Denise Stahlhut was 21 when she was murdered on December 3, 1977, just one week after her wedding. She worked as a waitress at a tavern in southern Illinois and was last seen leaving work that evening. Witnesses reported a man matching the description of Herman Edward Lamb Jr. following her out of the establishment. Stahlhut’s frozen body was found eight days later in the trunk of her car at a truck stop.

Herman Edward Lamb Jr. was later convicted of the rape and murder of Stahlhut. Physical evidence, including a semen sample matching Lamb’s blood type, became central when the case was reopened in 1999. Lamb had a long history of violent crimes across several states and frequently changed his appearance and jobs, which investigators say allowed him to move frequently.

Lamb was sentenced to more than 100 years in prison for Stahlhut’s murder. Stahlhut’s family attended hearings over the years to oppose his parole and expressed relief when Lamb died in prison on November 30, 2020. Does anyone have memories of Denise from southern Illinois or information about her last night at the tavern?