Cold Case Solved: Murder of 9-Year-Old Carol Ann Dougherty (1962)
St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church, Bristol Borough: site of the 1962 murder.
Carol Ann Dougherty Timeline
1962
- October 22, 1962 – Disappearance and Murder
Nine-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty rides her bicycle to the Bristol Free Library and stops briefly outside
St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church. That evening, her father discovers her body in the choir loft. She had
been raped and strangled. Investigators collect physical evidence, including a pubic hair found clutched
in her hand. - Late 1962 – Initial Investigation
Police question numerous men from the area, including local resident William Schrader.
Schrader provides a hair sample, fails a polygraph test, and soon leaves Pennsylvania.
Without definitive forensic evidence, the case remains unsolved. - Shortly after being questioned, Schrader fled to Florida, where he lived for a year before bouncing around Texas and Louisiana, eventually settling in Houma, Louisiana, where he lived most of his life. Schrader’s life was marked by a pattern of violence and sexual violence, particularly against young, pre-pubescent, and adolescent females. His criminal history, spanning multiple states, included assaults with deadly weapons. to smoke. Source
1960s–1970s
- 1960s–1970s – Schrader’s Criminal Pattern
After leaving Pennsylvania, Schrader commits crimes across Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
In 1970, he is convicted of manslaughter and arson in the death of a 12-year-old girl.
Investigators later describe him as an “absolute predator” with a long pattern of sexual abuse against children.
1980 – 1985
- In 1985, he was convicted in Louisiana in the death of 12-year-old Catherine Smith after he intentionally set fire to his house, knowing she and other family members were inside. Further investigation and interviews with his family revealed a much darker truth: Schrader had sexually abused nearly every female child he lived with or had access to, including his own biological daughter and granddaughters. The majority of these victims were between the ages of six and 13. He also sexually abused two adult women who had cognitive delays such that they were lacking the ability to consent.
1990s
- 1990s – Forensic Re-examination
Investigators retest preserved evidence using improved forensic methods.
Of 141 pubic hair samples collected over the decades, all but Schrader’s are excluded as matches to the hair
found in Carol Ann’s hand. Attempts to recover DNA are unsuccessful due to the age of the sample,
but the hair analysis becomes a pivotal piece of evidence. - In 1993, results from the pubic hair sample collected from Schrader showed “significant similarities” to hair found clutched in Carol Ann’s hand. Of the pubic hair samples collected from 176 men over the decades, 141 were tested. All other individuals were eliminated, and William Schrader was the only person who could not be eliminated as the source of a pubic hair found clutched in Carol Ann’s hand. In another similarity, the Lucky Strike cigarettes found at the crime scene were determined to be the same brand Schrader was known
2002
- 2002 – Death of William Schrader
Schrader dies in Louisiana at age 62, never charged in Carol Ann’s murder.
2019–2024
- 2019–2023 – Cold Case Review
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office reopens several historic unsolved murders.
The Dougherty case is prioritized due to preserved physical evidence and renewed witness outreach. - 2024 – Confession Revealed
Schrader’s stepson, Robert LeBlanc, tells investigators that Schrader twice confessed to killing
“a little girl in a Bristol church.” He stated Schrader said he “had to kill the girl in Bristol to keep her from talking.”
LeBlanc’s account includes details never made public, lending credibility to his statement.
2025
- October 27, 2025 – Grand Jury Findings
The Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury concludes in a 53-page report that William Schrader committed
the rape and first-degree murder of Carol Ann Dougherty.
The report cites forensic exclusions, witness statements, and Schrader’s confessions as decisive evidence. - October 29, 2025 – Public Announcement
District Attorney Jennifer Schorn publicly identifies Schrader as the killer.
She notes that his criminal record and predatory behavior established a clear pattern, and
that the evidence provides certainty despite his death.
The announcement is made through the DA’s official press conference and public statement. - October 30–31, 2025 – Media Coverage
Outlets including ABC News, FOX 29, and The Philadelphia Inquirer report on the announcement.
The Bucks County DA’s Office publishes the Grand Jury report and evidence summary online.
Aftermath
- Case Closure
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office classifies the case as solved.
While no criminal prosecution is possible, the evidence establishes responsibility beyond reasonable doubt.
Carol Ann’s family expresses relief at the resolution of a case that remained unsolved for more than six decades.
Published: November 2025 | Compiled by CrimeTimelines.com