Documents to be Released in Valerie Percy Murder Case

KENILWORTH, IL - More information on one of Chicagoland’s most notorious murder mysteries could be released to the public 50 years after the crime.

The Chicago Tribune and others report that a Cook County judge ruled this week that Kenilworth police must release a redacted version of the police report on the murder of Valerie Percy, the 21-year-old daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Charles "Chuck" Percy. She was beaten and stabbed to death at her lakefront home on Sept. 18, 1966 in an apparent break-in.

No one has ever been charged in connection to the crime. A grieving Percy was elected to the U.S. Senate shortly after the grisly killing. Two years later, he was considered a potential presidential contender.

ALSO ON PATCH: The Valerie Percy Murder: A Look Back After Nearly 50 Years

The ruling came as a result of a lawsuit against the village of Kenilworth initiated by New York-based attorney John Kelly, who grew up in nearby Glencoe. Kelly said he suspects Kenilworth officials are withholding information due to the fear of the second-guessing that could come from the deference shown to the Percy family. Kelly claims he was denied two Freedom of Information Act requests in seeking the report.

Attorneys for the village argued the document should not be released because the investigation is still active, but Kelly argued that isn’t plausible after nearly 50 years.

The judge ruled the report needs to be released in order to determine if the full investigation file - which contains investigative reports, crime scene photos and witness statements among other information - should be as well.

The same judge will decide later if the full case file should be released.

More via the Chicago Tribune