Reading the reports I took away that it was two different girls who saw him at different ends of the strip mall. There was also a third sketch later on where the man looks a little more different, and also did not have glasses on.
OH OH - Amy Mihaljevic, 10, Bay Village, 27 Oct 1989
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Friday13
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Amy’s murder is the single most haunting cold case IMO. We were born the same year. She was so young and innocent. I can’t imagine the giddy, excited feeling she must’ve had thinking she was meeting this man to do something nice for her mother and how quickly it must’ve turned into absolute fear and horror. What a sick, twisted and evil monster this person is. I think about Amy all the time and this is one case that I would LOVE to see someone arrested for and brought to justice.
I just watched the Dateline episode "What Happened to Amy?" with Josh Mankiewicz on ID. It originally aired in 2021 so it was kind of an update on the case. Anyway, investigators believe this could be a stable curtain. I've always thought that this was a stable curtain and I think that's a good lead I hope is constantly pursued. Amy apparently did some horseback riding on weekends and at one point, police had a suspect that worked at the stable, but he was more or less cleared. I still think there's a good chance Amy was killed in a stable and this was used for convenience. She was wearing paddock boots and horse-head earrings when she was taken so riding was obviously important to her and she loved animals. It would've been easy to lure her into a stable. Lots of horse farms and stables in Ashland County where she was found.
steeltowngirl
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One stable where Amy rode was Holly Hill Farms. We also know that several of the girls who received deceptive phone calls similar to the one Amy received had visited the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. Would be interesting to know if LE investigated persons who might have had a connection to both places.
The Coldest Case
16 years after Amy Mihaljevic vanished, the hunt for her killer presses on.
Jmoose
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Nobody at that barn killed her, if you are talking about Holly Hill.
I have a sister that's the same age as Amy would've been, and she rode horses around 1989 here in Georgia. We also had a dog named Jake. Anyway, I don't know how Amy got to the stable, but my mom used to drive my sister there. Sometimes she'd drop her off at the stable, run errands and pick her up later. Other times my mom would stay and watch her ride, talk to the owners, other parents, etc... I'm no investigator but IMO the individual that took Amy probably didn't work at a stable. They were smart. I'm not saying the average stable worker isn't smart, but I think they were more likely to be the owner of the stable (or related to the owner), or maybe another parent. I don't think they made the stable curtain. It's not the kind of thing most males could or would make. I think the suspect's mother or grandmother probably made the curtain and it was also most likely their stable Amy was taken to. I think there's a good chance that stable is (or was) in Ashland County.One stable where Amy rode was Holly Hill Farms. We also know that several of the girls who received deceptive phone calls similar to the one Amy received had visited the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. Would be interesting to know if LE investigated persons who might have had a connection to both places.
The Coldest Case
16 years after Amy Mihaljevic vanished, the hunt for her killer presses on.www.clevescene.com
arielilane
Justice for Liz Barraza
Whatever became of the man whose ex-girlfriend ID him as being involved in the kidnapping and murder of Amy? moo TIA
Jmoose
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I rode at that very stable in the 70’s; the Fettinger family owned it then, as well as when Amy rode there. James Renner wrote a book and smeared every single member of the Fettinger family, then moved on and pointed the finger at various other people after he did that. I am quite sure that it wasn’t anyone at that stable-but not because the people at the barn are not smart; there are much better and more likely suspects.
steeltowngirl
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As of 2021:
“Five On Your Side Investigators tried calling and texting the man in question to ask him about the case. He never responded.
Police said he’s currently homeless and living in his car.”
EXCLUSIVE: Court documents reveal startling new developments in Amy Mihaljevic murder investigation
In an investigation that’s been ongoing for 31 years, physical evidence, witness accounts and suspicious statements are among the new developments found in court documents recently filed in connection with the kidnapping and murder case of Amy Mihaljevic.
www.news5cleveland.com
steeltowngirl
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I wasn’t aware of the Renner book, and I’m sorry to hear that an innocent family was smeared. I made the suggestion above about investigating persons that might have had connections to both - the stables and the Nature Center - mainly thinking mutual patrons or volunteers.
That said, your point is well taken. I can’t speak to Renner’s writings as I have not read them, but it sounds like he may have crossed lines in his pursuit to find Amy’s killer and keep the case alive.
Renner himself might now agree.
“Over time, Renner began to see his quest for what it was: an unhealthy compulsion, especially now that he has a family. Besides, for all the sleepless nights and close calls the case brought him, it remains unsolved.
He boxed up his notes and donated them to his alma mater, Kent State University, where they are housed in the Special Collections and Archives.”
As of 2021:
“Five On Your Side Investigators tried calling and texting the man in question to ask him about the case. He never responded.
Police said he’s currently homeless and living in his car.”
