SULPHUR, La. — A 75-year-old Louisiana woman, Alice Rollinson Idlett, was arrested on Thursday, March 27, 2025, and charged with second-degree murder in the death of her 16-month-old son, Earl Dwayne Bunch III, over five decades ago. The arrest follows a reopened investigation into the 1970 cold case, spurred by chilling letters Idlett wrote to her then-husband, which resurfaced during their 1983 divorce proceedings and revealed her deep resentment and admitted abuse toward the child.
The case dates back to January 19, 1970, when Idlett, then 20 years old, brought her son to the emergency room at West Calcasieu-Cameron Hospital in Sulphur. Earl was described as “limp and gasping for breath.” He was quickly transferred to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, where X-rays uncovered multiple skull fractures and a broken right shoulder. The toddler was then moved to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, Texas, where he died the following morning during emergency surgery. At the time, Idlett claimed the injuries resulted from a fall from his crib, and the initial investigation by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office was closed due to insufficient evidence.
The case remained dormant until 2022, when Earl’s family requested the Sulphur Police Department to reexamine the circumstances of his death. Advances in forensic technology and new evidence prompted authorities to exhume the child’s remains, which were analyzed by the FBI. A forensic autopsy determined the cause of death to be homicide, contradicting the original accidental fall narrative.
The breakthrough in the investigation came with the reexamination of letters Idlett wrote in 1969 to her husband, Earl Bunch Jr., who was serving overseas in Vietnam at the time of their son’s death. These letters, later presented during a contentious 1983 child custody battle over the couple’s daughter, painted a grim picture of Idlett’s feelings toward her son. In a letter dated November 4, 1969, she wrote, “I just got through whipping that little basdard [sic]. I hate him. That’s the honest truth,” adding, “Now I know how those people feel that get rid of their kids. I believe I could do it. I’m serious.” Another letter from November 21, 1969, stated, “I hate your son. I wish he was dead.” The disturbing admissions were compounded by medical testimony from Dr. J.M. Thorkelson, who examined Earl in 1970 and noted multiple bruises, bite marks, and a burn on the child’s body— injuries he deemed inconsistent with a crib fall.
Sulphur Police Chief John Wall emphasized the role of modern technology and persistent investigation in cracking the case. “We had some new evidence that came to light, and of course, technology is a lot different than it was years ago. That definitely assisted us,” Wall said. The Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office presented the case to a grand jury, which indicted Idlett on the murder charge.
Idlett, now residing in Norwood, Louisiana, was booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center, where she is being held on a $950,000 bond. The arrest has stunned the community and reignited discussions about cold case justice. For Earl’s surviving family members, who pushed for the reinvestigation, the arrest brings a bittersweet resolution to a tragedy that lingered unresolved for 55 years.
Authorities have not disclosed additional details about the new evidence that prompted the exhumation, but the case underscores the power of perseverance and evolving forensic science in delivering long-delayed accountability. Idlett’s legal proceedings are ongoing, with no plea yet entered as of Monday, March 31, 2025.