Tommy Dale

Caroline Dickinson of Cornwall, England. Today is the 25th anniversary of her tragic death. The thirteen year old schoolgirl was on a class trip to France with 41 classmates and teachers, all staying at a youth hostel in Pliene Fougeres.

In the early morning hours of 18 July 1996, an intruder entered the hostel through a back door, then went to the room where Caroline was sleeping with four other schoolgirls. Finding her sleeping on the floor, he sexually assaulted and murdered little Caroline It was not until others awoke in the morning that they realized what happened to their schoolmate.

It was five years later that the suspect, an illegal alien from Spain was tracked and located in the United States.

He was in jail awaiting trial in Miami Beach after sexually assaulting an Irish student at the Banana Bay Resort. Though incarcerated, police there had not yet linked him to another similar case in Miami, where he had also been arrested, however, using another name and date of birth. The fingerprints taken at that first arrest had not been classified because they were of poor quality. A manual comparison by a Miami-Dade Police detective revealed the two sets of fingerprints to be of the same individual. The detective with Miami-Dade Police, an associate of the investigating officer with U.S. Immigration in Romulus, Michigan, sent photos, fingerprints, and the arrest records by fax to Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus. From there they were relayed by fax to the British Consul in St. Malo and also to British Special Branch at Portsmouth.

That information was waiting for, and provided to the French investigating team on their ferry arrival to Portsmouth.

The discovery of the suspect being in Florida was made by a U.S. Immigration Intelligence Officer in Romulus, Michigan who had been following the case for five years.

Coordination was initiated and contact made with the British Consul in Saint Malo-Dinard, France. Communication was effected with the chief investigating officers in France by cell phone, moments before they would board a ferry boat from Calais to Portsmouth, England and out of range to receive calls. Their travel was being made to England for a coroner's inquest into the death of Caroline Dickinson. They were going to report that there was no new evidence in the case at the time! Things changed dramatically and quickly, by the time they arrived in Cornwall, England, the French investigating team had significant new information to report at the inquest, held just a day later!

From Romulus (Detroit), coordination was made by the investigating officer to his counterparts with U.S. Immigration, Eastern Region Intelligence in Miami.

An immigration detainer (hold) was placed upon the illegal alien suspect, a fifty year old Spaniard, so that he would not be released, rather turned over to U.S. Immigration.

DNA checks confirmed the bodily fluid found at the crime scene in France matched the profile of the suspect. This first finding was made by the Miami-Dade Police Forensics Unit. A second check by French authorities confirmed the original finding.

At the Florida hearing, the defense attorney was astonished when the prosecution told the court that the multiple charges against the Spaniard would not be pursued at that time and he was released.......at that moment, as one set of handcuffs were being taken off, U.S. Immigration Special Agents confirmed his identity, then put their handcuffs on him.

He was driven to Miami Airport where two French Gendarmerie were 'conveniently awaiting'. An Interpol warrant was in their possession.

The suspect was not actually deported from the U.S. because he had entered under the visa-waiver program, and his lying on the form he filled out meant he could be expelled without a hearing. U.S. agents removed their handcuffs and French Police put their's on for the trip to Paris.

Notably, this was the first ever extradition for murder in U.S. history which was based only on DNA evidence.

Miami Beach Police Detectives were instrumental in the arrests in their venue, and also in searching for and discovering the various passports the suspect had used to effectively 'confuse' border authorities and police, each had a different name variation and different date of birth.

He was technically arrested by the accompanying French Gendarmerie on the sexual assault and murder warrants as soon as the wheels of the plane touched down in France.

It was not until his trial that the parents of Caroline, John and Sue Dickinson, first saw the accused, by that time eight years had passed.

The suspect was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He made one appeal and the sentence was upheld.

While in the French Prison, Spanish Police finally secured warrant(s) for similar crimes in their country, where he was brought to face trial there, and, once again, was convicted and then returned to complete his sentence in France.

Once he has finished his sentence in France, he will be deported to Spain where he is scheduled to be imprisoned for another ten years.

It has been learned that the convicted was a global serial rapist and possibly murderer. Though convicted on other countries for sex type crimes, suspicions about murders could not be proven. One sentence was in Germany and he received five years in prison there.

It has also been exemplified that police can effectively work together across great distances when there is the will and good communication.

So today we remember little Caroline Dickinson on this side of the ocean. As well, she is remembered all around the world. Also remembered is the unwavering determination by her father, John Dickinson, to keep the case before the public, it was that determination which led to the killer's tracking and ultimate apprehension.

Special credit to The Sunday Times for their part in doing a story on the five year anniversary of this 'cold' case.

More can be learned of the Caroline Dickinson Case by reading 'The Predator' by Wensley Clarkson (released in paperback in the U.S. as 'The Wolf Man'). The British television program, 'Real Crime - the Caroline Dickinson Case', is available for viewing on YouTube (parts 1,2,3 &4). A synopsis type story is included in the book 'Infamous Murderers' by Rodney Castleden.

MARYLAND BAR, Harper Ave. Detroit, Michigan taken during WWII, the obverse showing pictures of five of six sisters. Name on back, "Irene" indicates this copy belonged to Irene Strauch (Irene Ontko) of Oliver #1, Pennsylvania after she moved to Detroit with her family and resided on Raymond Street. Irene later married Thomas A. Ontko and they moved from North Olmsted, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan, then relocated to Garden City, Michigan.

Almost all the sisters, except for Ann (?) at the Maryland Bar on Harper Avenue, Detroit, Michigan during WWII. L-R: Aunt Mary, Aunt Thelma, Aunt Helen, Aunt Dorothy, Aunt Emma. (Aunt Thelma also known as Aunt Velma) The reverse note indicates Aunt Ann is not pictured and that the occasion was a Dance at Maryland Bar. Photo by Ed Jenkins, 3789 Crane Ave. , Detroit, 14, Michigan, GEneva-1818

Oldbru Gold Top Beer all around at the Maryland Bar on Harper Avenue, Detroit, Michigan during WWII after work on payday. Steve & Emma Strauch with family & friends. Center rear is Steve Marsinco. Steve Strauch on right with glasses.