Facts in the case of Ira Einhorn and Holly Maddux
by Traciy Curry-Reyes
Ira Einhorn was a hero and a revolutionary that many admired. His charm and his intelligence rendered him irresistible. But, few people knew that Einhorn was jealous, possessive, and dangerous.
Einhorn became the prime suspect in the 1977 disappearance of his girlfriend Holly Maddux. Holly was completely mesmerized by Ira, and their relationship turned passionate very quickly, but friend's said that soon after Ira had completely changed into an abusive monster. They would constantly fight and then make up again. One Holly brought Ira home to meet her family, and Holly's family did not like Ira almost immediately. They did not like the way he treated Holly. He had bad hygiene, he was loud, and he was overbearing. On one occasion one of Holly's best friends saw a bruise on her neck. It was obvious the marks were hand marks. Holly finally admitted that Ira had done it. As he became more possessive and jealous, she began to back away. In July of 1977, she left Ira for the last time without taking her belongings. She moved away to a beach resort in New York where she began a romance with a man named Saul Lapitas. According to Lapitas they were inseparable. He also stated that he witnessed a call that Holly received from Ira, and that he had threatened to throw all of her things into the street unless she returned to Philadelphia immediately. Lapita stated that he was concerned when she did not come back because it was unlike Holly to say one thing and not follow through. Holly was then reported missing by Lapita, her friends, and her family members. The police questioned Ira Einhorn and his statement was that Holly told him that she was going to the store while he was in the shower, and that he never saw her again. Her friends and family knew this was unlike Holly. Investigator's traced her steps and began interviewing anyone that may have come into contact with Holly during the week that she returned to Philadelphia with Ira. They found one couple that had accompanied Holly and Ira to the movies. They indicated that Ira was forceful with Holly, and that they left the movies abruptly. It was the last time anyone saw Holly alive. Several days later Ira insisted that his friends help him move a very large trunk that was filled with important Russian documents. In their investigation, authorities interviewed a tenant that showed them a strange stain on the ceiling of their apartment. They also reported a stench. The apartment above them belonged to Ira Einhorn. The police secured a search warrant for his apartment where they located the body of Holly stuffed in a trunk. He explained that the FBI and CIA had tried to set him up by placing the body in his closet. Einhorn was arrested but was released on bail. The police were sickened that dignitaries actually defended Einhorn before the court which was instrumental in getting him released. The police knew that they would never see him again. Before his trial began, Ira fled to another country. After 12 years, he was tried in absentia. He was found guilty of murder. The authorities traced his steps to Europe primarily Ireland. His case was later featured on Unsolved Mysteries. In 1997, Ira was found in France. He had lived there for years under an alias. He was extradited back to America 4 years later to be retried again in a Philadalphia court. His conviction was reaffirmed in 2002.
Tidbits
Ira Einhorn was a hippie who smelled bad
When Holly's body was found in the trunk, her story made the headlines of all the tabloid magazines at that time.
When police found the body of Holly, one policeman stated "Well, I guess we found Holly." Ira Einhorn responded "You've found what you've found."
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