[1] Bonnie Lou Merrill disappeared from the Y-Knot Cafe in Columbus, Nebraska, over Labor Day weekend in 1950.
The police, upon investigating the crime, found that Merrill had had a date with a boy named Ronald Kasper, who was being driven by Roland Sundahl.
Instead of driving her home, however, Sundahl drove Merrill to Lake Babcock, north of Columbus, and made romantic advances towards her.
[3] After his arrest, Sundahl told police that after hiding the body, he went to a nearby filling station and slept in his car after downing a cup of coffee.
Subsequent to the disappearance of Merrill, her boss, Jim Cumming, drove all of his employees home after their shifts ended.
[1] At first, there were three main suspects: Herman Fried, a boy who was reported to have pestered Merrill for her affections; Kasper, Bonnie's date that night; and Sundahl.
[3] Charged in Platte County[3] with first-degree murder and attempted rape, Sundahl faced a jury of 12 men three months after the crime.
He was seated in the electric chair, made no final statement, and was pronounced dead three minutes after entering the chamber.