Crime Junkie MYSTERIOUS DEATHS OF: Steven Altman & Mary Ann Hayes
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Feb 26, 2026 A family’s grief turns into suspicion as two decades-old strangulation deaths are reexamined. Missing police files, conflicting statements, and forensic retesting raise new questions. Experts later challenge suicide rulings and point to possible foul play and motive. A determined relative pushes for reopened investigations and legal reform.
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Ancestry.com Connection Revealed New Witness Account
- Robin found her brother Stephen and mother Marianne listed together on an Ancestry.com tree by Rachel Cunin and reached out to her.
- Rachel, a high-school friend who had a crush on Stephen, told Robin new details like Stephen saying he'd run an errand for his stepdad the night before he was found dead.
No Records Suggest A Cursory Investigation
- Chicago PD replied to Robin's FOIA saying they had no records on Stephen's death despite an apparent onsite response and minimal family contact.
- The lack of documentation indicates the original investigation was cursory and left key interviews and evidence unrecorded.
Physical Evidence Collected But Not Fully Tested
- Northfield police collected the cord, nail clippings, a broken bloody fingernail, and took vaginal swabs at Marianne's autopsy.
- The vaginal swab returned an unknown male DNA profile and the lab recommended analysis if any suspect DNA was available, but it was never pursued at the time.