OH OH - Kelly Prosser, 8, Columbus, 20 Sept 1982

[nerosleuth]

Here are my own observations about the Dukat and Prosser murder cases that occurred in the Columbus, Ohio area during the early 1980's.

I noticed the following similarities and differences between the two homicide cases.


Similarities:

Asenath Louise Dukat and Kelly Ann Prosser were both 8 years old.

Both girls lived in Franklin County.

Both girls had brown hair.

Both girls were in the third grade in elementary school.

Both girls were walking home alone after school when they disappeared.

Both girls were last seen by their classmates walking home alone after school.

Both girls were abducted during the first half of the week.

Both girls were abducted, assaulted, and murdered.

Before both girls were abducted, their attacker had attempted to abduct other girls days earlier but were unsuccessful.

Differences:

Asenath Louise Dukat lived in Upper Arlington.

Kelly Ann Prosser lived in Columbus.

Asenath Louise Dukat was murdered a week before the school year ended for the summer.

Kelly Ann Prosser was murdered two weeks after the school year had started.

Asenath Louise Dukat was killed by blunt force trauma to her head.

Kelly Ann Prosser was killed by strangulation.

Asenath Louise Dukat was raped by her attacker.

Kelly Ann Prosser was sexually assaulted but not raped by her attacker.

Asenath Louise Dukat’s body was found in a culvert and 1/8 of a mile away from her home.

Kelly Ann Prosser’s body was found in a cornfield and 25 miles away from her home.

Kelly Ann Prosser was murdered 27 months after Asenath Louise Dukat was murdered.

The area where Asenath Louise Dukat body was found was less than 1/8 of a mile east of U.S. Route 33 (Riverside Drive) in Upper Arlington in Franklin County and it is also close to the Scioto River.

The area where Kelly Ann Prosser body was found was a little over two miles west of U.S. Route 42 (A.W. Wilson Road) in Madison County.

 

[December]

Why a metal bolt in her raincoat pocket?

 

[December]

In the photo that shows the roped off area (where Kelly Ann was found), why are all those vehicles parked so close? Isn't that a dirt or gravel road? There might have been evidence before 40 cars drove all over it.

 

[nerosleuth]

Why a metal bolt in her raincoat pocket?

In the photo that shows the roped off area (where Kelly Ann was found), why are all those vehicles parked so close? Isn't that a dirt or gravel road? There might have been evidence before 40 cars drove all over it.

I don't know why there was a metal bolt in her raincoat pocket.

I do wonder what kind of a metal bolt was found in her raincoat pocket. That could be an important clue about her killer.

About the vehicles in the photo, I believe they're parked on A.W. Wilson Road. I don't think the road the vehicles were on are a dirt or gravel road.

A lot of the rural county roads in Ohio aren't wide and they're narrow country roads.

 

[December]

I don't know why there was a metal bolt in her raincoat pocket.

I do wonder what kind of a metal bolt was found in her raincoat pocket. That could be an important clue about her killer.

About the vehicles in the photo, I believe they're parked on A.W. Wilson Road. I don't think the road the vehicles were on are a dirt or gravel road.

A lot of the rural county roads in Ohio aren't wide and they're narrow country roads.

I thought it might. It could be part of how she was strangled. Her raincoat was obviously purposely tossed in the road.

Thanks for the information about the road. I was just thinking it was maybe a road on the farm's property.

 

[nerosleuth]

You were wondering if they were connected yes?

The investigation revealed that Kelly had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled.

The investigation revealed that Asenath had been raped, strangled, and beaten

Kelly left the Indianola Alternative School for a walk of 15 blocks from the school to her home... Kelly was last seen at 3:30 p.m.

Asenath left Barrington Elementary School at 3:10 p.m. and began the 12 block walk home from school.

One occured when school ended for the summer.

And the other after school had started early in the fall.

Columbus Police, Franklin County and Madison County sheriff deputies, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and police dogs from Upper Arlington joined in the search for Kelly.

Three hours after Asenath was reported missing, her body was found in a drainage ditch near the corner of Riverside Drive and Waltham Road in Upper Arlington, less than one block from her home.

