ON DEATHBED RUSSELL SMREKAR ADMITS '75 SLAY

A CONVICTED killer on his deathbed has confessed to the 1975 murder of his college roommate of Illinois. Michael Mansfield, 19, vanished while on home on Christmas break on Dec. 31. he was never seen again. But his disappearance came just six days before he was supposed to testify against Russell Smrekar--his Lincoln College roommate--who had been accused of stealing a guitar from a dorm. The following year, Smrekar was accused of stealing two steaks from a supermarket, and a witness in that case — Ruth Martin — also disappeared. Two other witnesses to the latter crime, Jay and Robin Fry, were also killed. Smrekar was convicted of their murders and sentenced to 200 to 600 years . He died on Thursday at Menard Correctional Center. Cops always believed Smrekar murdered Mansfield but couldn't seal the deal. When cold case cops found out he was dying, he confessed to killing Mansfield and Martin. COLD CASE CONFESSION

KILLER MOM LYNNE BROWN ON RUN SINCE 1975

THE MURDERS were bone-chilling. Two little children, each shot twice in the head. Their killer? Mom. On Feb. 22, 1975 cops in Clackamas County, Oregon believe Geoffrey Lyman Brown and Leslie Michelle Brown were shot to do death by their mother Lynne Brown (a.k.a. Lynne Fortner, Mitzi Brown, Mitzi Fortner.) Geoffrey, 5, and Leslie, 7, were found dead March 12, 1975. They were lying on a blanket.
Geoffrey and Leslie were last seen leaving with their mother, Lynne Brown, for a one-day visit from Lynne’s ex-husband’s house on Feb. 22, 1975. Lynne Brown has not been seen or heard from since.