Deliberations begin in Robert Badgerow murder trial

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For the fourth time, a jury is deliberating the fate of Robert Badgerow in connection with the 1981 murder of Diane Werendowicz. It took another 17 years and advances in DNA technology before Badgerow was charged with the crime.

He was convicted at his first trial, but the verdict was overturned on appeal, and two subsequent trials ended in hung juries.

Diane Werendowicz was shy and didn’t like to have her picture taken. She was also athletic. She liked to camp and she liked to travel. It’s been 35 years since her murder, and her family still misses her intently. Karl Werendowicz, her brother’s son, has been coming to court, sometimes with his mother Lorraine, but his father has a brain injury and can’t come.

Werendowicz grew up in a family of immigrants, 10 years after her brother Steven was born. When steven had kids, she was a wonderful aunt.

“She bought me my first album. My parents were very Christian so she bought me stuff they wouldn’t approve of. I’ll never forget that.”

“I do remember driving around in her little Toyota. it’s a great loss to us all. I have no aunt or uncle or niece or nephew. I feel I’ve been alone since she died. I feel a real gap in my life.”

Karl and his sister were taken to their grandparents’ house for two weeks after Werendowicz’ body was found. It wasn’t until the funeral that he knew what happened.

“I was quite devastated. It was a very tough summer.”

The family attended the first trial in 2001.

“I remember the feeling when they convicted Badgerow. I was really happy. A sigh of relief. When the decision was overturned, it was difficult to deal with.”

The evidence hasn’t gotten any easier to hear. Werendowicz was raped then strangled with her purse and while still alive, pushed into a stream to drown. Then a tire was put on her head.

“It has been tough, seeing the pictures and listening to things. I was dealing with it on my way to work, and when I get to work I don’t deal with it, then after work I deal with it again.”

He still thinks about his aunt every day. He doubt’s Robert Badgerow’s story that he met her at the bar and had sex in his car before she was killed by someone else. He says that wasn’t his aunt’s personality.