Roberta Elam, better known by her moniker Sister Robin to the nuns of the Sisters of St. Joseph Convent in Wheeling, WV, was a twenty six (26) year old Postulant Nun on the precipice of making her final vows to become a Catholic Nun. Robin, as she was affectionately called, grew up in St. Paul, MN the eldest of four (4) children. She attended Marillac College earning her Undergraduate Degree in Theology, before going on to attend Fordham University, where she went on to obtain her Masters.
Robin came to West Virginia in August of 1976 where she initially began her work for the Diocese of Wheeling Charleston by traveling the state and conducting religious education classes, though her title was officially listed as the “Adult Education Coordinator.” In June of 1977, just weeks before her untimely death, Roberta moved into the Mother House at the Mount Saint Joseph Convent where she had started an eight (8) day silent retreat of prayer and contemplation. Though many have stated that Sister Robin was steadfast in her faith, there have been questions raised regarding Roberta’s commitment to becoming a nun and some say she was heavily contemplating her decision.
On the morning of Monday, June 13, 1977, Roberta awoke per usual and went on her daily morning jog. Around 10:30am, Roberta left the Mother House and walked to a nearby field that overlooked the Spiegel Golf Course near Oglebay Park some seventy five (75) yards away. Here she intended to pray and reflect on her upcoming vows. On her way out of the mother house, she stopped by the kitchen to grab an apple, made the trek up the hill and situated herself on a bench, her prayer book resting on her lap to begin her repose. It is safe to say that the events that followed took Roberta by surprise as she sat praying, unassuming of any imminent danger approaching.
Around 1:50pm, a groundskeeper discovered the partially clad body of Roberta Elam laying on a hillside near where she was known to have been praying. Her blue jeans and underwear had been pulled down, her blouse and bra pulled up. It was also believed that the clothing had been removed and / or altered from their original state. The bench that Roberta was known to be praying by, had been overturned and her prayer book and handbag were discovered nearby. Roberta was pronounced dead on scene before being taken to a nearby Wheeling Hospital for Autopsy.
An autopsy revealed that Roberta had been raped, and that a tampon was still present at the time the event occurred. There was also bruising found on the neck, throat and legs, but no defensive wounds were present. Cause of death was determined to have been: manual strangulation. The time of death was estimated to have occurred anywhere between 11:00am and 1:00pm
Though no person in particular has ever been charged with the murder, the following are several “Person’s of Interest” in the case who have raised eyebrows over the years.
Members of an Atlanta Based Salvage Crew that had been working nearby the convent. It was known by many of the Sisters at the Convent that one of the Crew Members had made inappropriate comments about Roberta in the days leading up to her murder and that she had reportedly exchanged words with this individual. These individuals were identified and interviewed by members of the West Virginia State Police but have since been ruled out in connection with the murder.
Law Enforcement also followed up on the possibility of the crime sharing a link to a series of four (4) rape/ strangulation murders that occurred in nearby Washington County, Pennsylvania. The locations were notably only forty two (42) minutes apart, and in close enough proximity to have been committed by the same offender. However, upon a meeting of the minds between members of the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department and members of Law Enforcement from Washington County, PA, they determined the crimes to ultimately not be connected, as the Modus Operandi, though similar, were not the same. The strangulation deaths occurring in Pennsylvania, were all committed with articles of clothing, whereas Sister Robin was strangled with the murderers bare hands.
Finally, several tips were called in regarding a male witnessed on Pogue Run Road near Oglebay Park on the morning of the murders. The following description led to the subsequent distribution of a composite sketch of the potential suspect. the male was described as being 5’10-6’ tall with a dark complexion. He has a slim build and weighs approximately 160 lbs. He has large eyes and bushy eyebrows that grew across the bridge of the nose. On the morning of the attack he had a few days worth of beard growth, though he was the kind of person who would have a 5 o clock shadow even when clean shaven. He was said to have driven a mid-late 1960’s Chevrolet Impala, blue or gray in color, that was adorned with several religious bumper stickers on the rear, one of which was said to have been on praying hands, and another had to do with Coal Mining.
Sister Robin was laid to rest at the Mount Calvary Cemetery on June 15, 1977. Her funeral, which was amassed with over two hundred mourners, included high ranking members of the Catholic Church, including the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese. She is buried among her fellow sisters in the Sisters of St. Joseph section of the cemetery.
Be sure to check out our latest episode The Tragic Murder of Sister Roberta Elam (Sister Robin) going LIVE on all streaming platforms on March 15, 2023. Be sure to LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE !
References:
Television:
The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes: S1 E6: Murder at the Convent
Youtube:
Mysterious WV- “Sister Roberta Elam Unsolved Murder” Episode 2
Newspapers:
The News (Patterson, NJ)
The Springfield News Sun (Springfield, OH)
The Beckley Post-Herald (Beckley, WV)
The Raleigh Register (Beckley, WV)
The Wheeling Intelligencer (Wheeling, WV)
Websites:
Podcasts:
The Trail Went Cold: Episode 237- Sister Roberta Elam
Redrum Blonde: Episode 30- The Murder of Sister Roberta Elam