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.
