Richard Grissom Jr. -- 20 years later

Grissom, convicted in the 1989 murders of three young women, is one of Johnson County's most notorious killers. Tony Rizzo has a really good story this morning about the anniversary. Found guilty on 11 counts during his 1990 trial, Grissom is serving a series of life sentences at El Dorado. He was 29 then. He's 48 now. The bodies of those women -- Joan Butler, Theresa Brown and Christine Rusch -- have never been found, despite all the years that have passed.

The conviction was especially noteworthy because of that. The prosecution -- led by then-DA Paul Morrison -- had to win largely on circumstantial evidence. The police found Grissom's prints, plus his wallets and checkbook, in Butler's rental car. And they found bank cards and keys from Rusch and Brown, who were roommates, in Grissom's car.

Here are links to the Charley Project, which has pages dedicated to Butler, Rusch  and Brown. A book, "Suddenly Gone," was written about the case.

Butler was 24 when she was killed. She lived in Overland Park and worked for an advertising firm in Kansas City, where she was a media buyer. She disappeared on Father's Day, the first that she hadn't spent with her family. She told friends, whom she'd gone dancing with that night, that she planned to call her dad, but she was never seen again. Instead, a series of withdrawals were made from accounts at ATMs in Johnson County that morning.

Brown and Rusch were a couple of years younger -- they shared an apartment in Lenexa. Rusch worked for her dad in North Kansas City, Brown was a dental assistant. Grissom, who owned a painting company, had done work at their complex and reportedly knew the women.

Those weren't Grissom's first murders, by the way. At the advanced age of 16, Grissom murdered an elderly woman in Lansing, Kan., by beating her to death with a railroad spike. After he was implicated in the 1989 homicides, he was questioned in a couple of other cases, but never charged.

Comments

[Carole Duffield]

I have met Ralph Butler, he is very nice and deserves to know what happened, My daughters, Janelle and Kelly Duffield were also murdered, and I can't imagine not knowing what had happened to them. These families deserve to know what happened to them and where they are. Grissom is such a controlling coward.
My prayers and wishes to all the families.
Carole Duffield

[Michael R Napier]

Richard Grissom remains a man without conscience and likely believes society has done terrible things to him, not the reverse. He is a hollow form without the necessary internal mechanism to have compassion for all his young women victims and their families. He is a good example of a wasting oxygen by remaining on earth. In his twisted mind he believes he is admired and worthy of attention, when the reality is that he continues to be a coward with no redeeming traits.

Mike Napier

[Marvin]

Prisons exist for people like him.

[Obama is the Man]

Grissom has a date before the Judgment Seat..

[Brad]

Grissom will never get out, but there's a chance that Michael Cade can? How is this possible?

[Msskt]

And they say we should not use water boarding. You think if this guy did this in the middle east he would be put in a cell and left alone? Bet they could get him to talk.

[Samsmama]

Ralph Butler is my great uncle. Joan is my second cousin. My dad was the last family member to see her alive. Thank you for this.

[Patrick Henderson]

I knew Joannie Butler as a classmate and a friend from Kindergarten through graduation from Bishop Carroll High School in Wichita. I considered her a good friend and have many, many fond memories of her. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't stop and think of her.

It is unfortunate that the animal (I cannot bring myself to mention its name) who is currently being incarcerated by the State of Kansas, willfully refuses to this day to reveal what it did with her and the others remains. Their families and friends deserve to know what happened to their loved ones and to have some closure.

[cheryl]

I had a close call in Lawrence right before he was caught. He was interested in my roommate at the time and she had wanted to invite him over to our place after a night of dancing at a club. For some weird reason I panicked after looking at him and practically dragged my roommate out of the club begging to just go home. It wasn't until the following Monday night that we caught a broadcast stating that they were looking for Grissom in Lawrence in connection to the missing women. I don't know why I was warned -- I'm thankful, but wish instead that the other girls could've gotten the warning instead.

I'm so sorry for their loss and I know now what a true evil feels like.

God bless you.

[kelly]

I will always honor and think and dream about these girls. I have come to feel like sisters' Their families deserve answers. I would face the monster myself if I thought I could do any good. I am there any time, any day. Much love to Theresa, Christine and Joan; I had the privilege of learning then knowing you, will NEVER forget, nor never stop looking for you.

[Johna]

This man murdered my aunt the day before I was born. My mother found out of her little sisters death four hours after giving birth to me by watching the news that afternoon June 1, 1989. Because of him I will never get to know my aunt. I remeber asking about her all the time when I was little and my mothers voice would crack when she spoke of her. I wish I could have met her. She seemed like such a beautiful and exciting person. This mans destiny is waiting for him in hell and until then I hope everyday the face of my aunt haunts him.

[Michon]

I was acquainted with Grissom in the early 80's when I attended K-State. He was a tennis player, or at least thats what he pretended. He was in the clubs dancing in Aggieville every night and was quite "charming". I feel absolutely lucky not to have been one of his victims! I assume that the authorities have searched the Manhattan area, Tuttle Creek, etc for the bodies of his victims?

[jean rago]

I just read the book and it keeps haunting me. If something happened to my child it would be devastating. I hope the bodies are found. Can't anything be done to get it out of him like truth serum? Does that exist?

[Matthew Sheldon]

I see that the mother of Janelle and Kelly Duffield posted a comment here. I grew up in Olathe and attended Havencroft Elementary school at the time of the murders. I was 9 years old. I remember walking near the home the day after (my older brother knew Paul at the time) and seeing the police tape and the bicycles in the front yard. It was awful and surreal. It was a moment that shaped my childhood and gave the town nightmares for years afterwards. It was so cruel and unwarranted. I remember the day at school when the teachers left to attend the funerals. My teacher broke down in front of the class and many of the girls in class started crying too. Several other teachers ran in to comfort her and talk to the class. You can never forget moments like that. I hope we don't so that things (they are not men) like Grissom and Cade can serve as examples of what happens to soul-less, cruel creatures like them.

May their victims rest in peace knowing that we have not forgotten them, and that justice will be served.