Who killed Michigan angler ‘from the dark shadows’ at North Dakota rest stop in 1981?

DEVILS LAKE — Robert Marsh says when his father was murdered, a responding officer instructed him that 90% of circumstances just like that of his father’s are solved. So far, the id of Clifton Wendell Marsh’s killer stays a thriller.

On Oct. 1, 1981, the physique of 68-year-old Clifton Wendell Marsh, of Hope, Michigan, was discovered at a relaxation space on Freeway 2 east of Devils Lake. Marsh, who was robbed and shot twice within the head, had left his house in Michigan on Sept. 29 for Fort St. James, British Columbia, on a fishing journey. He was touring in his pickup truck with a camper on high and boat, and had made the journey many occasions in his life.

Greater than 40 years later, Robert Marsh, of Hope, Michigan, the youngest of Clifton Wendell Marsh’s 4 youngsters, isn’t hopeful that solutions shall be discovered.

“I used to be fairly hopeful that they’d discover out, nevertheless it didn’t occur,” he mentioned. “Now they by no means will.”

Every little thing Robert Marsh is aware of about his father’s homicide, he discovered quickly after it occurred.

“They’d a number of occasions by way of the following months, the place I’d get a name they usually’d inform me that they’d some type of lead, however not one of the leads panned out.”

Investigators instructed Robert Marsh that Clifton Wendell Marsh seemingly arrived on the relaxation space close to Devils Lake within the early night, ready some meals and went to mattress. Round midnight, he acquired out of his truck, and investigators suppose it was round that point that he was killed.

Clifton Wendell Marsh was shot twice within the head with a .25-caliber pistol — a gun that was usually carried by ladies, mentioned Robert Marsh. Close to his truck, there have been three cartridges from the pistol and blood on the bottom. Robert Marsh mentioned the assassin drug Clifton Wendell Marsh’s physique across the passenger facet of the truck, and tried to place him into his camper, however was seemingly unsuccessful. Then, the assassin dragged the physique by way of the remaining cease, to the sting of a pond.

Round midday on Oct. 1, a household stopped on the relaxation cease to eat, and their teenage daughter found the physique of Clifton Wendell Marsh on the pond.

A few issues stick out in Robert Marsh’s thoughts concerning the scene of his father’s homicide. First, was that the hood of Clifton Wendell Marsh’s truck was up and the dipstick was on the bottom, as if he was checking the oil. Second, the entrance tire on the motive force’s facet of the truck was flat. The tires on the truck had been comparatively new, and the stem of the valve on the tire was twisted as if anyone had let the air out.

Robert Marsh mentioned his father was choosy about discovering a stage house to park when sleeping in his camper, however is not sure how the one deflated tire matches into the story.

“A part of the hypothesis is anyone near midnight there might have let the air out of the tire, and perhaps that’s what acquired him up sooner than you’ll suppose he usually would,” mentioned Robert Marsh.

In keeping with Robert Marsh, his father had little cash, perhaps $70 or $80, in his pockets when he was robbed and killed. He had about $700 in his camper, however that remained untouched. A .44-caliber rifle was stolen from the camper. Robert Marsh mentioned investigators alerted space shops to maintain an eye fixed out for people shopping for that kind of cartridge, however nothing ever turned up.

Rob Thomas, Clifton Wendell Marsh’s grandson and Robert Marsh’s nephew, has been monitoring household family tree for the reason that mid-Nineties, and says his grandfather’s homicide is likely one of the greatest mysteries in his household. He continues to search for solutions.

“The thriller remains to be unsolved and I like closure — that’s what drives me, particularly in household historical past stuff,” he mentioned.

Thomas was in school when his grandfather was killed, and mentioned the violent occasion was unusual for his entire household.

“This wasn’t a automobile accident the place you get T-boned at an intersection, this was intentional. That was powerful,” he mentioned. “Then the unknown and the continued unknown.”

The principal investigator for the case was Merle Henke, a North Dakota Bureau of Legal Investigation particular investigator. Thomas mentioned the case was one one he continued to revisit till his retirement. Hanke died in July 2021.

Thomas is hopeful the thriller of his grandfather’s loss of life can nonetheless be solved, however not essentially to convey anyone to justice.

“After I was in school, and years previous that, I used to be into justice — how about this particular person pays for what they’ve finished, you already know, there must be some penalties,” he mentioned. “That’s actually not a think about my thoughts or coronary heart, I simply extra need to perceive and know.”

Within the years following Clifton Wendell Marsh’s homicide, Robert Marsh and his brother took a visit to Fort St. James, British Columbia, the place his father fished. By probability, they met one of many males Clifton Wendell Marsh fished with, and he confirmed them the cabin their father had stayed in and the spots he fished the various occasions he had made the journey.

Earlier in his life, mentioned Robert Marsh, his father had been involved about security from strangers whereas touring, however close to the top of his life, mentioned that most individuals he met on the highway had been pleasant.

“It’s ironic that he misplaced his life to some person who stalked him from the darkish shadows,” he mentioned.