Yes, I've always wondered if they two cases were connected. I also wondered if we had a SK in the Columbus area back then and didn't know about it.

I fear that there was a predator going after girls and school girls in the Ohio Valley region during the 1980's.

Check out the case of Cherrie Ann Mahan. Cherrie is another 8 year old school girl that disappeared going home after school in 1985 outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She was never found.


PA PA - Cherrie Ann Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985 *merged* - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[nerosleuth]

Here's an attachment showing a map of North High Street in Columbus from the Ohio State University area to the Whetstone Park of Roses area. I also have a closeup of the map on a microsoft word document as well.

On the top part of the map, you'll see the Whetstone Park of Roses between North Broadway and Henderson Road on the top part of the map.

On the bottom part of the map, you'll see the route that Kelly took going from home after school.

The Green Circle is the Indianola Alternative School where Kelly Ann Prosser attended.

The Blue Line is the route Kelly walked from her school to where she was last seen.

The Purple Line is where Kelly was supposed to have completed her route walking home.

The Black Square is where Kelly was last seen by her classmates after school.

The Red Square is where Kelly was reportedly seen getting into a red pickup truck.

The Green Square is Kelly’s home.

 

[nerosleuth]

We know that Kelly Ann Prosser was last seen by her classmates on East 16th Avenue at about 3:30 p.m. as she was walking towards the North High Street intersection in the University area.

I want to give everyone an idea about North High Street along the route that Kelly took when she walked home after school.

On the west side of North High Street, from 10th Avenue going north towards Lane Avenue, is the Ohio State University campus.

On the east side of North High Street from 10th Avenue going north towards Lane Avenue, a variety of store front businesses are along that stretch. Such as bars, fast food joints, and specialty shops catering to the college crowd. A majority of college students live in off campus housing on streets east of North High Street.

At that time of the afternoon, there were a lot of college students walking on both sides of North High Street, going to and from the university campus. Vehicular traffic on North High Street was heavy in that area.

Once you went north of Lane Avenue on North High Street, apartments and store fronts are on both sides of North High Street. There were pedestrians and heavy vehicular traffic along that section of the route Kelly took walking home after school.

We know that the police dog lost Kelly’s scent at Maynard Avenue and North High Street. We also know that a woman eyewitness who reportedly saw Kelly Ann Prosser entering a red pickup truck in that area. What we don’t know is which Maynard Avenue Kelly was last seen at.

There is East Maynard Ave & North High Street. And there is West Maynard Ave & North High Street. Both streets are half a block apart from each other on North High Street.

On the west side of North High Street at West Maynard Ave, there is a funeral home at that intersection.

On the east side of North High Street at East Maynard Ave, there are store fronts with a parking lot near that intersection.

I honestly don’t know where Kelly entered the red pickup truck at. I don’t know if she entered the red pickup truck on Maynard Avenue, on North High Street, or from the store front parking lot at that intersection.

What we also don’t know is how long it was after Kelly’s abduction before the woman eyewitness finally revealed her information about Kelly and the red pickup truck.

Was the person in the red pickup truck someone that the woman eyewitness knew or had seen in the neighborhood before?

Was it the same red pickup truck? A few days before Kelly Ann Prosser was abducted, the Columbus Dispatch reported that a man in a red pickup truck with a camper on the back abducted another 8 year old girl in that area. We don’t know if the red pickup truck that Kelly was seen entering into also had a camper.

Was the person in the red pickup truck someone that Kelly knew? Or did that person use a weapon and forced Kelly into his pickup truck?

I honestly don’t know if a composite sketch was ever made of the suspect in the red pickup truck after the abductions of the other 8 year old girl and Kelly in that area.

My best guess regarding the red pickup truck with the camper is maybe the suspect was an outdoorsman, or his occupation was in the construction trades. Or it was a convenient vehicle to take and attack his victims at a secluded area somewhere.

I know there are lots of questions that we don’t have the answers to when thinking about this case. You just can’t help but wonder if there was something about this case that had been overlooked.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Yes, I've always wondered if they two cases were connected. I also wondered if we had a SK in the Columbus area back then and didn't know about it.

