The Unsolved Murder of Connie Crossland of Corunna, 1963

The Cold Case of Connie Kaye Crossland of Corunna

Connie was found dead on July 18, 1963, face down in four inches of water in Paint Creek, just southeast of Lake Orion.

Connie's age is unclear, but she was either fourteen or fifteen years old. She was an eighth grade student at Corunna Junior High, and was described as headstrong. Not necessarily a delinquent, but definitely rebellious. Even though Connie was in her early teens, her mother seemed to let her mostly go her own way. Nonetheless, she was well-provided for and loved, but Connie was restless and ended up running away from home numerous times.

One more runaway episode was enough, and mom put Connie into the Jackson County Juvenile Home.

On July 3, she was reported missing, escaping the juvenile home with two other girls.

A little over two weeks later, on July 18, Connie's body was discovered by a truck driver around 9:30 am. He was driving over the Paint Creek bridge on Kern Road when he saw a rope around the railing. He got out to look over the side and saw Connie's body face down in just a few inches of water with a knotted rope wrapped tightly six times around her neck. She had also been beaten.

Were there any suspects?

Witnesses who drove by the Paint Creek bridge area (where Connie's body was later found) said they saw a “clean cut” young man with the trunk of his white (or red & white) car open, between 4am & 6am. Another kid said he saw Connie on that same road around 1:30am with two men.

The coroner determined Connie's death to have taken place sometime between 2am and 6am.

It has never been proven, but years later, authorities contacted Connie's family and told them that the killer has passed away. The name of this killer is unknown, so this could either be a fabrication, or a kind of fake closure.

Connie is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Owosso with a simple headstone that reads:

Connie K. Crossland
1948 – 1963

R.I.P.