OH OH - Michael Klitch, 12, Grandview Heights, 28 June 1971

[Satch]

Could one of the owners of the quarry nearby also be an owner or involved with the quarry at Alum Creek? Did this person also live in Marble Cliff? This person would certainly know his way around where the body was found and if he lived in Marble Cliff then he was most certainly known. And quite possibly friends with the Klitch family.

I feel there is something here....

UFO Boy,

Good point! Where is the quarry in relation to the Tennis court where Mike was playing, compared to the quarry at Alum Creek Lake. I actually did not know about a nearby quarry, just the one twenty five miles out where Mike's body was found in the shed. I strongly believe that Mike's abductor knew the area well and was a local resident, possibly even within the Marble Cliff Community.

More questions for study:

Do you think anyone could have seen Mike talking to his abductor, or heard anything, and they have just been quiet all these years? Or do you think that any conversation started out on false pretenses because Mike knew his abductor? In this case, the horror of what was happening to Mike was not realized, until he was in the abductors vehicle? My feeling is that the horror did not begin at the tennis court itself. The killers' motive was to get out of the area, or at least out of sight where he would do something bad to Mike at that time. My gut feelings are that Mike knew his abductor and killer.

Or do you think that Mike was exhausted from the heat, walked over to those woods to cool off and was attacked in the woods? Are those woods really "woodsy?" meaning if someone wanted to do something bad to someone, the trees would muffle their screams and cries for help? How big is that wooded area? How far does it extend? This could be the scenario if Mike was attacked by surprise, or even a stranger abduction.

I am discounting the idea that he hopped a train. Mike knew his time on the court was only limited to about forty-five minutes to an hour of play. He would not worry his family like that. He knew his Mother was coming to get him around 3:30 or shortly thereafter. If Mike had planed for some daring or exciting (in his mind) adventure, he would have said something like, "Mom, don't pick me up for about two hours."

If Mike set that special tennis ball down on the court by his own doing, he would certainly intend to return for it. What could have made this a surprise attack with little to no time for Mike to react is if he was attacked from behind or attacked with a weapon, such as the butcher knife at the tennis courts. This could make Mike drop his tennis ball. But there was no evidence of a struggle on the court. It just seems that if the killer used a weapon at that time there would be blood evidence there.

On the other hand, if this was say a 200 lb athletic adult, it may not take much of a struggle at all to lure a 12-year old 85 lb kid away, no blood, nothing found to indicate a struggle in this possible example. Mike could have been forced away by a much stronger individual who could have threatened him if he did not comply. Mike could have been killed with the butcher knife later in a struggle with his killer at another location. I believe that Mike's killer knew that the shed in which Mike's body was found was going to be underwater. Could Mike's killer have sought to burn the other evidence found nearby, but got distracted? (Mike's clothes? Mike's tennis racket?)

I believe Mike's killer wanted to disassociate himself from the kidnapping and murder by getting out out town, far enough away, to horrifyingly use this plan to not get caught. I wish there was away to extract ALL the evidence, the special tennis ball, Mike's tennis racket, Mike's clothes, and the charcoal lighter fluid (was it one or two cans?) I think two cans that were found near the shed that had Mike's body inside. Test all that evidence for DNA. Or would that not work?

Satch

 

[ufoboy72]

UFO Boy,

Good point! Where is the quarry in relation to the Tennis court where Mike was playing, compared to the quarry at Alum Creek Lake. I actually did not know about a nearby quarry, just the one twenty five miles out where Mike's body was found in the shed. I strongly believe that Mike's abductor knew the area well and was a local resident, possibly even within the Marble Cliff Community.

The quarry is about a mile or two from where he lived. I believe something taboo happened or was going to happen but the killer was rejected and this made that person very angry. Michael was silenced.

It's also my opinion that this person came from an influential family from the area and was possibly able to keep it quiet.

 

[Satch]

The quarry is about a mile or two from where he lived. I believe something taboo happened or was going to happen but the killer was rejected and this made that person very angry. Michael was silenced.

It's also my opinion that this person came from an influential family from the area and was possibly able to keep it quiet.

I agree,

I think there is too much coincidental circumstance where this was most likely not a stranger abduction. It's possible, but I don't think this is the case. Something bad happened relating to the killer or the killers' family, and Mike either knew about it, or his parents knew about it. I think this was a revenge, retaliatory type killing. The killer was rejected in some way related to a Klitch family activity or circumstance such as:

Mike's killer or relative of killer turned down for a job by Richard Klitch at the tennis club.

