The Amana Hatchet Murders

In 1980, Roger Atkison and Rose Burkert were brutally murdered inside an Amana Holiday Inn room in Williamsburg, Iowa. As the details emerged, police realized that Roger and Rose were hundreds of miles from their homes. Not only that but Roger was married and the meeting between Roger and Rose was a romantic tryst.

This was a bizarre and baffling case from the very start and remains the same to this day. Police originally thought, based on the hotel room crime scene, that this was a crime of passion. But who knew that Roger and Rose were going to be at that hotel during that time? Were they killed by someone they knew or was this the work of a random killer?

Episode correction: The phone# for Iowa County, IA Sheriff's department for anyone with tips or information about this case is (319)642-7307

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