I fear that there was a predator going after girls and school girls in the Ohio Valley region during the 1980's.

Check out the case of Cherrie Ann Mahan. Cherrie is another 8 year old school girl that disappeared going home after school in 1985 outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She was never found.


PA PA - Cherrie Ann Mahan, 8, Cabot, 22 Feb 1985 *merged* - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

I wont be able to read all you have posted until the weekend. But wanted to jump in here and respond.....AND its just a guess on my part.

I believe he stalked the schools before choosing his victim. He would set and watch and see whom walked home alone and whom with groups etc etc.
Once he learned the girls routine on walking home alone, he drove the route in his vehicle and looked for a spot he was comfortable with to stop and wait on the girls to get within the area. He would take them by the arm and walk them back to his vehicle. To see what I mean look for the Carly video from Florida, when she was taken from the car wash that was caught on tape. That is what i am describing. ......Thank you for all your information you posted, i will look at it all this weekend........

Off thread......Disappointed I read the male witness has died. I would like to know, or believe that at some point over time they did eventually have him and maybe the wife to come in for that test...Though we probably will never know which is a disappointment.

 

[MissJ]

Wow! I remember this case well as I lived about an hours drive away at that time. I did not know it had never been solved! Horrible that a man was implicated via news reports. I did wonder at the time if there was a serial killer in the Ohio, Pa, Indiana etc areas at the time. Sad so many unsolved cases. Thanks for opening this thread.

 

[margarita25]

Kelly Ann Prosser was an 8 year old third grade student at Indianola Alternative School in Columbus, Ohio. Kelly Ann Prosser had brown hair. The new school year had started a few weeks earlier for Kelly Ann Prosser.

On the afternoon of Monday September 20, 1982, school was let out for the day. Kelly left the Indianola Alternative School for a walk of 15 blocks from the school to her home on West Tompkins Avenue in the North Side of Columbus.

Kelly was last seen at 3:30 p.m. walking westbound on East 16th Avenue near the corner of East 16th Avenue and North High Street by her third grade classmates.

Kelly also was last seen at the intersection of Lane Avenue and North High Street walking home that day.

On the day she disappeared, Kelly was wearing blue jeans, white and pink flower blouse, gray tennis shoes, and a light and dark blue reversible raincoat.

Kelly’s mother called Columbus Police before 6:00 p.m. to report her daughter missing when Kelly didn’t return home from school. Police interviewed Kelly’s friends and relatives but they had no clues to her whereabouts.

Columbus Police launched a search for Kelly after 6:00 p.m. that Monday evening due to concerns about the girl’s age and the fact that another incident had occurred on Friday September 17 in the North Side neighborhood in which a man attempted to abduct an 8 year old girl.

In the September 17 incident, a man attempted to abduct another 8 year old girl. The man was driving an older model red pickup truck with a camper on the back of the truck and let the girl escape when he was frightened by another motorist.

Two Columbus Police officers on patrol on North High Street saw an older man walking with a younger girl on North High Street between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue at about 9:00 p.m. that Monday evening.

The younger girl wore similar clothing and appeared to match the physical description of Kelly Ann Prosser. But the two Columbus Police officers did not stop to question them at that time on account that the girl appeared to know the older man that was with her.

Kelly Ann Prosser was still missing the next day on Tuesday September 21, 1982. A large organized search for Kelly by police and volunteers was launched in an area bounded by E. North Broadway, Indianola Avenue, E. 11th Avenue, and Olentangy River Road. Aided by a German shepherd police dog, searched vacant buildings, garbage cans, and trash dumpsters.

A police dog was able to track Kelly Ann Prosser’s scent from where she left elementary school on the day that she disappeared.

The police dog lost Kelly’s scent near North High Street and Maynard Avenue.

On that same day on Tuesday September 21, 1982, a motorist driving on A.W. Wilson Road about a mile west of U.S. Route 42 and five miles south of Plain City in rural Madison County spotted a light and dark blue reversible raincoat in the middle of the road.

