William Schrader Identified as 1962 Pennsylvania Church Murderer in Cold Case Resolution

After nearly 63 years, Pennsylvania authorities have identified William Schrader as the killer of 9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty, who was raped and murdered inside St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Bristol in 1962. Schrader, described as an "absolute predator" with a long history of sexual violence against young girls, was linked to the crime through decades-old forensic evidence, eyewitness accounts, and a confession he made to his stepson. Despite being questioned at the time and failing a polygraph test, Schrader fled Pennsylvania and later built a criminal record including the death of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana. The case was reopened and thoroughly investigated by Bucks County law enforcement, culminating in a grand jury report that excluded other suspects and confirmed Schrader's guilt. Prosecutors emphasized the emotional closure this brings to Carol Ann’s family after decades of uncertainty and grief. The investigation is considered one of the most significant cold case resolutions in the Philadelphia region.