65 years later, Chicago police name their own officer as suspect in 8-year-old’s killing

A mystery that haunted Chicago for more than 65 years may finally have an answer, as investigators identified a former police officer as the man they believe killed eight-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz. The case dates back to 1960 and was cracked through modern DNA technology, according to The Chicago Tribune. Police say he was already on the force at the time.

Gloria Kowalewicz was last seen leaving her home in West Englewood to walk to a nearby church for communion. Her body was eventually discovered in the woods in Palos Park, about 15 miles from her house, and she had been shot twice. The killing triggered a search involving local and state police, firefighters, Boy Scouts, and veterans.

Despite those efforts and reports from witnesses who saw a young man with a girl, investigators could not identify a suspect for decades. The breakthrough came after police submitted Gloria Kowalewicz’s coat to the FBI for genetic genealogy. That work led investigators to Thomas Francis McInerney, who was 24 years old at the time.

Police believe the man who killed Gloria was one of their own

Investigators say DNA, fingerprint, and ballistics evidence point to McInerney, an Army veteran whose parents lived a few blocks from the Kowalewicz home. His 1959 police application fingerprints reportedly matched a print lifted from the strap of the girl’s purse. However, investigators say he had no known prior contact with the girl before her death.

CPD Chief of Detectives Kevin Bruno spoke about the findings, noting that the department’s commitment to the case never wavered. He said the investigation proves the department does not forget. However, he acknowledged the suspect’s background is hard for the department to face, as McInerney wore the same uniform.

“The fact that he was a police officer is deeply troubling to all of us that have made a career out of this most noble profession,” Kevin Bruno said. He added that the department would not minimize the finding or shy away from it. Kevin Bruno also credited the cold case detectives who kept the file open across generations.

For Gloria Kowalewicz’s family, the news brings a complicated mix of relief and frustration. Her brother, Adam Kowalewicz, said he was glad police had finally named the man they believe killed his sister. He shared that he had hoped the news would allow his parents, who have since died, to “rest.”

McInerney served on the Chicago police force for 28 years and retired in 1987. He died in 2006 without ever facing charges. After his police career, he worked as an investigator for the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Las Vegas and Reno, earning recognition as the Outstanding Federal Defender Investigator in 2003.

Adam Kowalewicz said his bitterness lingers, as the man police blame never had to answer for the killing in a courtroom. “He never paid his dues,” Adam Kowalewicz said. “You hope he’s going to pay his dues with the good lord.” With McInerney dead, no criminal case can be filed, and the department is expected to formally close the investigation that began with Gloria Kowalewicz’s walk to church in 1960.