Mike's killer or relative of killer turned down for a position on the school board with Joan Klitch as the deciding vote on the school board to not appoint the person.

Mike's killer has a kid in that tennis tournament that Mike was entering. The kid complained about Mike "winning all the time." Father chillingly says, " We can take care of that."

The kid's killer didn't complain about losing to Mike at tennis or some other event, but the killer knew of Mike's success and it drove him to a rage to silence Mike.

Mike saw something bad happening, or knew something bad was about to happen before that tragic day. He told confidential information, maybe concerned that someone was in danger. Word got out to the killer, outraged him, and Mike was silenced.

Satch

 

[ufoboy72]

IMO it was the neighborhood closeted pervert of some sort. From the type of family that could not have any scandals.

 

[pomegranate]

IMO it was the neighborhood closeted pervert of some sort. From the type of family that could not have any scandals.

I just finished reading this whole thread. I tend to agree with this assessment. I feel like the perpetrator was probably someone known to Mike and the family, but maybe not in their close circle of friends.

Maybe the perp got Mike in the car by telling him there was a family emergency of some sort, like his mom was in a car accident, and that he had been sent to get Mike by the family?

What do you all think, was Mike killed soon after he was taken, or was he kept alive somewhere for a while? I remember reading that his approximate date of death was determined to be days after he disappeared. Of course that may or may not be accurate.

 

[Satch]

I just finished reading this whole thread. I tend to agree with this assessment. I feel like the perpetrator was probably someone known to Mike and the family, but maybe not in their close circle of friends.

Maybe the perp got Mike in the car by telling him there was a family emergency of some sort, like his mom was in a car accident, and that he had been sent to get Mike by the family?

What do you all think, was Mike killed soon after he was taken, or was he kept alive somewhere for a while? I remember reading that his approximate date of death was determined to be days after he disappeared. Of course that may or may not be accurate.

I agree,

It seems that Mike most likely got into a car with someone he knew, or someone his father knew, and the crime was I believe, a set-up, orchestrated by the perpetrator, to convince Mike that something bad happened to a family member. Remember that Mike walked to the tennis court, he wasn't driven there. It seems likely, his mother, or father, (or both) were home at the time. Or Richard could have been coaching.

However, since Mike was not driven to the court, it would leave enough time (twenty minutes to a half hour to get to the court. Perhaps more, because we don't know how long Mike's conversation with the neighborhood kids he met at the church across the street was. In any event, Mike probably had about a half hour to forty-five minutes of tennis playing before the tragedy.

Who knows, if one of his parents had dropped him off, the killer could not have used a " hurt parent ploy" against the parent who had dropped him off because it would only take about five minutes by car to go to and from the Klitch home to the tennis court. Very unlikely that Mike would believe a killer's ploy about a hurt parent, if he had just been dropped off by that same parent.

But, it leaves the opportunity for the killer to suggest the other parent involved in an accident and the killer to say to Mike, "You're Dad's been hurt (or Mom) and is in the hospital. He fell while coaching at the club. Or Mike's Mom, " She fell at home. I'm supposed to take you to the hospital to see them." Notice that because neither parent drove Mike, the opportunity for the killer to suggest a serious family accident in the home or while driving, or out doing errands could have been the motivation by the killer to lure Mike into a car.

I still believe this was a revenge and retaliatory type of killing, because the killer, or relative of the killer was rejected by Mike, or another Klitch family member involving some activity. Mike was taken out of the area, beaten, tortured, and killed. Yes, he could have been molested. The killer could have been a pedophile, a dark secret in the killers' family, who was gay and found Mike attractive. The twenty-five or so stab wounds to Mike's left chest were found to have been made by a butcher knife, which I don't believe was ever found. The coroner I remember reading, believed that the killer was not "experienced." (What a terrible word to use-IMO,) but I think he meant that this was not a serial killer type of situation. This was based on the jaggedness of the wounds. He also believed that it is likely that Mike fought with his attacker.

The speculation of the burning of the body is either the killer wanting to dispose of any connection to the crime, along with Mike's clothes, shoes, and tennis racket found in the nearby dumping bin. Could be a type of satanic ritual was well. Most believe that the killer knew the area well enough to get far enough away with the evidence, twenty-five miles out of town, to disassociate himself with the murder of Mike, and the Klitch family, on the belief that the killer had done enough, in his mind to not get caught. He knew the shed where Mike's body was found was going to be underwater.