It wasn’t until later that Tuesday evening that Columbus Police was contacted by the motorist who found the raincoat and connected the raincoat to the disappearance of Kelly Ann Prosser.

The finding of the raincoat in rural Madison County increased fears for Kelly’s safety as Columbus Police believed she had been abducted after she left school on Monday afternoon.

On the morning of Wednesday September 22, 1982, a search for Kelly Ann Prosser was conducted in rural Madison County along A.W. Wilson Road in the area where her raincoat was found.

Columbus Police, Franklin County and Madison County sheriff deputies, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and police dogs from Upper Arlington joined in the search for Kelly.

The body of Kelly Ann Prosser was found later that afternoon by a state highway patrol trooper in a cornfield about a mile away from where her raincoat was found on A.W. Wilson Road.

The investigation revealed that Kelly had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled.

No one has ever been arrested in connection with the abduction and murder of Kelly Ann Prosser and the case remains unsolved to this day.

Sources:


http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/09/20/1982-abduction-slaying-never-solved.html

Thank you nerosleuth.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Carlie Brucia Abduction - YouTube

And her name is Carlie Brucia. Sorry for the misinformation.
​

 

[jenstar]

call me stupid, but i can't read the maps. maybe its just too much info to process. i don't think there's anything wrong with them it's something with the way my brain is processing this info. Can I get a map that shows her route home, pinpointing where the dogs lost her scent and then cross referencing that with the most likly route to hwy 71 leading to where her body was found?
TIA
I have a feeling that the person lived within a 10 mile radius from where she was abducted. He seems calculating. And knew that he was dumping her AWAY from his home in the most rural area he could find so he wouldn't be seen. I also guess-timate that he was not a bad looking man probably in his late 20s early 30s. Grew up on a farm, probably near the recovery spot, and then moved to the city. Hence the pre-concieved knowledge of the most likely place he wouldn't get caught putting her body. This,of course is my pure speculation and MOO.

 

[Kat]

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday September 23, 1982

Mother’s Worst Fears Confirmed

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article published on Thursday September 23, 1982, the newspaper article had an aerial photo of the crime scene where the body of Kelly Ann Prosser was found in a rural Madison County cornfield.

The Madison County Sheriff said that the body of Kelly Ann Prosser was found in a cornfield about two miles west of U.S Route 42 off of A.W. Wilson Road by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper who was searching the area.

The sheriff said that Kelly was fully clothed with her shoes, socks, pants, and underwear on, there were no obvious signs of gunshot wounds or knife wounds, and they didn’t know how long she had been there.

There were no obvious footprints around the body or left in the field of unharvested corn. The sheriff said that tire tracks in a neighboring field appear to be related to farm work.

The news article said that there were 11 homes on A.W. Wilson Road which runs between U.S. Route 42 and Lafayette-Plain City Road. Kelly’s body was found just east of 3625 A.W. Wilson Road.

Thank you Nero for letting me know you have been working hard on these cases.

I haven't signed onto WS for quite some time (I am in my senior year in college and am very busy with that as of now).

I did read all three of your threads and one thing that stood out to me about this particular case is where Kelly Ann's body was found.

In my mind that is an odd place to dispose of a deceased victim. She probably was abducted from "The police dog lost Kelly’s scent near North High Street and Maynard Avenue" (Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - OH OH - Kelly Ann Prosser, 8, Columbus, Murdered In Sept 1982).

The abduction would be the first crime scene, the second crime scene would be where the assault took place, and the third would be where her body was found.

Why that third place? If we look at the terrain outside of the city (even taking into consideration that google maps reflect changes to roads and buildings that have come to pass since her murder and are not representative of how this area looked in 1982) even to this day, it's an odd choice in my opinion.

The aerial crime scene photo you supplied seems to indicate she was found not far off road.

I think the choice of this location boggles me because it seems to be so remote from the beaten path and a satellite view of Google maps shows that there are numerous other places in which to dispose of a body that would seem to be a logical choice.

