24-Year-Old Teacher Strangled and Assaulted. Her Neighbor Did It
Police have officially closed the oldest unsolved murder case out of Burlington, Vermont. Thanks to advanced DNA technology and relentless investigative work, the 1971 murder of Rita Curran has been solved. For five decades, the brutal killing haunted the community, but in 2023 a DNA match from a single cigarette butt finally revealed the identity of the killer — nearly 52 years later.
A Mystery That Haunted Burlington
Rita Curran, a 24-year-old schoolteacher, was found brutally murdered in her apartment in July 1971. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted in what appeared to be a violent and random act. Despite extensive efforts by police at the time, leads went cold, leaving the case unsolved for decades.
Curran's murder shocked the community and left her family searching for answers. Over the years, investigators preserved evidence in hopes that advancements in forensic science could one day crack the case.
The Breakthrough DNA Analysis
The key breakthrough in the case came from a cigarette butt discovered near Curran's body. In 2023, nearly 52 years after the crime, forensic experts used advanced DNA technology to confirm the killer's identity.
The evidence had first been reexamined in 2014, when Burlington police utilized updated forensic methods. This revealed male DNA on the cigarette, but it didn't match any profiles in the national felon database or the 13 primary suspects.
In 2019, the investigation progressed further when detectives sent the cigarette DNA to Parabon® NanoLabs for advanced DNA analysis. This led to the identification of William DeRoos, who was 31 years old at the time of the murder. DeRoos had lived in the same building as Curran, in an apartment above hers, with his new bride.
The DNA match linked DeRoos to the crime scene, making him a prime suspect, a theory further reinforced by his violent history and close proximity to the murder. Investigators eventually tracked down one of DeRoos' half-brothers in Alabama to obtain a DNA sample for confirmation.
A Fake Alibi and a Decades-Old Secret
In 1971, DeRoos' wife of only two weeks initially provided an alibi, telling police he had been home with her the night of Rita Curran's murder. However, decades later when DNA evidence surfaced, Michelle DeRoos revealed in a 2022 interview that DeRoos had left their apartment that evening after an argument — and didn't return until she was asleep. This critical revelation helped investigators connect him to the crime scene 52 years later.
Michelle DeRoos further disclosed that her husband had a criminal history and had instructed her to lie about his whereabouts on the night of the murder, fearing police would accuse him. Shortly after Curran's death, DeRoos left his wife Michelle to move to Thailand to become a monk. In 1974, he returned back to the states and married his second wife, Sarah Hepting. She told investigators about disturbing incidents, including one where DeRoos stabbed a woman. She also described an incident where he strangled her, in a manner chillingly similar to Curran's death.
DeRoos had no known connection to Curran, as she had only recently moved into the apartment complex from her parents' home just weeks before her murder. This limited time in the building made her a stranger to many residents, including DeRoos.
In 1986, he died of a drug overdose, taking the truth with him — until modern DNA technology finally solved the case.
Bringing Closure After More Than 50 Years
The identification of DeRoos as the killer has finally brought relief to Curran's family, who had waited more than half a century for answers. Former Sen. Patrick Leahy stated during the press conference, "They weren't going to bring Rita Curran back but they could at least bring closure ... And after 50 years, they did," according to Burlington Free Press.
The Role of Modern Forensics
This case underscores the power of DNA evidence in solving cold cases. Without the preserved cigarette butt and advancements in forensic science, DeRoos' identity might never have been uncovered. Investigators credited the meticulous work of past detectives for preserving critical evidence and expressed hope that other cold cases could be resolved in similar ways.
After more than five decades, the mystery of Rita Curran's murder has been solved. While DeRoos cannot be prosecuted due to his death, the resolution brings some measure of closure to Curran's family and the Burlington, Vermont community.
References: Case closed: Cigarette butt leads police to killer in 1971 Burlington murder | Rita Curran murder solved: What DNA on a cigarette butt showed after nearly 52 years | Vermont police use cigarette DNA to solve woman’s murder, 52 years on
