Murder of Marise Chiverella
Hazleton / Hazle Township, Luzerne County · Pennsylvania · United States · 1964
Status: Reported solved — no prosecutionContent note — The public record for this case describes violence in specific detail. This case involves an allegation or finding of sexual assault. A victim named in this case was a minor at the time.
On 18 March 1964, Marise Ann Chiverella, 9, was abducted while walking to school in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, sexually assaulted and strangled. Her body was found the same day in a coal-refuse pit in Hazle Township. On 10 February 2022, Pennsylvania State Police identified James Paul Forte, who had since died, as the assailant after DNA from her clothing was developed, matched through genetic genealogy and confirmed by exhumation of his remains. No murder charges were possible because Forte was deceased.
Full timeline
Death reported, investigation event
Marise Ann Chiverella abducted walking to school; body found in Hazle Township coal-refuse pit
Source clippingView on Newspapers.com Update, investigation event
Schoolmates gather to pray for Marise
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Marise is buried after a funeral in Hazleton
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$3,000 reward announced for information in the Chiverella slaying
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General reward fund for the Chiverella case established with St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church as receiving agency
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Man state police had "interviewed" in the Chiverella case found dead under the exhaust pipe of his car
Source clippingView on Newspapers.com Update, investigation event
State police release composite sketch of a man sought for questioning in the Chiverella murder
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Public-spirited citizens and firms offer $3,500 reward
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State police detective sent to Uniontown, Pa., to question a man held in another child slaying
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Police check two mental patients as leads
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Police explore a possible link to another suspect
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Vidocq Society experts to review the case
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Date estimatedState police DNA lab develops suspect profile from clothing evidence
Update, investigation event
DNA-based composites of suspect released
Update, investigation event
James Forte's remains exhumed for DNA testing
Investigation closed, investigation event
Pennsylvania State Police identify James Paul Forte as assailant (deceased 1980)
Source clippingView on Newspapers.com
Outside the record
Coverage
11 entries · podcast, article
Saved to your private log — never mixed into the public record
- Podcast
DNA: ID
2 May 2022
Mark as done
·Episode on the 1964 Hazleton murder and the forensic genetic genealogy that led Pennsylvania State Police to name James Paul Forte in February 2022.
Article
The Morning Call1 Mar 2022
Mark as done
·February–March 2022 reporting on genealogist Eric Schubert's role in the Chiverella DNA identification and the prospect of solving other cold cases.
Article
Standard-Speaker13 Feb 2022
Mark as done
·Contemporary February 2022 reporting on volunteer genealogist Eric Schubert's role in identifying James Paul Forte through DNA genealogy.
Article
Standard-Speaker25 Aug 1964
Mark as done
·August 1964 report of a man questioned by investigators in Marise Chiverella's murder.
Article
Berwick Enterprise20 May 1964
Mark as done
·May 1964 report of a $3,500 reward posted for information in the Chiverella case.
Article
Standard-Speaker19 May 1964
Mark as done
·May 1964 police appeal describing a man sought in the Chiverella investigation.
Article
Standard-Speaker13 May 1964
Mark as done
·May 1964 report on a man interviewed in the Chiverella case who was later found dead.
Article
Standard-Speaker9 Apr 1964
Mark as done
·April 1964 report on the Chiverella murder reward fund being handled by the church.
Article
Standard-Speaker23 Mar 1964
Mark as done
·Period report on Marise Chiverella's burial on Saturday, 21 March 1964.
Article
The Times Leader23 Mar 1964
Mark as done
·March 1964 report on Marise Chiverella's funeral as the hunt for her killer pressed on.
Article
Standard-Speaker20 Mar 1964
Mark as done
·20 March 1964 report on schoolmates gathering to pray for Marise Chiverella two days after her murder.
Showing all 11 — Show less
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