In 1963, Daisy Zick was stabbed 27 times at her home in Battle Creek. It’s an unsolved case that locals are still talking about today. It’s also the subject of Murder in Battle Creek: The Mysterious Death of Daisy Zick by Blaine Pardoe.
Pardoe will hold a reading and book signing on Murder in Battle Creek: The Mysterious Death of Daisy Zick Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Willard Library in Battle Creek.
Pardoe says, while working on another book, people kept telling him about the story of Daisy Zick. He says he was fascinated by the way the story was so interesting to people in the area 50 years later. Unlike most true crime books, there is no closure in Murder in Battle Creek. Since the case has yet to be solved, Pardoe says he just presents the facts in the book and lets the readers decide who they think did it.
The Murder
Daisy Zick was murdered about a mile and a half from where Pardoe used to live in Battle Creek. She was at her home on January 14th of 1963, hours before she would have gone to work at the Kellogg Corporation. Pardoe says it was one of the coldest days of the year, which is one of the things that makes this case so difficult to solve. The killer was bundled up for the cold, so the few witnesses in the case could not make an accurate description of the killer. According to police records, Pardoe says the killer was either dropped off by someone or walked to Daisy’s house, he or she did not leave a car in the driveway. Pardoe says all of the evidence in Daisy’s murder leads him to believe it was a crime of passion. Daisy was not wealthy, but had several affairs with men in the area. She was also stabbed more times that necessary for the assailant to get away.
On Going Investigation
Pardoe made the decision to use the real names of people who were involved in the case. He says using real names might trigger a memory with someone who can help police solve the mystery of Daisy’s death. Pardoe says he has received tips since writing the book and even put a couple of those tips in later editions after alerting authorities. Too many of the suspects and witnesses in the case have passed away for a trial, but Pardoe says solving this case would bring closure to Daisy’s family.
Blaine Pardoe has written roughly 60 titles ranging from historical accounts, business help, and science fiction.