Further speculation is that Mike dropped the tennis ball in shock, or the killer knew that Mike's father gave him the tennis ball, and was left there, or planted there by the killer, showing that Mike's killer had a vicious vendetta against his father. Two most likely scenarios:

1.) Mike was forced off the court with the killer branding a weapon, such as the butcher knife from the beginning of the ordeal. They could have had a verbal confrontation leading to this on the court.

2.) The more likely scenario, is that Mike was conned by his kidnapper and murderer, forced into a car, and that the butcher knife came into play later, as Mike realized what was happening to him.

The coroner determined Mike Klitch's date of death to be about two weeks prior to the day he was found, which would be no more than one day after he left home to play tennis. I believe Mike was killed that day. According to information that I have read on kidnappers who kill, most of them will kill their victims within three hours of being abducted.

Satch

 

[Satch]

Updated thoughts,

Earlier, I had inquired as to why Mike's case is not on Charlie Project or Doe Network. However, I have since deleted that post in the realization that to the best of my knowledge, those sites are for missing persons and not cold murder cases. I hope that there can be some coming together and justice for Mike and for the Klitch family! Thank you everyone for this thread in support and memory of Michael Klitch!

Satch

 

[Satch]

I agree,

It seems that Mike most likely got into a car with someone he knew, or someone his father knew, and the crime was I believe, a set-up, orchestrated by the perpetrator, to convince Mike that something bad happened to a family member. Remember that Mike walked to the tennis court, he wasn't driven there. It seems likely, his mother, or father, (or both) were home at the time. Or Richard could have been coaching.

However, since Mike was not driven to the court, it would leave enough time (twenty minutes to a half hour to get to the court. Perhaps more, because we don't know how long Mike's conversation with the neighborhood kids he met at the church across the street was. In any event, Mike probably had about a half hour to forty-five minutes of tennis playing before the tragedy.

Who knows, if one of his parents had dropped him off, the killer could not have used a " hurt parent ploy" against the parent who had dropped him off because it would only take about five minutes by car to go to and from the Klitch home to the tennis court. Very unlikely that Mike would believe a killer's ploy about a hurt parent, if he had just been dropped off by that same parent.

But, it leaves the opportunity for the killer to suggest the other parent involved in an accident and the killer to say to Mike, "You're Dad's been hurt (or Mom) and is in the hospital. He fell while coaching at the club. Or Mike's Mom, " She fell at home. I'm supposed to take you to the hospital to see them." Notice that because neither parent drove Mike, the opportunity for the killer to suggest a serious family accident in the home or while driving, or out doing errands could have been the motivation by the killer to lure Mike into a car.

I still believe this was a revenge and retaliatory type of killing, because the killer, or relative of the killer was rejected by Mike, or another Klitch family member involving some activity. Mike was taken out of the area, beaten, tortured, and killed. Yes, he could have been molested. The killer could have been a pedophile, a dark secret in the killers' family, who was gay and found Mike attractive. The twenty-five or so stab wounds to Mike's left chest were found to have been made by a butcher knife, which I don't believe was ever found. The coroner I remember reading, believed that the killer was not "experienced." (What a terrible word to use-IMO,) but I think he meant that this was not a serial killer type of situation. This was based on the jaggedness of the wounds. He also believed that it is likely that Mike fought with his attacker.

The speculation of the burning of the body is either the killer wanting to dispose of any connection to the crime, along with Mike's clothes, shoes, and tennis racket found in the nearby dumping bin. Could be a type of satanic ritual was well. Most believe that the killer knew the area well enough to get far enough away with the evidence, twenty-five miles out of town, to disassociate himself with the murder of Mike, and the Klitch family, on the belief that the killer had done enough, in his mind to not get caught. He knew the shed where Mike's body was found was going to be underwater.

Further speculation is that Mike dropped the tennis ball in shock, or the killer knew that Mike's father gave him the tennis ball, and was left there, or planted there by the killer, showing that Mike's killer had a vicious vendetta against his father. Two most likely scenarios:

1.) Mike was forced off the court with the killer branding a weapon, such as the butcher knife from the beginning of the ordeal. They could have had a verbal confrontation leading to this on the court.

