scary stories and true crime

The Sister Catherine Cesnik case

TW: ABUSE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

Sister Cesnik, an 11th and 12th grade English teacher at Western High School, was born in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa.
(Western High school belonged to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, an order devoted to education. Sister Cesnik had previously taught English and coached the drama club at Archbishop Keough High School.)

(timeline in bold)
Friday, Nov. 7, 1969 - Sister Cesnik, 26, left her Baltimore apartment for Edmondson Village Shopping Center in the early evening, according to her roommate, Sister Helen Russell Phillips, at around 7:30 p.m. She lived in the Carriage House apartments in the 100 block of North Bend Road. Sister Cesnik cashed a paycheck for $255 at the First National Bank. She was also planning to go to Hecht's to buy an engagement gift, according to Sister Russell.
Saturday, Nov. 8, 1969  - Concerned about Sister Cesnik, early in the morning Sister Russell called two friends, Rev. Peter McKeow and Rev. Gerard J. Koob, who drove to Baltimore from Beltsville to comfort her.  After hearing Sister Russell's story, they called city police to report Sister Cesnik missing. At 4:40 a.m, McKeow found Sister Cesnik's unlocked car, a green 1970 Maverick, across from the apartment. The vehicle was towed to the city's Southwest station. Police had received calls about the "oddly parked vehicle.". In the vehicle, police found a box of buns purchased at Muhly's Bakery, which was located in Edmondson Village, along with leaves and twigs. Branches had been caught in the car's radio antenna. A twig hooked with yellow thread was found on the turn-signal lever. Police theorized that Sister Cesnik may have left the car and gone into a wooded area. The car was found a mile from Leakin Park. Police, aided by K-9 corps dogs  and civilians, searched the Leakin Park and Irvington areas of the city without a trace.

The missing nun was described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 115 pounds with green eyes, blonde hair and fair complexion. She was wearing an aqua coat, navy blue suit, yellow sweater and black shoes.

Sunday, Nov. 9, 1969 – City police officers and 5 dog teams scoured a 14-block area of southwest Baltimore. Police knocked on doors, searched alleys and deserted buildings, and sent men and dogs (aided by civilians) through rain-soaked park areas from Athol Avenue to the Baltimore County line.
Monday, Nov. 10, 1969 - Police continued to check tips and leads but don't resume large-scale searches.  Captain John C. Barnhold Jr., head of the city's homicide squad, said there was "no evidence of foul play" in Sister Cesnik's disappearance.
Tuesday, Nov. 11 , 1969  - City homicide detectives said they had no reason to believe that the young teaching nun was kidnapped. Police said they were trying to piece together what happened during a two-hour period on Nov. 7. at 8:30 p.m., residents saw Sister Cesnik's car drive into her reserved parking spot; the car was later spotted illegally parked about a block away at about 10:30 p.m.

Joyce Helen Malecki, 20, went missing the evening of Nov. 11. She had left her home in Baltimore to go shopping in Glen Burnie and for a date with a friend stationed at Fort Meade Army base. Police begin searching for Malecki.
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 1969 – Malecki's abandoned, unlocked car was found parked in a lot of a vacant gas station in an area in Odenton. Her car, with the keys still in the ignition, was found by her brother. Her glasses and groceries she had purchased in Glen Burnie were found in the car.
Thursday, Nov. 13, 1969  - Malecki's body was found floating in the Little Patuxent River by two deer hunters on the western edge of Soldiers Park, a Fort Meade training area. The FBI and military police immediately closed the site. City police continued to check leads in the disappearance of Sister Cesnik.
Friday, Nov. 14, 1969 - An autopsy of Malecki's body revealed that the victim was stabbed and choked and her hands were bound behind her with a cord. She had a number of scratches and bruises indicating a struggle. The cause of her death was either choking or drowning. Malecki was described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 112 pounds. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Baltimore homicide detectives reported that Sister Cesnik was still considered a missing person with no new leads.