December 3rd, 1957: Sycamore Illinois. Maria and eight-year-old Kathy Sigman were out playing after dinner. A young man approached them, introduced himself as Johnny, and asked if they wanted piggyback rides. A while later Kathy went home to get her mittens; when she returned Maria and “Johnny” had disappeared.
For five months the FBI investigated the kidnapping. Their only eyewitness, an eight-year-old, was shown lineup after lineup. Five months later, Maria’s partially clothed body was found in a wooded area about 90 miles from Sycamore. The FBI turned the case over to the Illinois state police and, two years after Maria was kidnapped, the case went cold.
Decades later, a longtime resident of Sycamore made a stunning accusation on her deathbed. It was her son, she claimed, who had snatched and killed Maria Ridulph. It took ten more years but Jack McCullough’s sister, Jan eventually convinced the Illinois State Police to investigate her brother’s involvement in Maria’s murder. But it was when they showed eyewitness Kathy Sigman a new photo lineup that investigators became convinced they had Maria’s killer. Kathy looked at a photo of McCullough when he was18-years-old, and identified him as the Johnny who took little Maria, 54 years ago. After a six-hour police interrogation with McCullough, in Seattle where he was living, Illinois State’s Attorney Clay Campbell charged the now 72-year-old man with the kidnapping and murder of Maria. McCullough was brought to Illinois to stand trial.
The case against McCullough is highly circumstantial. It consists of a daughter’s testimony of her dying mother’s confession—an eyewitness identification of the suspect more than a half-century after the crime—and three jailhouse informants. There is no physical evidence, and the small amount of evidence that existed in 1957 is now missing. In addition to that, McCullough has an alibi. Back in 1957 the 18-year-old was questioned by the FBI. According to their case file, McCullough had several witnesses who placed him 40 miles away at the time of the kidnapping, registering to join the Air Force.
In an exclusive interview with 48 Hours Correspondent Erin Moriarty, McCullough speaks for the first time, and denies any involvement in the crime. 48 Hours also had complete access to all the other players involved in this case, and the report includes interviews with eyewitness Kathy Sigman, Maria Ridulph’s brother, Jack McCullough’s family, the investigators who helped crack the case and the prosecutor who took it to court.
ANA KELLER - KELLER ESTATE WINES
The development of our Family’s Estate has been a 30 year love affair with our 650 acre ranch. Chosen for its beauty, wonderful surroundings, amazing history, but most importantly for its potential as a site for a world class vineyard. Our approach is to develop our estate in a harmonious manner with our surrounding ecosystem and community.30 years ago, Arturo Keller and his wife Deborah were driving the meandering Sonoma roads in a vintage car when they fell in love with the site. In 1989, the first Chardonnay vineyard was planted and La Cruz vineyard was born. Our first vintage was sold to Rombauer, who rapidly became excited with the potential of the site. By 1999, a few acres of Pinot Noir had been planted, and we knew we had the potential to make some very interesting wines.
Ana Keller, a biochemist by training joined the family affair with the goal of producing the most exquisite wines their vineyards could produce. With Arturo's constant vision and encouragement, Ana's passion has established Keller Estate as a benchmark for producing some of the best wines in the Sonoma Coast and putting the Petaluma Gap firmly on the map as the most promising region within this appellation. Constant hard work and education are part of the way at the Keller family and through many years of dedication, the wines of Keller Estate represent the family's values and passion.
The Keller Estate label became a reality in 2000. Soon after, the family in collaboration with the prestigious firm of Legorreta+Legorreta, designed and built our stunning, functional and gravity flow winery, that have served as inspiration to many wineries.
The terroir at Keller Estate is defined by an area known as the Petaluma Gap, which is subject to two major maritime influences. The San Pablo Bay lies immediately to the south, while to the northwest is an opening in the coastal hills which allows masses of fog from the coast to flow freely towards the Petaluma Valley. This geographical signature is unique and creates a cool and long growing season for our vineyards.
BOBBY & JAMIE DEAN - Cooking Channel’s “Not My Mama’s Meals"
In 2012, Paula Deen announced she has type 2 diabetes and that she and her sons, Bobby and Jamie Deen, have teamed up with Novo Nordisk on Diabetes in a New Light®, a national initiative that aims to help adults tackle common challenges associated with type 2 diabetes management. The website www.DiabetesinaNewLight.com features the Deens’ diabetes-friendly recipes and cooking tips, along with other resources for diabetes management.Bobby is the host of the Cooking Channel’s “Not My Mama’s Meals.” While Bobby loves traditional Southern food, he is committed to living a well-balanced healthy lifestyle. Jamie is the host of the Food Network’s “Home For Dinner.” Jamie makes an effort to create healthy recipes for families, including his young children. Through their partnership with Novo Nordisk and Diabetes in a New Light® they are creating delicious diabetes-friendly dishes to help people living with type 2 diabetes, like their mama, stay on track with diabetes management without feeling like they are sacrificing taste for healthier food. Bobby and Jamie have been visiting diabetes expos and events across the country, spreading the word about Diabetes in a New Light® and bringing inspiration to those affected by diabetes.
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