Betsy Aardsma was a 22-year-old graduate student from Ann Arbor, Michigan who was enrolled in a Master's Program in English at Penn State University in August of 1969. She had stayed in State College, PA over the Thanksgiving Break in November of 1969 in order to work on a research paper for her English 501 class, which was an Introduction to Research.
Betsy Aardsma was not a drug user, not a criminal, and in fact was regarded as an intelligent, well-liked girl who had recently become engaged to her fiancee, a medical student at the University. At approximately 4 pm on November 28th, 1969, Betsy and her roommate parted ways at the library after planning to meet at 7 pm that evening for dinner.
Betsy met with a professor, Harrison Meserole, to talk about her research paper, and then she headed into the Level 2 Core "stacks" to find some materials. At some point around 4:45, she is stabbed one single time in the heart by an unknown assailant, presumably male, and falls to the floor. A man leaving the core in a hurry runs into several witnesses, stopping to say "Somebody better help that girl," before exiting the core. This man is identified by several witnesses who came forward to police, and two composites were produced from their descriptions. Aardsma is found lying on the ground shortly thereafter, but her red dress makes what little blood has spilled look as though she has had a seizure and bitten her tongue.
Betsy is transported to the Ritenour Health Center and is pronounced dead there at 5:20 pm, 11/28/1969. Early the following morning, her death is ruled a homicide and the investigation begins -- an investigation which, after almost 40 years, has produced no good suspects, few witnesses, and no resolution. The purpose of this site is to kickstart the investigation and assist police in bringing the case to a close
