What happened to Theresa Wesolowski, a woman from Wisconsin?
The horrific murder of Theresa Wesolowski will be covered in the next episode of People Magazine Presents: Crimes of the ’90s. In 1999, the 22-year-old woman was found dead from stab wounds by the side of a road near her place of work.
The next episode, titled 1999: Roadside Murder, will premiere on August 12, 2022. The investigation will take viewers back to 1999, when the diligent Wesolowski was killed by a co-worker.
Authorities spent years trying to solve the case, as the murder was far from straightforward and the perpetrator ended up being the most unlikely suspect. Germantown, Wisconsin, a small town, was rocked by this tragedy and negatively impacted for good.
Therese Wesolowski
What happened to Therese Wesolowski? Who was she?
Theresa Wesolowski was born in Germantown, Wisconsin in May 1977. She started working two jobs after graduating in 1995 and started saving money for a house and a vehicle. Theresa has been praised by her friends and acquaintances for her friendly personality and great potential at work.
On the sad night of May 28, 1999, her promising life was abruptly cut short. She was discovered by one of her colleagues near a block from the factory where she worked. She was reportedly found face down with blood all around her by a colleague. She had been stabbed multiple times – nearly 47 times – in the front of her body and in her neck, authorities said.
Authorities immediately determined that the incident included a rage killing. They dismissed the theft as a possibility after discovering she had all her money in her purse. The presence of tire and shoe prints in the area suggested the presence of another individual. There were apparently no signs of a struggle on Theresa Wesolowski’s body, leading authorities to believe the killer caught her off guard.
Thus began a long search that lasted for years without answers. Authorities initially believed her boyfriend – with whom she frequently argued – but he had a solid alibi.
Authorities continued to search his workplace as it was close to where his body was discovered.
Theresa’s colleague, Mark Libecki, claimed she was restless that day. Isaac Alvarez, with whom Theresa had a contentious argument that day, has been singled out by others.
Also, it was said that Isaac always had a knife on him. But Isaac also supposedly had an alibi and was able to pass the polygraph. Jerry Kirkpatrick was also suspected by the authorities, but he had a solid alibi.
Authorities quickly ran out of leads and the case began to become unsolved. Authorities finally discovered a match in their initial list of suspects after some recent advances in DNA testing, and the DNA matched the most unlikely suspect.
It was owned by Mark Libecki. Further investigation indicated that Libecki’s shoes matched footprints discovered at the site. Police later found his old automobile, which revealed traces of Theresa Wesolowski’s blood.
Authorities arrested Libecki after gathering all the necessary evidence. He reportedly revised her story several times, blaming a colleague named Tom Thompson for killing her and threatening Libecki with violence if she didn’t speak up.
Libecki insisted he was innocent. Authorities believe Libecki made a move on Theresa that night because he had romantic interests in her. He violently stabbed her to death after she refused him. He was sentenced to life without possibility of release.
The case will be examined in depth in the next episode of People Magazine Presents: Crimes of the ’90s, which airs August 12, 2022.