2.) The more likely scenario, is that Mike was conned by his kidnapper and murderer, forced into a car, and that the butcher knife came into play later, as Mike realized what was happening to him.

The coroner determined Mike Klitch's date of death to be about two weeks prior to the day he was found, which would be no more than one day after he left home to play tennis. I believe Mike was killed that day. According to information that I have read on kidnappers who kill, most of them will kill their victims within three hours of being abducted.

Satch

Corrections from above:

"Could be a type of satanic ritual was well." Should read " Could be a type of satanic ritual as well. "

(Twenty minutes to a half hour to get to the court. Perhaps more, because we don't know how long Mike's conversation with the neighborhood kids he met at the church across the street was.) Should include closed parenthesis.

Satch

 

[Satch]

Bumping up and some more questions to study:


1.) Is the tennis court where Mike is seen playing in this photo below the same court where the tragedy happened? I think I remember reading that it is not? If not, I wonder where this court is and if it still exists today?

http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Klitch

2.) Wondering how the tennis court where Mike's abduction happened has changed since 1971?

3.) Do you believe that if a surveillance camera or cameras had existed on the courts back in 1971 that this case could have been solved? I do! LE could have used camera playback to trace Mike's steps and see anyone who approached him. Unless he went off into those woods to cool off and would therefore be out of range of the camera. But if this happened on the court, it could have solved this case!

I still believe the most likely scenarios are the following:

A.) Mike was approached by his killer branding a weapon, forcing Mike to go with him.
B.) Mike was manipulated by his killer into believing that something bad happened to his family. for example, "Mike! Mike! Come right away, you're Mom sent me here to get you. Your Dad's in the hospital, he fell while coaching, I'm supposed to take you over there right away!"

In each case, I believe that this would force Mike to drop his tennis ball in a state of shock. I also believe the killer sought revenge because of being rejected from a Klitch related activity, either by Mike, or a family member, or a relative of the Killer was rejected by Mike, or another Klitch family member. This made the killer outraged and prompted him to kidnap and murder Mike. I think that this was done by a local resident familiar with the area, and had the money and/or political power to keep it quiet.

The tennis interests in the family, and Richard Klitch's prominence in tennis as a coaching legend in the Marble Cliff community could have given motivation to the killer in his sick twisted mind to hurt and kill. I don't think this was a serial killer type of situation. This was a case of coaxing Mike or forcing him, get him in the car go and do something awful to him. (Oh, I get chills and tears thinking about what could have occurred here!) LE thinks that Mike was likely killed close to the tennis court, and the killer dumped his body far enough away, 25 miles out to avoid getting caught and dumped the evidence in the bin. I agree that Mike's kidnapper and killer, knew that the area where Mike's body was found, was going to be underwater.

Was that tennis ball really forgotten by Mike, while being coaxed by his killer? Did the killer forget to take it, since all of Mike's other belongings were found at the trash dump site? Or, horror of horrors, did the killer kill Mike, go back to the area, and drop Mike's ball there? He could have just thrown it out the window and driven away. I think Mike was taken either by force, or dropped his ball in a state of shock knowing his killer, and believing that "Something bad happened to a family member."

Satch

 

[nerosleuth]

1.) Is the tennis court where Mike is seen playing in this photo below the same court where the tragedy happened? I think I remember reading that it is not? If not, I wonder where this court is and if it still exists today?

http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Klitch

The photo where Mike was playing tennis in the Ohio attorney general website was not the same tennis court that Mike was abducted from!


I don’t know where the tennis court that Mike played in the photo is located at.

I’m guessing the tennis court photo was taken somewhere in Grandview Heights, Marble Cliff, or Upper Arlington. I’m also guessing the tennis court in that photo still exists.

2.) Wondering how the tennis court where Mike's abduction happened has changed since 1971?

I don’t know how it has changed since 1971, but that is a very good question.

3.) Do you believe that if a surveillance camera or cameras had existed on the courts back in 1971 that this case could have been solved?

I do too! I believe this case could have been solved as LE would have been able to get a suspect description, a vehicle description and perhaps the license plate number of the vehicle involved if cameras had existed on the tennis court property and at intersections with traffic lights.

I still believe the most likely scenarios are the following:

A.) Mike was approached by his killer branding a weapon, forcing Mike to go with him.

