Indiana Police Solve 50-Year-Old Cold Case of Young Mother’s Murder Using DNA Evidence

Phyllis Bailer, 26, was traveling from Indianapolis, Indiana to Bluffton, Indiana with her 3-year-old daughter when she was murdered in 1972

On July 7, 1972, Bailer and her three-year-old daughter set out from Indianapolis to Bluffton, a town about 100 miles northeast, to visit her parents. The following morning at around 10:30 a.m., Bailer’s car was found abandoned. Later that same day, a woman discovered Bailer’s body in Allen County, Indiana, and her daughter, unharmed but alone, in a ditch nearby.

An investigation at the time revealed that Bailer had been sexually assaulted and fatally shot. However, despite extensive efforts, the killer remained unidentified for more than 50 years.

The breakthrough came in early 2025, when the Indiana State Police identified Fred Allen Lienemann as the likely perpetrator. Lienemann, 25 years old at the time of the crime, was originally from the Anderson, Indiana area and had a significant criminal background. He was living in Gross Point, Michigan in 1972 and had no known connection to Bailer. Lienemann himself was killed in Detroit in 1985, long before DNA technology could be used to implicate him.

At the time of the crime, DNA testing was not yet available to law enforcement. Over the years, evidence collected from Bailer’s clothing was preserved, allowing forensic teams to develop a DNA profile. This eventually eliminated the original suspect. As DNA technology advanced, authorities persisted in their efforts to solve the case.

In 2024, investigators partnered with Identifiers International, a forensic genetic genealogy firm. Through this collaboration, Lienemann was positively identified as the assailant. Although he is deceased, officials from the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that they would have filed murder charges against him if he were still alive.

In a statement, the Indiana State Police acknowledged the relentless efforts of their Cold Case Unit, the Allen County Police Department, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory. “This case demonstrates our commitment to seeking justice for victims and their families. Not only does this work help convict criminals, but it also brings closure to grieving families who have waited decades for answers.”