OH - Serial Killings in Stark County *ARREST in 2020*

[Betty P]

I wish I had found it during daytime hours. Read the whole thread last night after dark and I swear I heard noises at windows and doors all night!

I know, right? It's been a couple of years since I read it. At first I had doubts, but as you keep reading you catch the sense of urgency that LE really needed to look into this guy.

AJS03182002 has done an amazing job, helping her husband get the attention of LE. I hope she's doing well and comes back to visit. She gave us a front row seat to observe how family members of serial killers deal with the stress and fear while trying to get their dangerous relatives off the street. It's not easy, not with Kenneth Roth. Mods (Bessie) did a great job of helping her, too.

 

[Tillicum]

I know, right? It's been a couple of years since I read it. At first I had doubts, but as you keep reading you catch the sense of urgency that LE really needed to look into this guy.

AJS03182002 has done an amazing job, helping her husband get the attention of LE. I hope she's doing well and comes back to visit. She gave us a front row seat to observe how family members of serial killers deal with the stress and fear while trying to get their dangerous relatives off the street. It's not easy, not with Kenneth Roth. Mods (Bessie) did a great job of helping her, too.

She and her husband are incredibly brave. She's my new hero.

 

[Betty P]

She and her husband are incredibly brave. She's my new hero.

Yes, what they did was unbelievably dangerous. They probably don't want the attention, but someone should interview them. Seems like there's so much that could be learned from their experience and they definitely deserve a great deal of credit.

Some experts needs to study Kenneth Roth, too.

I still don't know what to think of the leaders in the Stark County criminal justice system, though.

 

[Tillicum]

Yes, what they did was unbelievably dangerous. They probably don't want the attention, but someone should interview them. Seems like there's so much that could be learned from their experience and they definitely deserve a great deal of credit.

Some experts needs to study Kenneth Roth, too.

I still don't know what to think of the leaders in the Stark County criminal justice system, though.

There's a lot of information from the trial in this appeal. Evil IMO.
https://www.starkcountyohio.gov/StarkCounty/media/Fifth-District/RecentOpinionis/roth.pdf?ext=.pdf

 

[Betty P]

There's a lot of information from the trial in this appeal. Evil IMO.
https://www.starkcountyohio.gov/StarkCounty/media/Fifth-District/RecentOpinionis/roth.pdf?ext=.pdf

Yes, I understand the DNA evidence arguments, but Roth's adopted son went to police years ago, providing them with details about the murder.

Kenneth A. Roth's son remembers dad's troubling past

Matt Roth said he knows details of events surrounding the murders of Kay Gulosh, Patricia Murphy and Julia Harbourt. The earliest of those killings happened when he was 7 years old, the latest when he was 15.

Matt Roth contacted the Sheriff’s Office years ago, before Linda Van Voorhis Smith was killed in 2009, said Maj. C.J. Stantz.


“We listened to him for years, and he’s got some good information,” added Sheriff George T. Maier, but investigators were unable to confirm what Matt Roth told them. They even gave him a polygraph exam.

“There were some things that didn’t fit,” Maier said.

Matt Roth said he wore a wire to record conversations with Kenneth Roth and aided investigators in other ways. At the time, Matt and his family were living on the same Osnaburg Township property as Kenneth Roth. They left in 2010 after several instances of harassing behavior they attributed to Kenneth.

Plus comments and links above about local LE not wanting to pursue investigation of the other cold cases, even now. It might have helped if they had taken DNA samples from Roth a few years earlier. JMO Oh well, lucky that he's in prison, anyway.

 

[Tillicum]

Yes, I understand the DNA evidence arguments, but Roth's adopted son went to police years ago, providing them with details about the murder.

Kenneth A. Roth's son remembers dad's troubling past



Plus comments and links above about local LE not wanting to pursue investigation of the other cold cases, even now. It might have helped if they had taken DNA samples from Roth a few years earlier. JMO Oh well, lucky that he's in prison, anyway.

I guess I was kind of hoping some of the bad guys left and some good ones replaced them. Let's hope so since it's our state.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Yes, what they did was unbelievably dangerous. They probably don't want the attention, but someone should interview them. Seems like there's so much that could be learned from their experience and they definitely deserve a great deal of credit.

Some experts needs to study Kenneth Roth, too.

I still don't know what to think of the leaders in the Stark County criminal justice system, though.

