Who was Carol Ann Dougherty?

Carol Ann Dougherty was a 9-year-old girl who was raped and murdered inside a Pennsylvania church in 1962.

How was the killer of Carol Ann Dougherty identified?

The killer, William Schrader, was identified through a combination of decades-old DNA evidence and a recent confession from his stepson.

What happened to William Schrader?

William Schrader, who lived near the church where the murder took place, died in 2002. He was later found to be the perpetrator of the crime.

Home / Crime and Justice / Decades-Old Murder Mystery Solved: Killer Identified After 60 Years

Decades-Old Murder Mystery Solved: Killer Identified After 60 Years

3 Nov, 2025

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Summary

9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty raped and strangled in 1962
Killer William Schrader identified through DNA evidence and confession
Victim's sister finally finds closure after "decades of unknowing"

Decades-Old Murder Mystery Solved: Killer Identified After 60 Years

In a shocking development, authorities in Pennsylvania have solved a decades-old murder case that has haunted a community for over 60 years. In 1962, 9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty was raped and strangled inside St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Her body was found by her father under a stained glass window in the church's choir loft.

After years of investigation, a grand jury has now formally identified William Schrader, who lived nearby and died in 2002, as the person responsible for Carol Ann's brutal murder. Investigators were able to link Schrader to the crime through a combination of decades-old evidence, including a pubic hair found clutched in the victim's hand, and a recent confession from Schrader's stepson.

The victim's sister, Kay, who was just 3 years old at the time of the murder, expressed her gratitude for finally having "closure and peace after so many decades of unknowing." District Attorney Jennifer Schorn described Schrader's history of sexual abuse as "unlike anything she had ever seen in her career as a prosecutor."