“He took us to Disneyland and other trips to Colorado to distract us from what happened,” Hansen told the Democrat. “He was our father figure.”
Seaburg, a World War II veteran who as a “big shot” engineer played a key role in designing Illinois’ first nuclear reactor, never had any children of his own and lived most of his life in West Chicago, where he raised the children. orphans of his sister.
“Uncle Al would always be a joker,” Hansen said. “And even though he was a big shot, he was down to earth.”
On September 4, 1997, Seaburg drove from Chicago to Tallahassee to settle his aunt’s estate.
Booked a night at the Best Inn motel on North Monroe Street around 9pm
Within hours, the 71-year-old man was found with two fatal gunshot wounds in what investigators called a botched robbery.
Two suspects in the murder, described by witnesses as blonde 20-somethings with shoulder-length hair, were seen “touring” the motel throughout the day, according to Tallahassee Democrat files. They left in a mid-’80s white Honda Accord with Mississippi tags.
Shortly following the shooting, composite sketches of the suspects were drawn up from witness accounts.
However, the LCSO has hired a part-time detective dedicated to cases like this one.
“While we do not currently have updates to report on Mr. Seaburg’s case, this is a first step in seeking justice for his murder and for other families affected by these unsolved crimes,” said LCSO spokeswoman Angela Green.
He added that anonymous tipsters who call 850-606-3300 may be eligible for cash rewards of $500 to $5,000 if their information leads to an arrest related to the cold case.
Hansen created unsolvedmurder.com in 1999 to draw attention to the case in hopes of letting something loose, but nothing came of it.
“We go regarding our daily lives and don’t really get emotional until we talk regarding it, like I am now,” Hansen, 62, said through tears Thursday. “My mother, Ruth Hansen, her only sister, passed away in 2009, unfortunately, before the case was resolved.”
On the day of his uncle’s death, Hansen, who was 36, was working at the post office when he received a call from an Elmhurst police officer, who relayed what he had just heard from an LCSO officer.
“The postmaster came and caught me,” Hansen said. “They told me and I basically collapsed on the floor and screamed because it was so hard to believe.”
Hansen mailed at least 2,000 wanted posters to convenience stores and police stations, as well as contacting politicians who said they would try to bring attention to the matter.
He said he still emails the LCSO from time to time, hoping for a casual confession or discovery through DNA analysis.
“Now it’s just waiting and waiting following so many years,” he said. “I’m still hopeful.”
