TINLEY PARK, Ill., Aug. 15, 2025
A filmmaker is urging a fresh approach to the 17-year-old cold case of five women murdered at a suburban Chicago store.
- A filmmaker is calling for a new strategy in the 2008 Lane Bryant murders.
- Five women were killed in the Feb. 2, 2008, shooting.
- A reward of $100,000 is offered for information.
- Police remain tight-lipped, according to one filmmaker.
It’s been 17 and a half years since a brutal massacre at a suburban Chicago retail store. A filmmaker working on a documentary about the unsolved murders is pushing for a change in tactics. “Maybe change your strategy a little bit,” filmmaker Charlie Minn urged on Thursday. “It’s an absolute travesty that this is unsolved.”
What happened at the Lane Bryant store?
On Feb. 2, 2008, a man disguised as a delivery driver entered the Tinley Park store. He held six women at gunpoint, forcing them into a back room before opening fire. Tragically, five of the women died. Carrie Chiuso, 33; Connie Woolfolk, 37; Sarah Szafranski, 22; Rhoda McFarland, 42; and Jennifer Bishop, 34, were killed.
One woman survived the attack and later assisted police in creating a sketch of the gunman. Authorities have also released garbled audio from a 911 call made by one of the victims. Still, no recent breakthroughs have been publicly announced in the case.
Maurice Hamilton, brother of Rhoda McFarland, who made the 911 call, said police have provided periodic updates to the families. He shared that his mother passed away last year without knowing who killed Rhoda, but the family holds onto hope for justice. “I think of the person as a coward, and I wish nothing but the worst for him,” Hamilton said. “He’ll come to justice one day, whether it’s here or up there.”
A $100,000 reward remains available.
Minn believes social media could be the key to finally cracking the case. He suggested that greater openness with media, podcasters, and filmmakers could reach a broader audience. “I have a better chance of getting pregnant than the Tinley Park PD releasing any information. They are so tight-lipped,” he commented.
The Tinley Park Police Department’s website encourages public tips regarding the homicide investigation. A reward of $100,000 is offered for information leading to the killer’s arrest. Those with information can contact the department at (708) 444-5394.
