OH OH - Amy Mihaljevic, 10, Bay Village, 27 Oct 1989

[snowblossom2]

I wonder why they didn't ask about these things when her body was found, considering they were so close to the body

 

[gregjrichards]

I wonder why they didn't ask about these things when her body was found, considering they were so close to the body

Good question. It's a great pity Amy's mom is no longer alive to see if she recognised these items in someone else's home.

 

[kemo]

This new information is potentially significant. A few points from the top of my head.

The curtain and blanket were found 14 ft from the body and 10 ft apart. Until the dog hairs were found, it was by no means clear they had anything to do with the case. Publicizing them might have created a red herring. Since Amy was abducted right after she left school before she got home, these items did not come from her home. Presumably they were items the abductor had or obtained.

Some male DNA was obtained from the scene where the body was found. It has not been disclosed exactly from where it was recovered but, with the amount of decomposition that would have occurred, it is unlikely it was found in Amy's body. More likely it was found on some fabric associated with the body. If this were the case, we can not be certain it came from the killer. If it came from one of these items, the odds of it being the killer have greatly increased.

There are perhaps five "suspects". It would stand to reason that DNA would have been obtained from all of them and presumably there was no match. It is noteworthy that Chief Spatzel said that the perpetrator would be in his 50's or 60's as DR, the best known POI is now over 70.

Right now they seem to be hoping that someone recognizes the curtain, but after 27 years ??

 

[Owutatangledweb]

The color of the curtains and blanket make me think hunting cabin.

 

[Betty P]

This new information is potentially significant. A few points from the top of my head.

The curtain and blanket were found 14 ft from the body and 10 ft apart. Until the dog hairs were found, it was by no means clear they had anything to do with the case. Publicizing them might have created a red herring. Since Amy was abducted right after she left school before she got home, these items did not come from her home. Presumably they were items the abductor had or obtained.

Some male DNA was obtained from the scene where the body was found. It has not been disclosed exactly from where it was recovered but, with the amount of decomposition that would have occurred, it is unlikely it was found in Amy's body. More likely it was found on some fabric associated with the body. If this were the case, we can not be certain it came from the killer. If it came from one of these items, the odds of it being the killer have greatly increased.

There are perhaps five "suspects". It would stand to reason that DNA would have been obtained from all of them and presumably there was no match. It is noteworthy that Chief Spatzel said that the perpetrator would be in his 50's or 60's as DR, the best known POI is now over 70.

Right now they seem to be hoping that someone recognizes the curtain, but after 27 years ??

It would be very unusual for a child abductor/murderer to be age 50 or 60. According to our Rich Kelley here at WS, the majority are usually late 20's to 30's. Wonder how they figured this perp was so much older?

ETA: Nevermind. I read the transcript. The detective says he would be that age today, which puts him in the average age range.

 

[kemo]

I watched a Cleveland TV documentary on Amy's case on You Tube last night and I was struck by the image of Amy's body where it was found. It was found on the edge of a field of corn stubble where it was very visible from the road. There is no way that her body had been there all winter. In all probability it had been placed there right before it was found. Moving the body so that it will be found is not unheard of but it is unusual and counterintuitive. A murderer is always better of if the body is never found. The only point in moving the body would be to renew media attention to the crime.

Amy abduction has always been treated as a "one off" crime because there have been no other child abductions at all similar in that region. There was one however, still unsolved, that is very similar. The similarity that particularly caught my attention was the fact that the body remained undetected until the perpetrator apparently moved it to a spot where it was soon found.

The Case I am referring to is that of Christine Jessop age 9,which has an active Web Sleauth following on this very thread. Christine was abducted 5 years earlier in rural Ontario just north of Toronto. It has never been established how or even where she was abducted but LE has speculated that she may have been taken from her home using some sort of rouse, possibly involving her father who was serving a short jail sentence at the time.

These two crimes were committed in different countries but there were not that far apart. I wonder if the possible connection has ever been considered?

