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Mystery, memories linger after demolition of former Percy home
Life at Kenilworth estate was active and idyllic — until a 1966 murder that remains unsolved
June 04, 2010|By Donald Liebenson, Special to the Tribune

The storied home on Lake Michigan was the scene of a slaying that shocked the nation 44 years ago. And now that it's gone, recently demolished, members of the family that once lived there admit that the memories have come hard and fast.

"I was totally unaware and very much taken by surprise," said Sharon Percy Rockefeller, who grew up there. "My brother called me. We all pretty much heard at the same time. To think of your old house being gone is stunning."
where her father, former U.S. Sen. Charles Percy, launched his political career. Richard Nixon and Indira Gandhi, among others, visited as guests.

The sprawling home also was where Rockefeller's twin sister, Valerie, was murdered at age 21.

"It was the happiest of times and the saddest of times," said Rockefeller.

Percy bought the 17-room house on Devonshire Road in 1950. It listed for $82,500.

Roger Percy said that his father had had his eye on the home for a long time. The senior Percy said that when he was 18, he asked the owner to contact him if he ever wanted to sell, his son said.

The property included an indoor swimming pool and tennis court. Percy's wife, Loraine, recalled that the family hosted an open house for the neighbors every Sunday.

"Anyone could come," she said. "We put out a buffet. On Thursday nights, we had a round robin tennis game." She and her husband now live in Maryland.

Charles Percy had five children. Loraine Percy, who married him after the death of his first wife, was the mother of the youngest two children, a son and a daughter.

Tennis was a passion of the energetic, athletic Percy. His eldest son, Roger, recalled that one of his most vivid memories was acting as ball boy for matches that pitted business and political leaders against each other.

"I heard some of the most interesting and wittiest conversations," he said. "Some of the barbs that went back and forth over the net were better than the serves."

The siblings described an active life at Windward.

"We started each morning at breakfast reading Christian Science lessons as a family," Rockefeller said. "On weekends we were expected to swim, play tennis or do something athletic. Reading was my preferred activity, and many times I was made to go outside, which I liked as long as it involved the lake."

Life was idyllic until a night in September 1966 when Valerie Jean Percy was stabbed to death in her bed. The crime made national headlines.
News accounts later said that Loraine Percy told police she was awakened by someone moaning. Realizing the sounds were coming from Valerie's room, she went to investigate.

Opening the door, Loraine Percy saw the figure of a man bent over the blood-soaked bed, shining a flashlight on Valerie's body, she told investigators. The man escaped through the French doors that led to the patio, according to news accounts. A glass pane in one of the doors had been broken.

A motive proved elusive. No valuables or money was taken. It appeared that the victim had been beaten about the head as she lay asleep and then stabbed.

Police interviewed about 10,000 people and investigated 1,226 suspects in the first two years, according to a Tribune story on the case.

Shortly after the murder, Percy won his Senate race, defeating longtime Democratic Sen. Paul Douglas. The family moved to Washington, and Percy sold the home to family friend William Graham, president of Baxter Laboratories.

The case remains unsolved. Sgt. Dave Miller of the Kenilworth police is in charge of the investigation.

"We've come across the chat rooms and pay attention to the discussions," he said of the exchanges about the case on several Web sites. "I applaud their efforts. The more interest in this case the better for us. It could generate more phone calls."

In 2002, Miller said, a complete evidence inventory review was conducted.

"We still get leads every year," he said. "We wish we'd get more. The person who perpetrated this is known to somebody out there."

Some suspects looked more promising than others, but there is no hard evidence, Miller said.

A $100,000 reward is still offered by the Percy family for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the killer.

"I encourage anyone with any information, even if they think it's insignificant, to call and let us make that determination," Miller said.

Rockefeller said family members have tried to stay in touch with the home.

"I went last year," she said. "Roger and I have gone at various times when we went to visit our sister's grave. My dad used to take us to swim in the pool just as if we still lived there. The Grahams always made us feel welcome."

The Grahams sold the house in 2008. The property, demolished earlier this spring, is being developed as a private home.

Learning that their old home was gone was sad, said Rockefeller, president of a public radio and television station in Washington, D.C.

"But then I realized that it's a beautiful place to live," she said. "We had five children in the house and it was always busy, loving and happy."

Roger Percy agreed. The place where they grew up was never meant to be a museum or memorial, said Percy, president of a Seattle-based media research company.

"We wanted our house to go to a good home," he said.