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Linda Madaras 1959 - 1975

Linda Louise Madaras of Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio was born on August 19, 1959 in Cleveland, and died at age 16 years old on August 20, 1975 at Geauga Community Hospital in Munson Township / Chardon.

Linda Louise Madaras

Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio 44024

August 19, 1959

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

August 20, 1975

Geauga Community Hospital in Munson Township / Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio, 44024, United States

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Linda Madaras Linda Madaras (1959 - 1975)

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Linda Louise Madaras' History: 1959 - 1975

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Introduction

Linda Louise Madaras was born in Cleveland Ohio to Charles Stephen Madaras (1928-1985) and Marilyn Jean Heidinger (1931-1972). Linda was tragically murdered at age 16 by her boyfriend, James M. Schmelz, who was 17 at the time, in her Munson Township home. He was quickly arrested and accused of using a sledgehammer in the slaying. See a contemporaneous report at Geauga County girl, 16, beaten to death; boy held. Later, he was convicted and sentenced to 7 - 25 years. See Killer gets 7 - 25 years. Reports were that Linda was murdered in her garage and that she and her boyfriend were arguing over a possible pregnancy. See a lovely memory of Linda, left by a friend from her grammar school days, at Memory about Linda Madaras.
08/19

1959

Birthday

August 19, 1959

Birthdate

Cleveland, Ohio United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

On her paternal line, Linda was of Czech descent. Her grandfather, Charles Madaras, was born in Czechoslovakia in 1884. On her maternal line, she was German. Her 2x great-grandfather, Joseph Heidinger, was born in Germany in 1839.
Nationality & Locations

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Linda was a lifelong resident of Cleveland.
Early Life & Education

Linda attended Chardon High School and was a member of the Marching Band and Student Council.
Professional Career

Linda was a student in high school when she was murdered.
08/20

1975

Death

August 20, 1975

Death date

blunt force trauma to the head

Cause of death

Geauga Community Hospital in Munson Township / Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio 44024, United States
Death location

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Did you know?

Linda Madaras lived 56 years shorter than the average family member when died at the age of 16.

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Memories

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4 Memories, Stories & Photos about Linda

Kathy Pinna

32.9k+ favorites

10/10/2024

Geauga County girl, 16, beaten to death; boy held

A Geauga County, girl, 16, was found severely beaten in her home yesterday and she died soon after at Geauga Community Hospital.

The girl, Linda Madaras, daughter of Charles S. Madaras, 11592 Oriole Place, Munson Township, was found at 11:10 a.m. by deputy sheriffs, who said they were summoned by a neighbor.

Miss Madaras, beaten on the head with a blunt weapon, died at 12:45 p.m. About 30 minutes after she was found, Sheriff Carl E. Henderson arrested a Marietta, Georgia boy, 17, about a half-mile from the girl's home.

Deputies said the boy, charged with delinquency in the homicide, knew Miss Madaras. he was spending the summer at his grandmother's Geauga County home, they added. He was in Geauga County Jail last night.

- Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) Thursday, August 21, 1975 on page 2.

Comments

Kathy Pinna

32.9k+ favorites

01/18/2023

Killer gets 7 - 25 years

The following is an article from Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) on Friday, April 2, 1976:

CHARDON, Ohio (AP) - James M. Schmelz, 18, of Georgia was sentenced to 7 - 25 years in jail for the sledgehammer slaying of his girlfriend, Linda Madaras, 16, last August 20 in her Munson Township home.

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Linda Madaras - Chardon High School 1975

Daniel Pinna

10.5k+ favorites

07/10/2022

Linda Madaras - Chardon High School 1975

The 1975 Chardon High School yearbook photo for Linda Madaras.

Date & Place: 1975 at Chardon High School in Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio 44024, United States

Comments

Brenda Kohout

12 favorites

07/10/2022

I met Linda when we were about 5, I moved in a few houses down from her. We were the best of friends, we would play outside for hours, simon says, hide and seek, red rover, red rover. Oh those were the days. We made countless little green cakes with our easy bake ovens. We walked back and forth to school, back then you walked home for lunch too! I was heartbroken when we found out she was moving away. I got to go to the new house which was under construction and walked into every 2x4 there was, ouch! After she moved, I missed her terribly but as expected we lost touch, years later when I found out she had been murdered I was devastated. I missed her funeral because I was unaware. I know her father had to be a broken man, he had lost his wife and Lindas mother just a couple years before Linda. I still think of her often, she is not forgotten.

Comments

Daniel Pinna

10.5k+ favorites

07/10/2022

Such a sweet memory Brenda...I did what I could and added to her biography. I hope you and others will share more about Linda so that she will always be remembered. It absolutely breaks my heart each time I encounter a story of a young person who left us too early...

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Linda Madaras' Family Tree & Friends

Linda Madaras' Family Tree

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Linda Madaras Aug 19, 1959 - Aug 20, 1975

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Child

Sibling

Friendships

Linda's Friends

5 Followers & Sources

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Other Biographies

Other Madaras Family Biographies

Madaras, Helen (Dec 22, 1919 - Jun 24, 2011) Madaras, Edward (Jan 30, 1897 - Oct 15, 1967) Madaras, Joseph (Aug 31, 1918 - Nov 12, 2009) Madaras, Joseph (Jan 18, 1929 - Jun 1, 2000) Madaras, Michael (Mar 14, 1911 - May 24, 1993) Madaras, Andrew (Jan 15, 1926 - Nov 12, 2000) Madaras, Lois (Nov 6, 1916 - Jan 19, 2005) Madaras, Henry (Jan 12, 1911 - Jan 23, 1996) Madaras, Harry (Mar 1, 1924 - Apr 14, 2003) Madaras, Anna (Jan 4, 1899 - Mar 1975)

Madaras, Daniel (Jan 20, 1922 - Aug 18, 2000) Madaras, John (Jul 31, 1915 - May 1973) Madaras, Joseph (Mar 31, 1896 - Oct 1978) Madaras, Ernest (Jul 3, 1928 - May 26, 2008) Madaras, William (Jul 3, 1928 - Feb 11, 1997) Madaras, Pearl (Feb 25, 1922 - May 15, 2007) Madaras, Doris (Apr 18, 1933 - May 4, 2005) Madaras, Eileen (Jun 23, 1913 - Feb 1986) Madaras, Rose (Mar 7, 1918 - Jul 1984) Madaras, Lewis (Jul 16, 1918 - Nov 1982)

About the AncientFaces Community

Linda Madaras 1959 - 1975

Linda Louise Madaras' History: 1959 - 1975

Introduction

Birthday

Ethnicity & Family History

Nationality & Locations

Early Life & Education

Professional Career

Death

4 Memories, Stories & Photos about Linda

Linda Madaras' Family Tree & Friends

Linda Madaras' Family Tree

Linda's Friends

Other Madaras Family Biographies