A journey along Route 66 in Missouri leads to a plethora of fascinating sites – from the old-school Route 66 Drive-In Theatre in Carthage to Meramec Caverns in Sullivan. There’s so much to see and to do along the famous route that it makes a fun road trip. However, one stop along Route 66, the Chain of Rocks Bridge in Missouri, has a sinister story behind it – a tragic tale that those who know it will never forget.

Connecting Missouri to Illinois, the (Old) Chain of Rocks Bridge has been a familiar sight over the Mississippi River since it opened to traffic in 1929. Some, however, may not have heard the tragic tale of what happened on this very bridge.
Google/Jeremy Rousan
Called “one of the more interesting bridges in America” by the National Park Service, the bridge’s most unique feature is the 22-degree bend at the halfway point.
Flickr/russellstreet
The bridge officially closed in 1968. In the years since, it has become part of a popular hiking and biking trail. However, it also has a sinister past – the sight of a double-murder in the early 1990s.
Wikipedia/Public Domain
On April 5, 1991, sisters Julie (20) and Robin Kerry (19) were hanging out with their cousin Thomas Cummins on the Chain of Rocks Bridge. The trio ran into several others on the bridge – Reginald Clemons, Marlin Gray, and teens Antonio Richardson and Daniel Winfrey.
Flickr/Joz3.96

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A terrifying tale emerged of that evening's events. The two men and two teens had, according to authorities, robbed Cummins and raped the sisters before throwing the women from the bridge to their deaths.
Flickr/Paul Saberman
Cummins claimed he jumped off of the bridge to save himself. However, when authorities arrived at the bridge, he had no bruises and wasn’t wet. He was eventually cleared as a suspect.
All four men were either found or pled guilty. Gray was executed in 2005, and Richardson and Clemons both received life after their death sentences were overturned. Winfrey was eventually released.
Flickr/Jobs for Felons Hub
Today, visitors to the bridge will pass a memorial plaque, installed in honor of Julie and Robin. Julie’s body was recovered several weeks after the murders, but Robin was never found.
Wikipedia/Quentin Melson
Learn more about the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.
Google/Carla Votaw

Did you know the tragic tale behind the Chain of Rocks Bridge in Missouri? Have you hiked or biked along the bridge? Share your experience in the comments! Have you heard of the legend of the Kirksville Devil’s Chair? That tale will certainly give you chills, too.

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Exploring Missouri

Beth Price-Williams | December 12, 2022

What are some other bridges in Missouri?

Although it has a heartbreaking history, Chain of Rocks Bridge continues to be part of a popular hiking and biking trail. However, it’s not the only bridge in Missouri worth a visit. Here are a few more Missouri bridges to check out:

 

What are the best haunted places in Missouri?

Tales of tragedy often mean stories about hauntings, and we have no shortage of haunted places in Missouri, including:

 

What are some of the spookiest abandoned places in Missouri?

Some of the most haunted places in Missouri are also abandoned. Some you can visit, and others you can’t. Here are some of the spookiest abandoned places in Missouri.

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Featured Addresses
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, 10820 Riverview Dr, St. Louis, MO 63137, USA