09/25/1986 - Report #134 - Victim: John W. Ratcliffe Sr - Location: Cahokia, IL

MCS Report #134

Classification: Homicide

Requesting Agency: Cahokia Police Department

Date of Activation: 09/25/1986

Commander and Department: Capt. James Lay, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Dept

Deputy Report Officer and Department: Lt. Vic Logan, O’Fallon PD

Victim: John W. Ratcliffe Sr

Suspect: Frank A. Heneberg, Mike Potter

The Cahokia Police Department requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad in investigating the death of John Ratcliffe Sr (age 71). At approximately 8:07am, police officers responded to a residence in the 100 block of Lazarcheff Drive for a well-being check on John Ratcliffe Sr after a family member reported not seeing him since 09/16/1986. Inside the residence, officers located the badly decomposed body of John Ratcliffe Sr.

As a result of this investigation, John’s neighbor, Frank Heneberg (age 48), was charged with 1st Degree Murder and Home Invasion. His bond was set at $500,000.