Some neighboring counties too. MOO

 

[AJS03182002]

Hello. I wanted to check in and was surprised to see this thread is still getting activity. Thank you to those who said my husband and I are heroes. That actually means a lot.
We are alive and doing well. Kenneth Roth is not. He passed away yesterday afternoon from Covid-19 complications. He turned 70 on February 5th. We shared a birthday.
This is a very very complicated time for us. We feel sad and then we feel horrible for feeling sad. Our emotions are all over the place. This was my husband's father. My son's grandfather. A man that did terrible things to other people . Terrible. He was also a man, however, that loved his son and grandson. We wanted him off the streets and back in prison where he needed to be. We helped accomplish that. What we didn't want was a slow, painful lonely death for an old man. But, see, even typing that out makes me feel guilty because I know there are plenty who did want just that and will be elated to hear the news of his death. They have every right to feel that way, too.
We lost support from nearly every family member we have. The support we once had from the victim's families went away a long time ago and was replaced with hateful emails and being blocked on social media.
I keep telling myself that it's finally over now. There's nothing more that can be done.
I just felt that you all would like to know since so many of you were so invested in these cases and truly helped so much.
Again, thank you!

 

[0101ABA]

@AJS03182002, your ambivalence is palpable and understandably so. I hope you and your husband can find peace and healing on ALL levels. Thank you so much for your contributions and dedication to WS.

 

[Tillicum]

Hello. I wanted to check in and was surprised to see this thread is still getting activity. Thank you to those who said my husband and I are heroes. That actually means a lot.
We are alive and doing well. Kenneth Roth is not. He passed away yesterday afternoon from Covid-19 complications. He turned 70 on February 5th. We shared a birthday.
This is a very very complicated time for us. We feel sad and then we feel horrible for feeling sad. Our emotions are all over the place. This was my husband's father. My son's grandfather. A man that did terrible things to other people . Terrible. He was also a man, however, that loved his son and grandson. We wanted him off the streets and back in prison where he needed to be. We helped accomplish that. What we didn't want was a slow, painful lonely death for an old man. But, see, even typing that out makes me feel guilty because I know there are plenty who did want just that and will be elated to hear the news of his death. They have every right to feel that way, too.
We lost support from nearly every family member we have. The support we once had from the victim's families went away a long time ago and was replaced with hateful emails and being blocked on social media.
I keep telling myself that it's finally over now. There's nothing more that can be done.
I just felt that you all would like to know since so many of you were so invested in these cases and truly helped so much.
Again, thank you!

You still have us here. Welcome any time. BTW I share your birthday too.

 

[Betty P]

Hello. I wanted to check in and was surprised to see this thread is still getting activity. Thank you to those who said my husband and I are heroes. That actually means a lot.
We are alive and doing well. Kenneth Roth is not. He passed away yesterday afternoon from Covid-19 complications. He turned 70 on February 5th. We shared a birthday.
This is a very very complicated time for us. We feel sad and then we feel horrible for feeling sad. Our emotions are all over the place. This was my husband's father. My son's grandfather. A man that did terrible things to other people . Terrible. He was also a man, however, that loved his son and grandson. We wanted him off the streets and back in prison where he needed to be. We helped accomplish that. What we didn't want was a slow, painful lonely death for an old man. But, see, even typing that out makes me feel guilty because I know there are plenty who did want just that and will be elated to hear the news of his death. They have every right to feel that way, too.
We lost support from nearly every family member we have. The support we once had from the victim's families went away a long time ago and was replaced with hateful emails and being blocked on social media.
I keep telling myself that it's finally over now. There's nothing more that can be done.
I just felt that you all would like to know since so many of you were so invested in these cases and truly helped so much.
Again, thank you!

So sorry to hear of the difficult and sad times you and your family are experiencing. It must be very difficult and you all have our sympathy and support. Please take care of yourselves. Put the past behind you, and look forward to a new future without all that pain and heartache. He no longer has any control over your lives or feelings. Best wishes to you all and stop by to visit any time. We'd like to hear how you are all doing.

 

[AJS03182002]

Thank you so much. We are getting quite the backlash from the community for feeling anything but elation. The local paper decided to make a front page article out of his death and now we're getting the hate all over again. I wish more people were as understanding and caring as the people here. I wish more people understood that we are human just like everyone else. Someone even told my minor son "You'll get no sympathy here. He should've suffered more."(His death was actually horrendous and took a week when the doctors said it would be hours). Why? Why tell his grandchild that?! I don't know. I'm having a really really hard time with this. I had managed not to shed a tear until this evening when the article was shared. Now? I can't seem to quit crying.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Thank you so much. We are getting quite the backlash from the community for feeling anything but elation. The local paper decided to make a front page article out of his death and now we're getting the hate all over again. I wish more people were as understanding and caring as the people here. I wish more people understood that we are human just like everyone else. Someone even told my minor son "You'll get no sympathy here. He should've suffered more."(His death was actually horrendous and took a week when the doctors said it would be hours). Why? Why tell his grandchild that?! I don't know. I'm having a really really hard time with this. I had managed not to shed a tear until this evening when the article was shared. Now? I can't seem to quit crying.

