Editorial

AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN MADERA: Part 3

MADERA - In 1985, Glenn Reitz was living a full life. At the time of his death, he was helping form a drum and bugle corps for the Boy Scouts of America. He was in great physical shape from working out six days a week. He was water skiing one day and snow skiing the next. He had friends who cared for him. He had students who remember fondly how he would offer his help in and out of the classroom. And he had his secret life.

Once the Madera Police got this case, Detectives Dale Padgett and David Foster did a great job piecing together the last 48 hours of the Thomas Jefferson teacher's life. Through phone records, interviews, and good police work, almost every hour of Reitz's last 48 hours was accounted for in the police reports. Of course, we do not know for sure who was in the house with Reitz when he was killed, but we do know who he came in contact with shortly before.

AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN MADERA: Part 4

MADERA - As the local leads were drying up on the March 19, 1985, murder of Thomas Jefferson Junior High teacher Glenn Reitz, the Madera Police got a big break in the case. A partial license plate belonging to Reitz was found near a burned-out car in a gravel pit in Louisiana.

On April 7, 1985, Barry Culpepper, owner of a gravel pit near Arcadia, Louisiana, reported to the Bienville Parish Sheriff's Department that he had found a burned car on his property approximately 150 yards west of the intersections of Parish Roads 402 & 446.

AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN MADERA: Part 5

MADERA - The Madera Police Department looked into several theories of what happened that March night in 1985. All to explain the death of Glenn Reitz, the head of the Thomas Jefferson Junior High English Department.

Local bars and truck stops were descended on by detectives seeking out information. Local people were interviewed as to their possible involvement in the killing. There were even moments when it seemed plausible that Reitz could belong with the lists of other victims killed by murderers that some may identify as serial killers.

AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN MADERA: Part 6 

MADERA - Since the death of Glenn Reitz, rumors have spread like wildfire. Such is human nature when a man dies in such a way. While the evidence indicates that the murderer was a transient, some folks believe that Reitz's murderer still lives in Madera. The investigation into a transient killer and the moving of Reitz's car to Louisiana is nothing more than a massive cover-up to protect a local man or men responsible for the death of the teacher.

The local theory is broken down into two camps. Reitz was involved with a local married man and wanted him to leave his wife. Two, Reitz was part of a group of men that, in secret, led a gay lifestyle and shared the company of men from gay bars in the area or hitchhikers coming through the area.

AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN MADERA: Part 7

MADERA - After the death of Glenn Reitz, Madera Police Captain Andrew Moore went through all of the murdered teacher’s papers and personal effects. In this search, the secret life of the victim was revealed. A private side that, even today, some of his family members question and doubt. However, after what Captain Moore uncovered, there is no question that Reitz kept a dangerous secret. One that could potentially put his life at risk every time he brought some stranger back to his house for company.

Upon finding receipts for video rentals, Captain Moore drove to a Fresno adult video store that specialized in "gay porn" called the “Video Box.” The store was part of a larger complex with two gay bars, The Express and The Backroom. Moore showed employees a photo of the victim, who recognized Reitz as a customer in both the video store and bars.

AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN MADERA: Part 8

MADERA - Twenty-eight years after the death of Glenn Reitz, the case remains unsolved. Over the last eight weeks, I have tried to lay out the entire case in detail, hoping that someone might remember something significant and call the Madera Police with tips, and several people did. A few of the tips were about the same individual who was already cleared in the murder 28 years ago, and some of the tips brought new names to the case.

From the information in the police report, at the time of the murder, Madera Police turned over every stone to find a lead in the case. However, most of the reports that were provided to me were written in March and April of 1985. Not a lot of time to find the person who took away someone who did so much for so many. A man like Glenn Reitz deserved more. He deserved justice.