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Solved September 9, 1977 Homicide

Holly Maddux

Status Solved
Type Homicide
Date September 9, 1977
Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Victim Age 30
Gender Female

Holly Maddux was murdered by Ira Einhorn, a prominent counterculture figure in Philadelphia. Her body was found in a trunk in his apartment. Einhorn fled to Europe for 23 years.

On September 9, 1977, thirty-year-old Helen 'Holly' Maddux disappeared from Philadelphia. She had been in a relationship with Ira Einhorn, a charismatic counterculture figure known as the 'Unicorn.' Einhorn told friends Holly had left him to go shopping and never returned.

In March 1979, police searched Einhorn's apartment after following up on neighbors' complaints about a foul odor and a liquid leaking from the ceiling of the apartment below. They found Holly's mummified body in a trunk in Einhorn's closet, packed with newspapers and styrofoam.

Einhorn was charged with murder but fled the country in 1981 while on bail. He lived as a fugitive in Europe for 23 years, residing in Ireland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and France under various aliases.

He was eventually located in France in 1997 and extradited back to the United States in 2001. Einhorn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He died in prison in 2020.

homicide Pennsylvania 1970s fugitive solved
1977-09-09
Holly Maddux disappears from Philadelphia.
1979-03-28
Holly's body found in a trunk in Einhorn's closet.
2001-07-20
Einhorn extradited from France.
2002-10-17
Einhorn convicted; sentenced to life.

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