I think it's impossible to predict why this place was chosen. But, I do think that it's very interesting and odd. The questions that come to mind are: did the murderer have knowledge of this place prior to placing Kelly Ann there? In other words, had (s)he been out there beforehand? Also if one is going to travel outside of the city area to dispose of a body then why chose a location that is only a 30 minute drive? If one has a car in order to do this then why not travel to a state park located nearby (there are a couple from what I can see). I think that whatever reasons this place was chosen is a direct reflection on who committed the crime and any constraints of time or means of transportation they may have had (was this car owned by the murderer? was it a borrowed car? Did this murderer have a limited amount of time in which to dispose of the body because of family obligations, job, and etc?).

That's just something I'm pondering. Thank you again for directing my attention to your threads. I always enjoy reading your work Nero.

 

[deca]

I lived in this area years later 9in the 2000s so am very familiar with her walking route as well as the scene in Upper Arlington of the other little girls murder.

One thing that strikes me right of the bat is how this perp was comfortable in heavy traffic areas. Nerosleuth is right- that area on High street around Lane- at most times of the day but especially around the afternoon there are dozens and dozens (if not a hundred) people walking around. In Upper Arlington- well the sidewalks wouldn't have been that busy- but it is an nicer neighborhood and I bet that the vast majority of homes had someone home (ie a housewife) that time of day, let alone kids playing after school. There might have been a number of people out and about also.

So my conclusion is that this perp was known to the girls somehow OR had a really great story to get them into his car without a struggle. He was obviously confidant.

 

[December]

He would have to be confident, but also kind of nondescript. No one really noticed him talking to Kelly Ann (or approaching her, whatever he did). Maybe he walked up behind her, playing it like they were walking together (to witnesses). but, due to the number of people walking, she didn't realize he was following her until it was too late. then it some point, he got closer to her... maybe even taking her by the shoulders and guiding her in a direction. maybe he said something to her to excuse it like, 'hey coming through' so, she thought it was weird, but just moved ... and then he had her.

speculation only

 

[nerosleuth]

In my mind that is an odd place to dispose of a deceased victim.

I think it's impossible to predict why this place was chosen. But, I do think that it's very interesting and odd.

The questions that come to mind are: did the murderer have knowledge of this place prior to placing Kelly Ann there? In other words, had (s)he been out there beforehand?

Also if one is going to travel outside of the city area to dispose of a body then why chose a location that is only a 30 minute drive? If one has a car in order to do this then why not travel to a state park located nearby (there are a couple from what I can see).

I think that whatever reasons this place was chosen is a direct reflection on who committed the crime and any constraints of time or means of transportation they may have had (was this car owned by the murderer? was it a borrowed car? Did this murderer have a limited amount of time in which to dispose of the body because of family obligations, job, and etc?).

I believe there is a possible explanation as to why the killer didn’t place Kelly’s body at a state park. I think the entrance gates to the state park are closed at night, and park rangers regularly patrol the state park at night. So the killer probably didn’t want to take a chance of getting caught and detained at night by a park ranger.

I may have some ideas why Kelly’s body was found at that location in a rural Madison County cornfield.

The area where Kelly’s body was found is in the northern part of Madison County and five miles south of Plain City. There are Amish and Mennonite families that live in that part of Madison County.

I do wonder if the metal bolt that was found in Kelly’s raincoat pocket could be some kind of a farm machinery bolt.

Not only are there family farmers living in that area, I believe there are also commercial farming operations in that area as well.

Keep in mind that Kelly’s raincoat was found in the middle of the rural road the day before her body was found in the cornfield.

I believe her killer wanted Kelly’s body to be found. I believe her killer could have a background in farming. Her killer knew that the corn stalks in the cornfield would soon be cut down by farm machinery after the fall harvest season was over.

It could be possible that her killer may have been employed at a commercial farming operation somewhere in that area.

 

[nerosleuth]

I recently checked the Columbus newspaper on microfilm at the public library to verify this information.

The north side man that was cleared of having anything to do with the abduction and murder of Kelly Ann Prosser, died in 2004.

 

[Veidt]

Why a metal bolt in her raincoat pocket?

