Decades in the Dark: DNA Cracks the 1959 Cold Case Murder of Candy Rogers
The daughter of the suspect helped give the last living relative answers
It would become Spokane, Washington’s oldest cold case. The brutal murder of nine-year-old Candy Rogers. Who was abducted while going door to door selling Campfire Girl mints.
Candy Rogers disappeared on March 6, 1959. The fourth grader who attended Holmes Elementary was described as small for her age but had a determined mindset. She had recently joined the Camp Fire Girls, a youth organization focused on outdoor activities. She was a “Bluebird” working towards ranking up in the organization.
So that afternoon, she came home, played with her dog, ate an oatmeal cookie, and set out carrying a bag of boxed mints to go door to door to sell in the neighborhood.
She was only meant to be out for an hour or so. She was to be home for supper but never ran back through the door. When it was dark, her grandparents and mother started to look for her. As they searched and saw no sign, the police were called, who joined in the search along with neighbors.
At 9 PM, someone found several boxes of mints strewn about along the road. The campfire mints were believed to have been the same ones Candy had been selling…