I'm so sorry for the grief you and your family are feeling. In addition to being heroes, you and your husband are survivors too. It's a shame that the reporting didn't cover that aspect of the story also.

You have the right to grieve, guilt-free, for however long and as deeply as you need. I'm saddened by the many ways you have suffered. You did what many would not have the courage to do. I admire you for that. Please stop in whenever you can. Sending love, light, and prayers.

 

[Betty P]

@AJS03182002 you and your family did a great public service, with a lot of personal sacrifice. I hope some members of the community demonstrate some consideration for your own situation, your grieving process. It's complicated, I'm sure. Families of killers are victims, too.

Convicted killer Kenneth Roth among Ohio prison COVID-19 deaths

Stark County killer dies of coronavirus in Marion Correctional Institution

 

[Betty P]

Here is another recent report about the case mentioned above with reference to the fact LE intent to use investigative genetic genealogy to try and solve it:

DNA Evidence Might Finally Reveal Who Killed Barbara Blatnik, 'Tough Little Broad' of Garfield Heights

Barbara Blatnik's killer has been arrested! Just saw this on WKYC 3 news.

Man arrested for 1987 rape & murder of Garfield Heights teen | wkyc.com

As some of us suspected, though Barbara was found in Summit County, near Blossom Music Center, her killer actually accosted her near the Garfield Heights intersection where she was last seen. Her killer, James Zastawnik, worked at a company just down the street.

Thanks to James Renner, who paid for the DNA and genealogy tests of the genetic material found under Barbara's fingernails that night.

Zastawnik, who worked at Ferrotherm Corporation in Garfield Heights for 34 years, does not have a prior criminal record in either Cuyahoga or Summit Counties. He is currently being held on the current murder charge, but no information on bond or a possible court date was immediately available.

Arrest Made in 1987 Cold Case Murder of Barbara Blatnik Thanks to Genetic Genealogy

 

[chimpface]

Interestingly James Zastawnik's brother Benton (Ben) went missing on the same date (Dec 19) that Barbara did in 2018.

I've inked an article and his page from the Charley project. It may be completely unrelated as apparently he suffers with depression and he/his wife were declared bankrupt shortly before he went missing. Thought it was worth mentioning though.

Benton E. Zastawnik – The Charley Project

Big Creek Search Dog Team looks for man missing from Cleveland who disappeared in December

 

[JerseyGirl]

From July 2020:

James Zastawnik posted a $35,000 bond and was released from the Summit County Jail, with the conditions that he be on electronic monitoring and live with his brother, who resides in Mogadore.

Zastawnik’s bond was originally $100,000. Summit County Common Pleas Judge Kelly McLaughlin granted a request from Andrea Whitaker, Zastawnik’s attorney, to lower it.

Zastawnik, 67, is charged with aggravated murder and murder. His next pretrial was July 28, 2020

Regional news briefs, July 11, 2020: Man charged in 1987 slaying of teen is out on $35,000 bond

 

[AJS03182002]

I just wanted to let those of you who followed this know that my husband just got done filming an episode of Evil Lives Here for Investigation Discovery. We made no money and they reached out to us. The episode should air by September but I’ll let everyone know when I have an actual date.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Interestingly James Zastawnik's brother Benton (Ben) went missing on the same date (Dec 19) that Barbara did in 2018.

I've inked an article and his page from the Charley project. It may be completely unrelated as apparently he suffers with depression and he/his wife were declared bankrupt shortly before he went missing. Thought it was worth mentioning though.

Benton E. Zastawnik – The Charley Project

Big Creek Search Dog Team looks for man missing from Cleveland who disappeared in December

What a strange coincidence that Benton went missing on the anniversary. Might be have been a witness? Where was he working at the time?

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Yes, what they did was unbelievably dangerous. They probably don't want the attention, but someone should interview them. Seems like there's so much that could be learned from their experience and they definitely deserve a great deal of credit.

Some experts needs to study Kenneth Roth, too.

I still don't know what to think of the leaders in the Stark County criminal justice system, though.

Betty, it seems they take a similar approach as the leaders in Medina County's criminal justice system.