The Detective Who Never Gave Up
A Tribute by Bob Cyphers
Before the podcasts and documentaries, there were detectives—real ones, with grit and heartbreak behind the badge. In this moving tribute, author Bob Cyphers shares the story of one such man: Detective Pat McGarrick, whose lifelong commitment to the I-70 killer case became the backbone of an unforgettable partnership.
“If you can work on a case like this and not get personally involved, what the hell is wrong with you?”
— Detective Pat McGarrick
Meeting the Man
I met a lot of police detectives in my journey along I-70. Their dedication inspired me. Some were buttoned-up professionals, their cards close to their vest. Some were easygoing and wound up being my golf partners.
And then there was Patrick McGarrick.
He was a Vietnam Army veteran who returned home and served in the National Guard. He began his law enforcement career in 1973 when I was in high school, retiring after 41 years in 2014.
You go through life and meet people, and if you are really, really fortunate, you meet that special person.
And I was lucky to meet Pat McGarrick, the living definition of a grizzled homicide detective.
The Investigation Begins
We shook hands as strangers the day the task force gathered.
“Bob Cyphers,” I said, extending my hand.
“Pat McGarrick,” he answered. And then a wink, followed by, “You can call me Paddy. And if you need anything, you find me.”
We agreed to meet at the scene where Nancy Kitzmiller was murdered in St. Charles. It was the Boot Village store then; it’s a Panera Bread Company now. There was no time for golf or fishing now. A task force was hunting a killer.
“I was not going to miss that,” McGarrick said.
The case landed in McGarrick’s lap in 1993, one year after Nancy was murdered. He went through thousands of names, looking at anyone and everyone who they could confirm was in the area at the time of the murder.
“To show you how thorough we were, we even had Kevin Costner’s name. We are pretty confident he did not do it.”
Thinking Outside the Box
As years went by, McGarrick searched outside the box for the I-70 killer. When detectives matched ballistics to a rare old German Navy pistol, he bought one himself—just to understand it better. When Reddit readers started discussing the case, he reached out to them.
Even in retirement, he asked to stay in the loop.
A Visit to the Scene
One night, McGarrick stopped into Panera to pick up dinner—but paused in his tracks. The memories flooded back.
“I decided, the heck with my dinner. I just walked in and asked one of the girls working there if I could talk to the manager. I think she thought I wanted to complain about something.
The Case Never Left Him
The I-70 killer case was personal to McGarrick.
“You hear people say you should not get personally involved in a case. Well, if you can work on a case like this and not get personally involved, what the hell is wrong with you? I do not want you working for me.”
A year after the killing spree, similar scenes appeared in Texas. When Amy Vess was shot in Arlington, she spent the final moments of her life crawling to a phone, calling 9-1-1, begging for an ambulance.
Though it was a Texas case, McGarrick kept a copy of the 9-1-1 call in his desk.
“People sometimes say to me, ‘Pat, you are spending too much time on this case. This case is cold.’
A Lasting Promise
I soon leaned on every word Paddy said. He would call me, and that voice would bring me smiles and chills. We promised each other neither of us would ever give up on the I-70 case.
Pat McGarrick passed away last year.
He never gave up.
🔍 Want more from Bob Cyphers?
Bob’s latest book, Dead End, shares more of the real-life investigations behind the headlines—and the people who never stop seeking justice.
📖 Dead End Inside the Hunt for the I-70 Serial Killer
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