I think that whatever the reason was, it could be important to know what kind of metal bolt it was. I agree with nerosleuth, it could tell us more about the killer. Something that comes to mind is that she may not have picked it up at a farm or anything, but found it while in the truck. Perhaps it may even have falled inside the pocket if the raincoat was crumpled up somewhere. On a scarier and less probably note, it could be a 'signature' of some kind or something symbolic to the killer.

Then again, it could have just been something she found or was given at school/home/the street. This might sound weird but I think it's a possibility. I remember that when I was a kid I'd pick up all kinds of bits and bobs from the ground, like beads, cool-shaped rocks, flowers, metal stuff... I picked up bolts and nails sometimes. I'd keep them in boxes or trade them with friends for similar objects or stuff like pogs and stickers, or give them to my bestest friends. Kids at that age have huge imaginations and are really into 'secrets' that they feel make them special, so even stuff that means nothing to us as adults can be a big treasure to them.

We don’t know if the red pickup truck that Kelly was seen entering into also had a camper.

Was the person in the red pickup truck someone that Kelly knew? Or did that person use a weapon and forced Kelly into his pickup truck?

Snipped by me. Are campers removable from trucks? Maybe the perp knew a camper would be too noticeable after the recent incident so he removed it.

Both of those alternatives are possible. Something else I've thought of is, maybe he lied to her to get her to cooperate, pretending to be a friend of her parents who had been sent to find her for some reason. My parents used to warn me all the time about this scenario (by the time I was a kid people were already very aware of pedophiles and kidnappers) and tell me to not believe it, that if they were late to pick me up from school I should wait with the teacher or that if something happened to them then the cops would be the ones to go find me.

This could mean that he didn't stand out by forcing her into the car but that he wasn't necessarily someone he knew and who would have come to mind to her friends and neighbors.

I also wonder about the truck, could it have been rented? If not in Columbus, then somewhere away from the city like a city nearby or even out of state. If not, then how didn't it stand out so much? I know red pick ups are common but surely people would know that a neighbor had one including one with a camper, especially since I assume there was a description of the kidnapper, they'd see if someone they knew had a truck like that matched that description. Maybe the perp was borrowing it from a friend so nobody put two and two together.

---

I've been thinking about the location where she was found. Do we know she was placed there on the day she was found? Could she have been placed there earlier, perhaps when the raincoat fell out?

The reason I ask this is that if she was only placed there on the day she was found, then the perp could be passing through that area regularly on those days (like if he put the coat on the back of the pick up and then the coat fell off) OR he could have been trying to draw attention to that area, probably to throw LE off as others have suggested. Maybe he even put the coat there on purpose.

If not - that is, if she was placed there earlier than that day but nobody found her right then - what I said above still holds to a degree - he could be familiar with the area, be trying to throw off LE, etc. - but I think this scenario has an extra possibility. Maybe it was en route to somewhere and he was just passing through. Does that road lead somewhere? Would it have been possible to reach another town or a highway from there?

The camper makes me think he could have just been travelling, though in that case I wonder what happened to the camper, maybe he left it with a friend or somewhere remote. Maybe he was a local and just had the camper as a place to hide victims in between kidnapping them and disposing of their bodies. It's a smaller space so easier to wipe out evidence, it can be driven to remote areas easily to avoid attention from neighbors or anyone living with the perp.

Quick question, could forensic analysis tell investigators if a camper was involved? For example, if a fiber found on Kelly's clothes could have been from a standard issue carpet belonging to a certain brand of camper, etc. There's always the possibility the camper had been gutted out and outfited but IMO it could have established a connection and filled in the blank of where Kelly was taken to.

I do believe the two pick up sightings (the one where the girl escaped and Kelly) are connected. Unless there's a serious problem in Columbus of pedophiles all owning red pick up trucks... it sounds very unlikely that two different people with two different red pick ups would have tried to kidnap young girls around the same time of the year.

I wonder if there are more details on the case of the girl who managed to escape? And were the perp's descriptions compared? How did the perp in the case of the girl who escape kidnap her, like what was his MO? If drivers chased the truck, did they get a license plate number?

All my :twocents:, :moo:, etc.

 

[Kell1]

Just so I have this right, a guy "finds" a rain coat in the road and kept it ?