Linda Trine
Remembering Linda Trine
Christmas Time 1976
Linda Trine, age 33, loved Christmas. By early December 1976, the devoted wife and loving mother of two young boys had the tree decorated and the presents wrapped. The Christmas music had been brought out and she was excited to begin baking for her family and friends. Mrs. Trine was especially looking forward to spending time with her two young sons, Mike, age 9, and Jimmy, age 11, over Christmas break.
On December 20, 1976, the stay-at-home mom made breakfast for her sons and sent them off to school, as she did every day. The boys were very excited because this was their final day of class before winter break. Mike and Jimmy kissed their mother goodbye and headed out the door. They could never have imagined they would never see their mother alive again.
A Brutal Killing And A Suspect Emerges
As they did every day, Mike and Jimmy raced home after school. Jimmy was always quicker and and arrived at the house first. Jimmy opened the door and went into the kitchen. Immediately, he saw blood everywhere and his mother lying on the floor in the dining room. Instinctively, he pushed his little brother out the door and told Mike to go next door to the Walkers’ house. Jimmy used the kitchen phone and called his father. He then went next door to the Walkers and waited with Mike for their father and police.
When police arrived at the Trines’ home the Trines’ large Great Dane would not let the officers near Mrs. Trine. Todd Walker, the son of the neighbors who knew the dog well, came over and put the dog in the basement. Police then went in the dining room and found Mrs. Trine on the floor with a broken knife next to her. She had been shot twice with a shotgun, once in the left arm and once in the lower head/neck. She had also been stabbed four times in the back, and a piece of the broken knife protruded from one of her wounds.
Police went over to the neighbors’ house to speak with Mrs. Trine’s sons and the Walkers to determine if they had seen anything suspicious. As police were finishing up talking to Todd Walker in the basement, one of the officers looked up and noticed a ceiling tile out of place. The police officer instinctively decided to look in the ceiling. Behind the insulation he found a pistol and 10 two-dollar bills that had been stolen from the Trine home. He also found burned socks with blood on them. Police located a shotgun, presumed to be the murder weapon, in a closet at the Walker home. Police also found Todd Walker’s blood-stained jeans and slippers. Walker was arrested and became the prime suspect in the murder of Linda Trine.
A Confession Leads To Murder Charges
At first, Walker told authorities a companion committed the murder after they planned to “rip someone off.” Later, Walker said he made up the name of the companion and admitted that he murdered Linda Trine. Walker stated that he went to to Trines’ back door with a loaded .12-gauge pump action shotgun and asked Mrs. Trine if she had any rags for cleaning his gun. When she told Walker “no,” he raised the shotgun and aimed it at Mrs. Trine until she backed up against against a kitchen appliance. Walker then shot Mrs. Trine in the left arm. He pumped the shotgun and fired another bullet that hit her in the head and neck. Walker then took a knife and stabbed Mrs. Trine multiple times in the back.
According to Walker, he put socks on his hands to avoid leaving any fingerprints and went to an upstairs bedroom, where he stole the .22 caliber pistol and 10 two-dollar bills Mrs. Trine had been collecting from a jewelry box. He took the shotgun shells from the Trines’ kitchen and went home, where he tried unsuccessfully to burn the bloody socks. Walker then hid then money, the pistol and the socks in the basement ceiling. He cleaned the shotgun and put it back in the closet.
Based on Walker’s confession, authorities charged him with the murder of Linda Trine. Walker attempted to plead not guilty by reason of insanity and was sent to the Lima State Mental Hospital. Doctors determined Walker was “of sufficient soundness of mind to comprehend his situation” and “capable of furnishing his council facts essential to the presentation of a proper defense.” Facing a likely death sentence if tried before a jury, Walker opted to have his case heard by a three judge panel.
Overwhelming Evidence Leads To Life Sentence
At trial, prosecutors had both the confession and strong physical evidence linking Todd Walker to Linda Trine’s murder. Dale Hibser, a chemist with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testified that blood taken from slippers and jeans that Walker was wearing the day of the murder matched the blood of Linda Trine. Steve Molnar Jr., a ballistics expert, testified that the shotgun found in the Walker home was the weapon used to kill Mrs. Trine. Pellets and plastic parts inside Mrs. Trine matched shells found in the shotgun.
Walker took the stand in his own defense and claimed he was high on drugs and went to the Trine home for drug money. He said the drugs caused him to murder Mrs. Trine. Prosecutor William F. McKee said the fact that Walker put socks on his hands in order not to leave fingerprints and removed the used shotgun shells from the kitchen in order to leave no evidence clearly indicated Walker’s presence of mind at the time of the murder.
The trial lasted two days and Walker showed little emotion. It took the three judge panel on one hour and 15 minutes to find Todd Walker guilty of murdering Linda Trine. Walker faced the death penalty, however, to receive that sentence, the judges’ vote had to be unanimous. Two judges voted to send Walker to the electric chair and one chose life in prison. As a result, Walker was sentenced to life in prison. The only time Walker showed any true emotion was when he was found guilty of murder.
A Legacy Of Pain
At trial, it was also learned that Walker, who was expelled as a freshman at John Simpson High School, had been implicated in two killings two years prior to killing Mrs. Trine. Walker, who was drinking and high on drugs, stole his mother’s car and crashed into a tree, killing his two teenage passengers. Based on on our records, Walker served no time for his involvement in the killings. Those families continue to deal with the loss of their children to this very day.
In the last 37 years, the Trine family has never been able to enjoy Christmas. The most joyous time of year is now spent in pain and sadness. In those years, the Trine family has never heard an apology or seen any remorse from Todd Walker. Walker continues to have the opportunity to spend every Christmas with his family while the Trine family mourns the loss of a loving wife and mother who never got to see her sons grow up or meet any of her grandchildren.
UPDATE: CParole was granted for murderer Todd Walker and he will be released on July 19, 2021. Per Roberta’s Law, Walker will be under supervision for five years. While we continue to believe Walker’s release does not further the interests of justice, we hope he is rehabilitated and will commit no further crimes. Thank you to everyone who submitted a petition to oppose his parole. Please keep the family of Linda Trine in your thoughts and prayers. Rest In Peace Mrs. Trine. You will never be forgotten