B.) Mike was manipulated by his killer into believing that something bad happened to his family.

I agree with you that these are the two most likely scenarios that transpired in Mike’s abduction.

 

[ufoboy72]

A.) Mike was approached by his killer branding a weapon, forcing Mike to go with him.
B.) Mike was manipulated by his killer into believing that something bad happened to his family. for example, "Mike! Mike! Come right away, you're Mom sent me here to get you.
Satch

I believe it was someone he knew that offered him a ride on a hot day.

 

[Satch]

I believe it was someone he knew that offered him a ride on a hot day.

That could be as well,

I agree with you UFO Boy. Let's assume that it was someone he knew. Therefore there may not necessarily had to have been Mike responding to a tragedy, but just a false sense of kindness. It could have been someone who said, "Mike, your burning up out here. Why don't you come over to my house, and you can call your Mom and have her pick you up there." However, that would be hard to explain why Mike would leave his tennis ball on the court. This is why I sense there was conflict early on between Mike and his abductor.

UFO Boy, or anybody else, do you think the horror began right after Mike got in the abductors' car? Or do you think that there was a discussion that lead to violence even before Mike got in the car? Or could there have been an anger and rage that built up over a disagreement prompting the killer to kill? Or could this have happened so fast, as to suggest Mike was approached from behind, or the rage started very early in the car, and tragically Mike had to time to do anything about the horror?

Do you think that those kids he met before he got to the court and if they talked about his plans, could answers or clues be found there? I think it is possible. You have to wonder, and it is haunting. What did Mike, and/or another Klitch family member do that created such a rage in the killer's mind that led to Mike's kidnapping and murder? This of course for me moves away from a stranger abduction. It seems too well-planned for that.

Satch

 

[Satch]

That could be as well,

I agree with you UFO Boy. Let's assume that it was someone he knew. Therefore there may not necessarily had to have been Mike responding to a tragedy, but just a false sense of kindness. It could have been someone who said, "Mike, your burning up out here. Why don't you come over to my house, and you can call your Mom and have her pick you up there." However, that would be hard to explain why Mike would leave his tennis ball on the court. This is why I sense there was conflict early on between Mike and his abductor.

UFO Boy, or anybody else, do you think the horror began right after Mike got in the abductors' car? Or do you think that there was a discussion that lead to violence even before Mike got in the car? Or could there have been an anger and rage that built up over a disagreement prompting the killer to kill? Or could this have happened so fast, as to suggest Mike was approached from behind, or the rage started very early in the car, and tragically Mike had to time to do anything about the horror?

Do you think that those kids he met before he got to the court and if they talked about his plans, could answers or clues be found there? I think it is possible. You have to wonder, and it is haunting. What did Mike, and/or another Klitch family member do that created such a rage in the killer's mind that led to Mike's kidnapping and murder? This of course for me moves away from a stranger abduction. It seems too well-planned for that.

Satch

Correction above should read "...Mike had no time to do anything about the horror."

Satch

 

[liz b.]

I think one or more of the kids he met up may have mentioned seeing mike, and that he was going to that court. Maybe they didn't remember the conversation, or maybe someone just overheard them discussing Mike.

or, Mike met up with someone who was also at the tennis court that day ?

 

[ufoboy72]

Let's put this out for discussion. For some reason my mind keeps coming back to this point. There is a quarry right by Grandview Heights and there used to be a quarry at Alum Creek. I may be reading into this too much but it just seems odd to me. Is there a connection between these two quarries?

I am still not sold on the tennis ball either. I see tennis balls left behind all the time. It does not prove to me that there was a struggle.

 

[Satch]

Let's put this out for discussion. For some reason my mind keeps coming back to this point. There is a quarry right by Grandview Heights and there used to be a quarry at Alum Creek. I may be reading into this too much but it just seems odd to me. Is there a connection between these two quarries?

I am still not sold on the tennis ball either. I see tennis balls left behind all the time. It does not prove to me that there was a struggle.

I agree with UFO Boy,

How far was the quarry from the tennis court where Mike was last seen? I second the discussion about any connections between the two quarries and Alum Creek. Isn't it now Alum Lake? Were the people who worked on those quarries questioned about Mike's case? Who else, besides the maid across the street who claimed to have seen "a boy matching Mike's description," may have seen something that day? Anything at all between the tennis courts and that twenty-five mile radius out of town where Mike's body was found stabbed to death, and charred in the shed? I think it would be important to trace that route. How many ways, "out of town" could Mike's killer have traveled? Did any quarry employees at either quarry know Mike, or the Klitch family?