 

[Betty P]

I watched a Cleveland TV documentary on Amy's case on You Tube last night and I was struck by the image of Amy's body where it was found. It was found on the edge of a field of corn stubble where it was very visible from the road. There is no way that her body had been there all winter. In all probability it had been placed there right before it was found. Moving the body so that it will be found is not unheard of but it is unusual and counterintuitive. A murderer is always better of if the body is never found. The only point in moving the body would be to renew media attention to the crime.

Amy abduction has always been treated as a "one off" crime because there have been no other child abductions at all similar in that region. There was one however, still unsolved, that is very similar. The similarity that particularly caught my attention was the fact that the body remained undetected until the perpetrator apparently moved it to a spot where it was soon found.

The Case I am referring to is that of Christine Jessop age 9,which has an active Web Sleauth following on this very thread. Christine was abducted 5 years earlier in rural Ontario just north of Toronto. It has never been established how or even where she was abducted but LE has speculated that she may have been taken from her home using some sort of rouse, possibly involving her father who was serving a short jail sentence at the time.

These two crimes were committed in different countries but there were not that far apart. I wonder if the possible connection has ever been considered?

Yes, I recall LE said her body had been somewhere else before being found. I don't recall many details that were released about her body.

Not sure about a serial killer from Canada, though anything is possible. Dean Runkle seemed the most likely suspect. His family lived close to where Amy's body was found, its possible he could have kept it there, moving it later. DNA was gathered from some suspects in 2006, but nothing has been mentioned WRT a match.

The only thing I heard from someone who lived in BV at the time (we moved there after she was abducted, but before she was found in Ashland Co, OH) was about a suspicious van that was parked on a side street in the days before the abduction. A friend of mine lived in the house at the intersection (about 4 blocks from where Amy was abducted) and noted the same van parked in front of his house at the same time (early afternoon) several days in a row. He became suspicious and went out to talk to the man to see what he wanted. Before he could get to the window of the van, the guy saw him and sped off. A couple of days later, Amy was kidnapped. He reported it to LE, but they ended up questioning him as a suspect (he was cleared). Years later he was still bothered by it, thinking it was info that LE should have followed up on.


I wonder if we could get Rich Kelley to look at this case for us?

 

[Betty P]

Link to a series of Crime Stopper videos that has all the information about the case

[video=vimeo;51561799]https://vimeo.com/51561799[/video]

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I feel like I wish we had an expert seamstress on this thread. I definitely don't fall into that category. Was trying to look at the curtain as Tornsey was standing next to it. I wanted to get a guess about how tall the curtain is and how tall it would have been without the horizontically-oriented piece added to it. Thinking about what size window would be covered by a curtain like that.

 

[Sutton]

I watched a Cleveland TV documentary on Amy's case on You Tube last night and I was struck by the image of Amy's body where it was found. It was found on the edge of a field of corn stubble where it was very visible from the road. There is no way that her body had been there all winter. In all probability it had been placed there right before it was found. Moving the body so that it will be found is not unheard of but it is unusual and counterintuitive. A murderer is always better of if the body is never found. The only point in moving the body would be to renew media attention to the crime.

RSBM. James Renner discussed Amy's case on the podcast True Crime Garage in March 2016. He says (at 39:45ish) that Amy's body had probably been covered with snow all winter, which is why she wasn't seen earlier on. I don't know if that's right, just throwing it out there.

The podcast is worth listening to: it has interesting details that weren't in the book. True Crime Garage episodes are free for 3-4 months after their release, then they go into archives and are available for a small fee on their website. Amy's episode is still free at this point.

 

[Betty P]

RSBM. James Renner discussed Amy's case on the podcast True Crime Garage in March 2016. He says (at 39:45ish) that Amy's body had probably been covered with snow all winter, which is why she wasn't seen earlier on. I don't know if that's right, just throwing it out there.

The podcast is worth listening to: it has interesting details that weren't in the book. True Crime Garage episodes are free for 3-4 months after their release, then they go into archives and are available for a small fee on their website. Amy's episode is still free at this point.

Thanks for the info. I just checked their web site and didn't find it available for listening. Can you post a link? As for Amy's body being covered with snow all winter, that seems somewhat likely, but any northern Ohio winter has periods of no snow. From news reports I've seen, it appears it was close to the road. Don't know. LE has said little to nothing about that aspect.

