approached, Robert Lynch agreed to provide a full, detailed confession in exchange for a second-degree murder charge.

Subsequently, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with a minimum of 25 years. At Lynch's sentencing, Janet's parents finally had the chance to address one of the men responsible for their daughter's death. Janet's mother, Glenner, addressed Lynch directly, as she said, You broke our family circle, but it will be complete again in heaven with the Janet. Tell us, what lesson did you teach your family? Janet's father Jim also attempted to address Lynch, but his hands began shaking uncontrollably, and he was so overcome with emotion that he had to be let out of the courtroom. When Robert Lynch was given the opportunity to speak, he mumbled,

I hope the family rests in peace, and I ask forgiveness from Janet. I worked hard for 18 months to see this come to an end, and I hope it does. In exchange for the lesser charge of second-degree murder, Laurie Swank agreed to testify against the guards at trial. With her testimony and Lynch's confession, the defendants barely stood a chance. Regardless, each pleaded not guilty and maintained they weren't at the party and didn't have knowledge of the crime. However, as the trial approached, it was revealed that Lynch wouldn't be taking the stand. He was diagnosed with alcohol-related dementia, and the prosecution

concluded that he wasn't credible enough to be put before a jury. With no DNA or physical evidence tying the accused man to the crime, the case would have to rely heavily on Laurie Swank's testimony. On October 17, 2007, a bleary-eyed, disheveled-looking Swank took the stand and took the court step-by-step through the events of Janet's murder, from the planning to the attack itself. She spared no details, fully admitting to her role in the plot, as well as to being part of what she called the cheer squad. Swank admitted that she was motivated by jealousy, as Janet was more popular with the guards than she was. The prosecutor said, I have to ask you, because I know the jury's thinking right now.

What was going through your head? Why, for God's sake, were you participating in this? Swank replied that she was angry and jealous. When the prosecutor asked how she justified this to herself, Swank responded, I can't. Swank's testimony was bolstered by two former Blue Million maids, Cheryl Ruiz and Diane Marsman, who knew of the plan and also attended the party. Piper's ex-girlfriend, Patty Ward, also testified. Each of the women named Robert Lynch, Arthur Piver, James Nelson, Freddy Parker, and Anthony Williams as being involved. Diane Marsman said, Janet was a mess. She looked very scared. They were raping her. They pretty much all took turns.

In Robert Lynch's confession, he noted that Janet's eyes had been glazed over during the attack, as though she'd been drugged. However, a toxicology test done after Janet's body was found revealed no traces of drugs in her system, nor did anyone give testimony to her being drugged. It was determined the glazed look in Janet's eyes was most likely a physical reaction to shock. Throughout the trial, it emerged that as many as 12 guards had participated in the attack on Janet, either by being part of the planning session or in the gang rape itself. State prosecutors were faced with the decision about whether or not to pursue charges against other individuals. Ultimately, they decided only to charge Piver, Nelson, Lynch, Parker, and Williams

as they had the strongest evidence against them. However, prosecutors remained open to the possibility that further people could be charged in the future. On November 1, the jury returned to the courtroom to deliver their verdicts. Glenner Chandler burst into tears and buried her face in her husband's shoulder, as the jury found all four of the defendants guilty of two counts each of felony murder. Arthur Piver was also convicted of first-degree murder, while Freddie Parker, James Nelson, and Anthony Williams were each convicted of second-degree murder. The four men sat stone faced while members of their families broke down. Freddie Parker's sister was so overcome with emotion that paramedics had to come to her aid. Meanwhile, Jim Chandler whispered,

Amen. A former detective who had worked the original case was brought to tears, commenting outside of court. It's about time. I'm sorry it took so long. Holland police chief John Krytov hoped the verdict would bring some relief for Janet's family, remarking, I just hope and pray they can have peace and closure finally with this conviction. This is going to help them, but probably it won't close it in their hearts. The sentencing hearing commenced in December 2007. Jim and Glenner Chandler bravely fronted the court, with the gym saying, Glenner and I have been waiting 28 years for this day. They thought they got away with it, and for the most part, they did.

They thanked the cold case team for their tireless efforts in solving Janet's case and for the care and respect they'd shown throughout the investigation. Glenner said she and her husband had accepted they had to let Janet go, remarking, We've left her in the Lord's hands. The four defendants avoided looking in the Chandler's direction. None of the men opted to address the court before they were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Outside court, a teary Jim Chandler said, What can they say? They all say they weren't there and they're innocent.

As a Christian, I just say we should probably forgive. However, you have to ask for forgiveness, and none of these arrogant people showed remorse, much less asked for forgiveness. Glenner added, I do feel sorry for the parents and families of the men. I can't feel sorry for the men. I can't hate them, because that would make me just like them. Each of the four men subsequently attempted to appeal their convictions, arguing that the witness testimonies had been unreliable, and that there was no physical evidence tying them to the crime. All of their appeals were denied.

In March 2013, Arthur Piver passed away in prison on his 61st birthday, after serving just five years of his life sentence. Three years later, in 2016, Laurie Swank was released on parole. In June 2020, James Nelson also passed away from natural causes. That leaves just three of the six individuals convicted of Janet Chandler's murder still behind bars as of early 2022. For the Hope College students who were involved in making the Who Kill Janet Chandler documentary, nothing could have prepared them for the events that unfolded as a result of their project. One student remarked, I learned to appreciate life a lot more, that's

for sure. I mean, the more you research death, the more you appreciate living day after day. For Sarah Hartman, the student who would nervously interview Janet's parents for the film, the experience taught her that something that seems small to begin with can have a huge impact. You never know what's going to happen, Sarah said. The outcome had a profound impact on David Shock, the associate professor who came up with the idea to make the documentary. Shock left teaching and founded an organization called Delayed Justice, in which he uses his film and research skills to shine a light on other unsolved crimes. His work has helped bring about charges in another unsolved murder.

Driven by the need to see fairness and justice restored for grieving families, Shock operates under the premise, somebody knows something, somebody always knows something. A year after the trial, the Chandler family attempted to sue the Wackenheart Corporation for damages relating to mental pain and anguish, funeral expenses and punitive damages. They argued that several of the security guards were unfit for employment and the company was negligent in failing to run adequate background checks or providing suitable supervision. The lawsuit was thrown out due to it being lodged outside of Michigan's Statute of Limitations. In a 2008 interview with NBC's Dateline, journalist Victoria Cordary asked Jim and

Glenna Chandler if they thought justice had been served for their daughter. Glenna answered, yes, for Janet. These other ones have to live with what they did, but we know where she's at and we know that she's with our Lord. Jim disagreed, replying, no, there's closure, but I don't think there will ever be justice.