EXCLUSIVE: Court documents reveal startling new developments in Amy Mihaljevic murder investigation
In an investigation that’s been ongoing for 31 years, physical evidence, witness accounts and suspicious statements are among the new developments found in court documents recently filed in connection with the kidnapping and murder case of Amy Mihaljevic.
This seemed like a viable suspect, JMO, especially regarding how he came to know Amy's mother, information about her job and Amy. Apparently there wasn't enough evidence to pursue a conviction.
Regarding those other calls I don't know in what order they were received or if it even matters. It's possible this individual knew Amy's mother and made the other calls just to throw off investigators. I hope that was at least considered a possibility. It might also help to know how Amy got into riding. This was pre-internet so was it some kind of media or was it another person...and if so, who was that person?One stable where Amy rode was Holly Hill Farms. We also know that several of the girls who received deceptive phone calls similar to the one Amy received had visited the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. Would be interesting to know if LE investigated persons who might have had a connection to both places.
The Coldest Case
16 years after Amy Mihaljevic vanished, the hunt for her killer presses on.
Amy probably got into riding because other girls at school, church, etc. were doing the same. We lived in Bay at that time and the riding place she went to was a popular activity for some kids in Bay. It remained popular, even after her abduction.
steeltowngirl
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Another possibility about the phone calls - where did the Nature Center log go?
“That routine involved the Lake Erie Nature Science Center in Bay Village – free to the public, just up the road. Inside, the center had a guest book where visitors voluntarily wrote their name and address. When Amy's case came to light, the book could no longer be found.
It was missing, though no one knows what exactly happened to it. Other girls had received phone calls. The common thread? The science center. In those days, you signed in when you went, just beyond the front door. And again, the girls who got calls had signed that book.”
Amy Should Be Forty: A look back on the murder case of Bay Village's Amy Mihaljevic
Amy Mihaljevic was 10 when she was taken from a Bay Village shopping plaza in 1989. Thirty years later, her murder remains unsolved.
www.wkyc.com
I keep wondering how this individual knew Amy's mother worked and if Margaret really received a promotion or if that was just part of the ruse? He obviously had seen Amy enough to want her, without Amy noticing him. If Amy had seen or known this individual from a previous encounter, she would've recognized him at the shopping center as not being a coworker of her mothers. This suggests it was either an actual coworker or a complete stranger (to Amy) that somehow knew her mother worked. Assuming it was not an actual coworker what kind of place or activity would allow an individual to watch or observe a child without being noticed and also converse with the parent long enough to find out if they worked? Or maybe this information was available on a form as an emergency contact? Who would have access to this kind of information?
steeltowngirl
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I’ve been thinking about that also.
Amy’s dad, Mark, was a car salesman. Her mother, Margaret, sold ads for cars at a paper called the “Trading Times,” which carried all kinds of classifieds.
[…]
To this day, the phone call Amy received remains a critical detail. Her mom hadn't received a promotion, just a different job at the paper. Investigators believe that phone call led to the fateful meeting between Amy and her killer.
Amy Should Be Forty: A look back on the murder case of Bay Village's Amy Mihaljevic
Amy Mihaljevic was 10 when she was taken from a Bay Village shopping plaza in 1989. Thirty years later, her murder remains unsolved.
www.wkyc.com
The main problem with a potential coworker doing this is that if they were absent that day or ducked out early, you'd think other employees and/or investigators would've noticed it.
At this point it looks like there are at least three main suspects.
1. Number one appears to be the former science teacher. I'm not going to mention his name, but the guy was a middle school science teacher at another school 20-30 minutes away from Bay Village when Amy disappeared. He was never married and often worked 16-hour days at the middle school. Apparently, he had snakes, fish and rodents in his classroom and would sometimes donate extra mice to the nature center in Bay Village. This individual also had a small room with a cot in it next to the classroom. Students would sometimes stay after class (and show up on weekends) to help clean reptile and fish tanks for 'extra credit'. He not only looks exactly like the composite sketch, but he also drove a gold Pontiac Grand Prix. Gold fibers were found on Amy's clothing after she was recovered in Ashland County. This individual also grew up on a farm in New London a couple miles from where Amy was found. He also had lots of relatives that lived in and around the New London area including his mother. I'm not going to type all the other interesting details about this guy because you can read all about them online. Suspect number one is currently 79 years old living in Key West, Florida.
