Two homicides that happened four years apart in the 1990s appeared to have nothing in common. That all changed when the perpetrator was apprehended, resulting in a spectacular flood of confessions.
‘Signs Of A Psychopath: I Knew She Lived Alone,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, digs into the mind of serial killer Charles Reddish and the motives for his murders of Yeda “Dede” Rosenthal in 1991 and Rebecca Wertz in 1995. So, shall we investigate what transpired?
What Happened to Dede Rosenthal and Rebecca Wertz?
Yeda “Dede” Rosenthal worked at the Elwyn Institute in Vineland, some 40 miles from her home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Dede served as a trainer for children with autism at the facility as a well-known therapist. The 32-year-old was last seen at work on February 22, 1991, and her coworkers reported her missing on February 27.
Nothing appeared to be wrong in her apartment, and the case went cold until new information led detectives to assume she had been suffocated and abandoned in a rural area. Dede’s body, on the other hand, was never found.
A horrifying murder four years later brought Dede’s case to the forefront once more. Rebecca Wertz, 43, was visiting her boyfriend’s house with her 14-year-old daughter Jennifer on October 6, 1995. Rebecca had been slashed to death with a hatchet at least 25 times and was found in a pool of blood when authorities arrived at her home in Burlington Township, New Jersey. Charles Reddish, the boyfriend, was promptly apprehended by the police.
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Who Killed Dede Rosenthal and Rebecca Wertz and Why?
Charles Reddish then raped Jennifer for several hours after forcing her to watch him kill Rebecca, according to the authorities. According to the episode, Charles called his mother to inform her of Rebecca’s death, and she immediately dialled 911. Charles began to explain about what had transpired after he was in detention.
He claimed they had gotten into a heated dispute about his actions that night. In the episode, it was revealed that Charles had been abusing alcohol and cocaine.
Charles eventually resolved to assassinate Rebecca and went down to the garage, where he discovered the hatchet. He initially denied sexually assaulting Jennifer, but then admitted to it.
Authorities questioned Charles about Dede’s disappearance in 1991 after he admitted to Rebecca’s murder and her daughter’s rape. He was working as a maintenance man in the flat at the time. Charles confessed to the police that he was the one who killed her.
According to the show, Charles had been partying late into the night with some pals before going to Dede’s residence. He believed she was attractive and hoped to have a sexual encounter with her.
He entered through the unlocked sliding door after leaping onto Dede’s balcony. Dede awoke, and when she saw Charles rummaging through her jewellery, she screamed. Charles then claimed to have suffocated her to death.
A few days later, Charles returned to Dede’s apartment, wrapped her body in the bed’s fitted sheet, and drove her to his girlfriend’s station waggon. The body was then driven to a wild, deserted area in Salem County, New Jersey, and dumped there, according to Charles.
Dede’s remains were never located after thorough searches by officials. The confession, on the other hand, brought closure to her loved ones and closed a cold case.
What Happened to Charles Reddish and Where Is He Now?
Charles Reddish, then 37, was convicted guilty of murdering Rebecca and rapping her daughter in December 1998. For those offences, he was sentenced to 55 years to life in prison in March 1999. Then, despite the fact that Dede’s remains were never found, Charles was convicted of her murder.
He was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for this. He is still detained at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, Mercer County, according to records. In October 2080, he will be eligible for parole.