I agree with you UFO Boy. The only connection to the tennis ball is that it was "an unusual brand that Mike's Dad bought for him and it was found four feet from the gate. " The family believed at the time, that "Mike must of left the court in a hurry, or he would not have left his tennis ball lying there." Since we do not have an evidence of a struggle on the court, the tennis ball left behind could be nothing more than Mike forgetting about the ball, but I don't think this is the case. That evidence could symbolize that Mike dropped the ball in a state of shock with the killer conning him that something bad happened to a family member, or Mike was abducted from behind and dropped the ball. But, if there was a struggle, at least on the court, wouldn't there be some evidence there? That's hard to say as well. If there was a struggle, and this was a very strong athletic person, say 200 lbs and Mike weighed 90 lbs, it would not take much for him to be taken away, if it was by force.

However, let's say that this was a con and manipulation game by Mike's killer and any force did not occur until later. It's interesting that Mike leaves the special brand of tennis ball on the court, or drops the ball, but has his tennis racquet with him, because his clothes and racquet are found at a dumping bin, twenty five miles away, near were his body was found. We know that the killer knew Mike had his tennis racquet with him. If Mike thought this was a tragedy, wouldn't he drop both the racquet and the ball in a panicked state? It seems to reason that Mike had his racquet with him in the killer's car. This indicates to me that Mike was planning on the killer trusting him to take him to the hospital to see the "injured family" member, or home to attend to an "accident" situation. Or the tennis club, if the killed conned Mike into believing that something bad happened to his father.

If Mike was not forced to go with the killer branding a weapon, I believe he had a false sense of trust in this person, who may have conned him into offering a ride home on a boiling hot day. It is also possible if Mike was overheated to the point of exhaustion. This could have influenced his judgement or apprehensive thinking of new situations and people, maybe "I'm dying in this heat" took precedence on Mike's mind and "this person, friend or stranger, is giving me a ride home." Because Mike was a tennis player, and used to the heat, he had to be in great discomfort if that played a role. Go back to the description of how he was dressed. He was overdressed. It was late June, not July or August when the weather would get up in those 100 degree heat indexes. If the Klitch'es had an air conditioned home, Mike may have had no idea how bad the heat and humidity was that day. He knew he was going swimming later, so may not have given much thought to the weather. Dehydration may have played a role here. If there was a struggle outdoors that day, tragically, Mike may have not been able to fight back very well.

You wonder were was Mike actually killed? This case is a tearjerker! I've read more on the family as well in researching the case. These were great, loving people! Involved, caring, and community-oriented. We need closure for Mike and his family!

Peace,

Satch

 

[Picachu]

I just wanted to point out a thing that I thought could have relevance to this case.

I have seen mentioned numerous times in the thread that a reason for him being stabbed 26 times could be motivated by a fury for him fighting back. However in the case description on the first page it is stated that the coroner found no evidence of a struggle (I am assuming it was not referring to the tennis court but to the investigation of the body, as the coroner's inability to determine if Michael had been molested or not was mentioned in the same sentence). By the way, I am quoting the section here:

The coroner didn’t find any evidence of struggle by the victim, but couldn’t determine if the victim had been molested due to the condition of the body.

IF this was the case, that Michael did not struggle, it then to me rather points to the following two possible explanations:
Either, the perpetrator locked Michael's hands, making him unable to fight back. I am in this scenario guessing that the perpertrator used his hands rather than tieing him up as the coroner, despite the state of Michael's body, should otherwise have found marks after him having been tied around the wrists. I aslso believe the coroner had been able to determine from the wounds if Michael had been twisting and turning while stabbed.

The other possibility is that the reason Michael did not put up a fight was because he was unconscious, and if so, then probably by either chloroform or some other drug.
IF Michael did not fight back, then the multiple stabbing could obviously neither have been triggered by a fury for Michael putting up a fight, which then takes us to another possible reason for the stabbing, namely a sadistic one.
Predators can have differing goals depending on who they are. Some have as their goal a "mere" sexual act with their prey, while other view an act of killing as a goal and as being erotically charged. It is therefore, in my opinion, not impossible that another reason for this insane stabbing other than fury, could have been a sexually motivated one, which would then also explain the "passion" of the stabbing.