2. Number two appears to be a guy (mentioned a few posts above) I'll call 'the Ex' because the former girlfriend of this guy identified him as a suspect in January 2019. Why she waited this long I have no idea but maybe she was afraid of him I don't know. When Amy disappeared, this guy lived with the girlfriend less than a mile and a half from the Bay Village shopping center. In a sworn affidavit, the former girlfriend said the man did not come home the night Amy disappeared. This was highly unusual according to her. She also claims he called her around 10PM that night and asked her if she was aware of the news coverage of Amy's disappearance. She also claimed she travelled with the man to Ashland County "on one or more trips". According to investigators, the man's appearance in 1989 was consistent with two major suspect composites obtained via witness interviews. This man also drove a gold Oldsmobile with a tan interior in 1989. Now even if you discount the former girlfriend, this next part is more than a little interesting. According to court records, an FBI agent noted a gold Oldsmobile registered to the man drove through an intersection near where Amy's body was dumped on the day she was discovered. A Bay Village detective wrote, “investigation has not been able to show any reason(s) why [the man] should have been near Amy Mihaljevic’s body recovery site on 2/8/1990.” According to police, the woman also told investigators that the man said his niece and brother’s family knew Amy. Police also said the man’s niece was the same age and in the same grade as Amy. Suspect is currently 66 years old and homeless/living in his car.
3. Number three was apparently a middle school math teacher at one point and the brother of Amy's riding instructor. I couldn't find any other info about this individual so that's all I really know about him.
At this point it looks like there are at least three main suspects.
1. Number one appears to be the former science teacher. I'm not going to mention his name, but the guy was a middle school science teacher at another school 20-30 minutes away from Bay Village when Amy disappeared. He was never married and often worked 16-hour days at the middle school. Apparently, he had snakes, fish and rodents in his classroom and would sometimes donate extra mice to the nature center in Bay Village. This individual also had a small room with a cot in it next to the classroom. Students would sometimes stay after class (and show up on weekends) to help clean reptile and fish tanks for 'extra credit'. He not only looks exactly like the composite sketch, but he also drove a gold Pontiac Grand Prix. Gold fibers were found on Amy's clothing after she was recovered in Ashland County. This individual also grew up on a farm in New London a couple miles from where Amy was found. He also had lots of relatives that lived in and around the New London area including his mother. I'm not going to type all the other interesting details about this guy because you can read all about them online. Suspect number one is currently 79 years old living in Key West, Florida.
2. Number two appears to be a guy (mentioned a few posts above) I'll call 'the Ex' because the former girlfriend of this guy identified him as a suspect in January 2019. Why she waited this long I have no idea but maybe she was afraid of him I don't know. When Amy disappeared, this guy lived with the girlfriend less than a mile and a half from the Bay Village shopping center. In a sworn affidavit, the former girlfriend said the man did not come home the night Amy disappeared. This was highly unusual according to her. She also claims he called her around 10PM that night and asked her if she was aware of the news coverage of Amy's disappearance. She also claimed she travelled with the man to Ashland County "on one or more trips". According to investigators, the man's appearance in 1989 was consistent with two major suspect composites obtained via witness interviews. This man also drove a gold Oldsmobile with a tan interior in 1989. Now even if you discount the former girlfriend, this next part is more than a little interesting. According to court records, an FBI agent noted a gold Oldsmobile registered to the man drove through an intersection near where Amy's body was dumped on the day she was discovered. A Bay Village detective wrote, “investigation has not been able to show any reason(s) why [the man] should have been near Amy Mihaljevic’s body recovery site on 2/8/1990.” According to police, the woman also told investigators that the man said his niece and brother’s family knew Amy. Police also said the man’s niece was the same age and in the same grade as Amy. Suspect is currently 66 years old and homeless/living in his car.
3. Number three was apparently a middle school math teacher at one point and the brother of Amy's riding instructor. I couldn't find any other info about this individual so that's all I really know about him.
Number 2 is the one I suspect. The way in which he was acquainted with Amy’s mother seemed the most likely way for him to know personal details about the mother and Amy. Amy’s mom used to frequent a local bar. The girlfriend of #2 said he got to know her there as she talked about her job and family.
Back then, Bay Village published a city phone directory in which families listed the names of everyone in the family, including children. LE felt that could have been a source of information for the killer.
You read about Number 1 and you wonder, "how can that NOT be the guy". Then you read about Number 2 and you say the same thing. Maybe Number 1 was just trying to hide the fact he was gay? It would explain a lot.
Has anybody considered going to some of the assisted living homes in Bay Village, New London, etc... with a picture of that curtain and maybe asking around to see if anybody remembers seeing it (or others like it) somewhere? What about some of the older relatives of the suspect(s)? If I lived in the area, I think I'd do that before I got on a plane to confront a suspect in Key West, FL.
When news broke a couple years ago about #2, it made me think the real killer may be someone who hasn't been on LE's radar.
Look at Rex Heuermann, suspect in the murders of 4 women on Long Island (LISK). He wasn't on anyone's radar until a decade after the womens' bodies were discovered. It's still possible Amy's killer is someone LE looked at many years ago who was never considered a serious suspect.