Hi, Park enthusiasts. I'm your host, Delia Diambra, and the story I'm going to tell you about today

is a harrowing one. It happened more than 50 years ago, but still remains one of the most

notorious multi-victim homicide cases in the state of Iowa. At least two books have been written

about it, and television programs for oxygen and investigation discovery have

both covered it. A listener wrote to me last year and suggested I featured the case because it

seemed like a story that was appropriate for this audience, and after researching the details of the

crime, I can say that they were absolutely right. I was simultaneously heartbroken and riveted with the information I read about

because despite four people losing their lives and what I can only describe as something out of a

nightmare, there was someone who survived this terrible tragedy. An individual that to this day

is nothing short of a hero for ensuring justice was served so many decades ago.

It takes place in Gitchie Manitou State Preserve, which is located in the far northwest corner

of Iowa, right along the South Dakota border. According to the Iowa Department of Natural

Resources, the preserve is 91 acres and considered one of the most remote places in the state.

It's widely known for having a lot of pink quartzite, an extremely hard rock that begins its lifespan as sandstone,

but over time transforms into a really durable substance after being exposed to a lot of heat and pressure.

Gitchie Manitou is a Sioux phrase that, when translated into English,

means great force of nature or great spirit. And I imagine anyone who's been to this recreation

space would agree with that moniker. It truly is a force of nature with its stunning views,

unique geological formations, and more than 130 species of plants.

It's also a fitting description for the lone survivor in this story.

A young woman who became a force of nature

when it was time to face the ruthless human predators

...