Just felt it deserved to be mentioned.

 

[Satch]

Bumping up for any updates,

This case is going to haunt me forever! I would like to suggest the following:
,
Anyone who is from the Marble Cliff Ohio area, or vicinity who may be a relative of the Klitch family or a neighbor or friend who knows the Klitch family, to let them know about our Websleuths site and this thread for Mike! Many of us think about this tragedy to this day, I am sure the family would love some closure as to who did this? And why?

My research indicates that the Klitch's were very family oriented and community driven people. Over 700 people attended Mike's funeral back in 1971. The response and support form the community was overwhelming! I still believe that this was a revenge type of killing for something that a Klitch family member did to the killer or to a relative of the killer's family.

Or it could have had something to do with the killer's kid, if he had a kid was angered by Mike's athletic success. Mike also may have had some information that the killer did not want him to have, and was silenced tragically. We need to find out the conversation that Mike had with the kids by the church. What was it about? Did the upcoming tennis tournament that Mike entered have anything to do directly or indirectly with his abduction and murder?

With the family athletic connections, especially with his father, a local tennis champion and coaching legend, there is no doubt that the Klitch's were well-known far beyond Ohio areas. Even though all evidence points to this being a local murder. Do you think that Mike's killer has passed away, or is at the very least incarcerated, so that he can't hurt any more people? It saddens me so much that this wonderful family had to endure such a terrible tragedy and they have no closure! How sad! Joan and Richard Klitch are approximately in their 80's. I hope that they get to see justice done for Mike. Their years are numbered due to age.

What can we do as a community to at least get some family or other relatives involved in this thread? RIP Mike Klitch, You will never be forgotten!

Satch

 

[Tragic]

Bumping up for any updates,

This case is going to haunt me forever! I would like to suggest the following:
,
Anyone who is from the Marble Cliff Ohio area, or vicinity who may be a relative of the Klitch family or a neighbor or friend who knows the Klitch family, to let them know about our Websleuths site and this thread for Mike! Many of us think about this tragedy to this day, I am sure the family would love some closure as to who did this? And why?

My research indicates that the Klitch's were very family oriented and community driven people. Over 700 people attended Mike's funeral back in 1971. The response and support form the community was overwhelming! I still believe that this was a revenge type of killing for something that a Klitch family member did to the killer or to a relative of the killer's family.

Or it could have had something to do with the killer's kid, if he had a kid was angered by Mike's athletic success. Mike also may have had some information that the killer did not want him to have, and was silenced tragically. We need to find out the conversation that Mike had with the kids by the church. What was it about? Did the upcoming tennis tournament that Mike entered have anything to do directly or indirectly with his abduction and murder?

With the family athletic connections, especially with his father, a local tennis champion and coaching legend, there is no doubt that the Klitch's were well-known far beyond Ohio areas. Even though all evidence points to this being a local murder. Do you think that Mike's killer has passed away, or is at the very least incarcerated, so that he can't hurt any more people? It saddens me so much that this wonderful family had to endure such a terrible tragedy and they have no closure! How sad! Joan and Richard Klitch are approximately in their 80's. I hope that they get to see justice done for Mike. Their years are numbered due to age.

What can we do as a community to at least get some family or other relatives involved in this thread? RIP Mike Klitch, You will never be forgotten!

Satch

Not sure if this has been adressed, as I read through this case but what if the suspect was a victim himself to a predator at an early age? Never told anyone, never received therapy and never fully understood how to live with this and all the conflicting emotions being a victim himself. He kidnaps this poor child and now he is the predator himself. Afterwards, he realizes that this didn't resolve those many confused and conflicted emotions he has carried for a number of years and in complete anger and/or grief takes this out on stabbing child over twenty times.

Just my opinion.

 

[theyarewatchingus]

After everything I've read, I tend to agree with the revenge theory. I believe Mike was targeted. I believe this was someone Mike knew well enough to get into a vehicle with. However, I believe this person was fairly young (perhaps high school/college age) and was friendly with the family - this being they were familiar enough with the family's routine to try to find Mike alone. I don't believe there was any struggle at that point, not until it was too late.

The revenge theory is also very possible because of the manner of death. Overkill (numerous stab wounds) is very personal, indicating there was an enormous amount of rage involved, especially towards a child.