 

[Betty P]

I feel like I wish we had an expert seamstress on this thread. I definitely don't fall into that category. Was trying to look at the curtain as Tornsey was standing next to it. I wanted to get a guess about how tall the curtain is and how tall it would have been without the horizontically-oriented piece added to it. Thinking about what size window would be covered by a curtain like that.

Here's an article that states the dimensions. Has a little more detail than the others

The tab-top curtain appears to be repurposed from bedding or a bed covering. It measures 68 inches long and 27 inches wide. Torsney described the stitching pattern as distinctive with the pattern on the top rotated 90 degrees from the pattern on the bottom.

http://www.richlandsource.com/ashland_source/authorities-hope-curtain-blanket-may-crack-amy-mihaljevic-case/article_cd7798a6-3969-11e6-a232-73d2fff73b1c.html

This article states the same thing I read in the comment section of another media news story - that the curtain appeared to be "repurposed" from an old bed cover or bedspread.

It could have come from a home where someone sewed it together, or might have been bought at a yard sale, etc. Also, tab-top curtains weren't all that popular back then, as I recall. They became more popular later. I would think the tabs would require some advanced sewing skills to make them even and uniform.

68 inches isn't a standard length, I wonder if they didn't include the tabs in the measurement. Standard curtain lengths are 63, 84, 96, 108 and 120 inches.

It makes me think it wasn't a standard size window, leaning towards an older home. I'll admit, I've already scoped out RSO's in the Ashland County area to see how many live in older homes. I realize it's been a long time, but anything is possible. Seeing some of the RSO's in the area, there are a couple who, 27 yrs ago, could fit the description. I wonder if LE has had a strong suspect for many years, but not enough evidence to indict.

 

[pittsburghgirl]

Regarding the curtain length, it could be for a window that would take a 63-inch curtain but the person doing the sewing was working with available fabric, not "standard length."

 

[Owutatangledweb]

I am posting a bunch of screen shots of the curtains from a news broadcast. There are a few seamstresses here at WS that were posting in the buckskin girl thread and in the Granby thread. I will post Amy's link in both threads and ask them to jump in. Just can't remember who they are.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

A few more screenshots:

 

[Sutton]

Thanks for the info. I just checked their web site and didn't find it available for listening. Can you post a link? As for Amy's body being covered with snow all winter, that seems somewhat likely, but any northern Ohio winter has periods of no snow. From news reports I've seen, it appears it was close to the road. Don't know. LE has said little to nothing about that aspect.

I can't find the episode on their website either. It's available here:

https://player.fm/series/true-crime-garage-181701/amy-mihaljevic-22

Or iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-garage/id1062418176?mt=2n

Or on YouTube (audio only):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dnoowi2Kxuk

 

[carbuff]

Thanks for pointing me over here.

My first impression is that it's not very well made. The corners aren't very square, the turned-under are at the top is uneven, and the sides of the tabs don't even look like they're finished.

Do any of the screen shots show the bottom of the curtain, where the piece that's at a different angle is sewn on?

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Thanks for pointing me over here.

My first impression is that it's not very well made. The corners aren't very square, the turned-under are at the top is uneven, and the sides of the tabs don't even look like they're finished.

Do any of the screen shots show the bottom of the curtain, where the piece that's at a different angle is sewn on?

Keep in mind that the curtains have been in an evidence storage for almost 27 years. That may be why the tabs look a bit frayed. I'll go back and look at the video and see if I can get any screen shots of the bottom.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Thanks for pointing me over here.

My first impression is that it's not very well made. The corners aren't very square, the turned-under are at the top is uneven, and the sides of the tabs don't even look like they're finished.

Do any of the screen shots show the bottom of the curtain, where the piece that's at a different angle is sewn on?

I think it's the top of the curtain that has the horizontally-oriented piece. The picture on this link shows this pretty clearly if I'm correct: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/...rtain-blanket-help-crack-amy-mihaljevic-case/

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Here is the broadcast:

http://www.cleveland19.com/story/32...ps-and-calls-about-amy-mihaljevic-murder-case