Man Walks into FBI Office, Confesses to 1979 Boston Murder
In a surprising turn of events, a 68-year-old man recently walked into an FBI field office in Oregon and admitted to a chilling crime that had remained unsolved for over four decades. Prosecutors disclosed that John Michael Irmer confessed to brutally bludgeoning a woman to death in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood in 1979.
Arraignment and Charges
John Michael Irmer faced an arraignment in Boston on Monday. He is currently being held without bail and is set to appear in court again on October 17. Irmer is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated rape. This arrest comes after Irmer reportedly confessed to another murder.
The Chilling Account
According to investigators, Irmer told FBI agents in Portland, Oregon, last month that he had encountered a woman with red hair named Susan Marcia Rose at a skating rink just before Halloween in Boston in 1979. The two wandered through the Back Bay neighborhood before entering an apartment building that was undergoing renovation at the time. Inside the building, Irmer allegedly grabbed a hammer and struck Rose on the head, killing her. He then committed a horrific act of sexual assault before fleeing to New York the following day.
Legal Perspective
Steven Sack, the attorney representing Irmer, did not contest bail but highlighted Irmer’s voluntary confession. Sack stated, “I would say on his behalf, he was a free man for 10 years. He walked into police and confessed, allegedly.”
False Arrest in the Past
Interestingly, another man had been arrested and charged with the crime at the time but was acquitted of the charges in 1981.
Victim’s Identity and Cause of Death
The victim, Susan Marcia Rose, had red hair and was discovered deceased in the building on October 30, 1979. The autopsy revealed that she died due to blunt injuries on the head, including skull fractures and lacerations of the brain.
DNA Evidence
Investigators also collected a DNA sample from Irmer, which they confirmed to be a match with DNA samples preserved from the crime scene.
Closure for the Family
Kevin Hayden, Suffolk District Attorney, stated, “Nearly 44 years after losing her at such a young age, the family and friends of Susan Marcia Rose will finally have some answers.” He described the murder as brutal and cold-blooded, made even more tragic by the fact that someone else had been charged and tried for the crime, only to be found not guilty, while the true perpetrator remained silent until now.