RF: Adolf Czojor Murder Case Part III: Connections to Cyanide

Let a DuPont spokesman tell it and you’d discover the Delaware based company was the “largest manufacturer of cyanide in North America'' in the mid 1990’s. Who So who had a link to the deadly substance? Well it turned out Teresa "Terrie" Reese, who was Joan and Joe’s daughter, and Czojor’s stepdaughter, worked at the Glasgow, Delaware location that produced cyanide.

In time, investigators would dig into whether she could have done the vicious deed of killing her stepfather. In 1997, Terri turned down the option to speak to The News Journal. By 2021, she had declined to be interviewed by Delaware Online/The News Journal reporters. Why didn’t she just choose to speak her piece and keep it moving? What motivated her to back away from questions posed by the press?

These answers are scarce. Yet, what remains to be addressed is what Linda Bierman, Czojor’s other daughter, had to say about the whole affair. She described a scene at a tavern, when her father and Joan, fought over the profit-sharing plan and the life insurance policy.

Linda allied with Joan. She felt her dad should give his money to Joan, because she was his spouse. Another neighbor, Theresa M. Lindinger recalled how prior to Czojor’s death, he presented Joan with the profit-sharing plan. Livid, Joan barked back saying her name was not on it. In time, both Joan and her daughter would be put to the test by paragons of law and order: the police.

With these questions posed by the detectives, Joan didn't appear deceptive in any way. Her manner seemed calm, and she addressed the queries evenly. The test was inconclusive.

Terrie, on the other hand, showed signs of deception corresponding with questions regarding her access to the toxin. After all of this, police said they interviewed neither the mother nor the daughter, darkening the mystery behind Czojor’s death.

The police made no arrests as the evidence did not appear in either of the womens’ statements. If they could not find it in their minds to be honest and truthful in the face of police inquiry, especially Terrie, then who could vouch for their innocence? Yes, Joan was not deceptive, but that doesn’t make her necessarily truthful either. After all, the police cuffed no one, nor did they take either of them into custody.

While not suspects, the two women became persons of interest. The police still wanted to get more of an idea as to the reason why Czojor perished.

As is customary for concerned family members, they assumed the role of Sherlock Homes, and investigated the death themselves.

Jeannette thought some Deer Park “buddy” had wanted her father dead, and slipped the poison in his drink. Linda stated she had known Terri had visited Dover Downs casino the night after Czojor’s demise.

Peter, Czojor’s only son, still holds that Joan and Terri had a hand in the death of his father. Even though he didn’t become an amateur sleuth, he still holds a grudge against the two women.

Even with these bits of data, the investigation is a block of ice to this day. The women and men once associated with Czojor experienced extreme grief over his passing. When one of Joan’s daughters, Bonnie Taddeo, visited the gravesite, it was a bit jarring for Jeanette and Linda who arrived later. Though the moment might have been somewhat awkward, the two women bonded with their step-sister. In truth, she had missed the man, too.

However, the moment that brought them together was still ripping the family to shreds. They realized just what a profound impact the man had on them all.