DNA Identifies Former Chicago Detective in 1960 Child Murder

Chicago police have identified former homicide detective Thomas McInerney as the killer of eight-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz, whose 1960 murder remained unsolved for more than six decades. Investigators used DNA evidence discovered through genetic genealogy earlier in 2026, followed by fingerprint and ballistic testing, to link McInerney to the crime, according to police and the Chicago Tribune.

McInerney died in 2006 at age 70, nearly 20 years before authorities publicly identified him as the perpetrator. He had retired from the Chicago Police Department (CPD) in 1987 and later worked as an investigator for federal public defender's offices in Nevada.

The CPD acknowledged the significance of the identification while criticizing the fact that McInerney had never been held accountable during his lifetime.

"McInerney should have never worn the CPD star," the department said. "And it is devastating to accept that he was never identified and held accountable while he was alive."

Police also expressed hope that resolving the case would provide some comfort to those affected by Gloria's death.

"a measure of closure to all who knew Gloria and her story" was the outcome the department said it hoped the news would bring.

Gloria disappeared on the morning of November 12, 1960, while walking from her family's home in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood to a nearby church for Mass. According to the CPD, she was abducted and fatally shot before her body was discovered in a ditch at a forest preserve southwest of the city.

Investigators recovered several pieces of evidence from the scene, including a bullet, Gloria's coat and a white communion purse containing a prayer book. Police also recovered a fingerprint from the purse's strap, according to the department's account.

The Chicago Tribune reported that authorities organized an extensive search involving police officers, firefighters, Boy Scouts and military veterans. A police-led task force interviewed approximately 1,300 people, including a dozen individuals who underwent polygraph examinations, but investigators did not identify a suspect at the time.

The case advanced when DNA submitted to a genetic ancestry website enabled the FBI to connect McInerney to the murder scene, the Tribune reported. Subsequent DNA analysis, fingerprint comparisons and ballistic testing established the connection, according to Chicago police.

McInerney had joined the Chicago Police Department in 1959 and was approaching his 25th birthday when Gloria was killed. His obituary, published after his death on August 30, 2006, said he investigated homicides until retiring from the department in 1987.

He subsequently worked for federal public defender's offices in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, until retiring in 2004. His obituary cited numerous commendations during his police career and recognition as an outstanding federal defender investigator in 2003. It also described him as a husband, father of five children and grandfather of 12.

The CPD said Gloria's parents died without learning who killed their daughter. The department condemned the consequences of the crime for her family and those who knew her.

"abhorrent" was how the department characterized McInerney's actions, explaining that the crime took an eight-year-old girl's life and left those who loved her devastated as they searched for answers.

Gloria's brother, Adam Kowalewicz, told the Chicago Tribune that identifying the killer brought relief but also frustration because McInerney had died without facing justice.

"He never paid his dues," Adam Kowalewicz said. "You hope he's going to pay his dues with the good lord."