Match! OH - Strongsville, WhtFem UP15394, 15-25, in Rocky River, Feb'75 - Linda Pagano

[ice190]

Traacker13, that's an interesting find, I don't think I've heard of him. Interesting that Beaver Township is in proximity to a North Lima, just on the opposite side of the state. I feel as though his MO isn't the same; mostly couples and shotguns. Time would be a little off too, but that didn't mean much. But good God, how many serial killers are in/from Ohio?!

Irish, that's a valid point. I'm not sure how shallow the river is there though I'd imagine it is. The drop probably isn't too high. Irish, do you know how the Berea/Strongsville area was in the 70s? Sounds like you may have been too young at that time or not born, but worth a shot.

Tomorrow I'll give a slight update.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I was born in the seventies, so my memories are probably different than what an adult's would be. I do remember my mom saying that Coe Lake used to be a really popular place to hang out in the summers. And of course teens since forever have liked to drive down in "the valley" at night on a date, or with friends to party. Strongsville was MUCH less built up back then, but Berea maybe not. Even the "mall" part of Great Northern mall in N.O. only opened in '76.

When I think about '70s Cleveland I think about Kent State, the "Cardiac Kids," Danny Green, Dennis Kucinich, Swingos Celebrity Inn....not sure any of that really helps us at all, lol.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

One weird thing did come to mind. My mom once told me she was originally going to name me another name - Melissa I think it was - but a girl on our street in Lakewood went missing and her name was Melissa, and then my mom just got bad vibes when she thought about naming me that so she changed it. I was born in January of '76. I wonder if that "Melissa" was ever found? The whole time I lived in Lakewood I never heard anyone else talk about that case, so I'm guessing she was found, maybe just after my mom got pregnant with me. Still, the whole time I lived in Lakewood I never once heard about the Darcy Brown case either until I came to WS, so who knows?

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Geez. Wild. So I googled and managed to find that girl. I was right she's no longer missing, she was found deceased not long after she disappeared. She was 8 Her last name and my maiden name are very similar so I can see why my mom wouldn't want me to have gone through life with that name - it seems that it was a very high profile case here in the '70s.

BUT.....she was found in November of '75 in some woods in Rocky River Reservation by some kids tracking deer. This was after our case. I had no idea there was a Metroparks connection to the Melissa Hinke case. So that freaked me out a bit. If our victim is on the younger end of the age range, could these be the same guy by any chance? I don't think Melissa was shot, but she was also younger and probably easier to control
However, both were homicides and both women were found dumped in the woods unclothed in Rocky River Reservation in 1975.

Melissa's killer was identified and he's doing life, so if it's him I don't know how much of a push there would be to solve this as he's not going anywhere and there's probably not much leverage to get him to talk. Still, should we ask the Lt. if he's ever been looked into as a suspect?

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Here's an article about when they found Melissa: http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...rlPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VVIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3180,4588908

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Traacker13, that's an interesting find, I don't think I've heard of him. Interesting that Beaver Township is in proximity to a North Lima, just on the opposite side of the state. I feel as though his MO isn't the same; mostly couples and shotguns. Time would be a little off too, but that didn't mean much. But good God, how many serial killers are in/from Ohio?!

Irish, that's a valid point. I'm not sure how shallow the river is there though I'd imagine it is. The drop probably isn't too high. Irish, do you know how the Berea/Strongsville area was in the 70s? Sounds like you may have been too young at that time or not born, but worth a shot.

Tomorrow I'll give a slight update.

In another bit of strange, morbid Cleveland trivia, in 1984 my grandfather actually was thrown from a bridge by a group of St. Eds bad boys who had gone on a killing spree. Their first two victims who they didn't throw off a bridge died, but my grandfather somehow survived, albeit pretty injured. That's how they caught them because he was able to give the descriptions. So going by his experience, which I admit doesn't have to be universal, I can't imagine there wouldn't be some noticeable skeletal trauma.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Iris, the google article on Melissa says the article is continued on page 3. But, I don't see it. The first part has no real info about the person arrested. Is there a second part of that article that I am not seeing?

 

[carbuff]

I don't think she jumped or was pushed from anywhere - I think that would have caused a level of trauma to the skeleton that would almost certainly have been noted in the autopsy, no?

It would depend on how high the fall was and what she landed on. If she landed in shrubbery and slid into the water later, for instance.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Iris, the google article on Melissa says the article is continued on page 3. But, I don't see it. The first part has no real info about the person arrested. Is there a second part of that article that I am not seeing?

There is a page 3 there, but the article about her killer may not be in there, IDK. I read several articles about the case, but I just posted the one. This is from when Johnson tried to appeal a few years ago: http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/pdf_viewer/pdf_viewer.aspx?pdf=647760.pdf

Another article that mentions the case also mentions an 18 year old girl who was killed the year before Hinke. She was found on a golf course in North Royalton, so that made me go hmm..., but her killer was already in prison by the time our UID was killed I think so I wrote him off.

 

[ice190]

Progress update:

I received a call back from Dr. James Simmelink, one doctor mentioned in the Coroner's report who examined the skull at Case Western. He informed me that when he retired at the Coroner's, he is quite sure that all his records were left in their property and thus given to the new forensic odontologist, James Schneider. All the info from his inspection is listed in the report. He says he would imagine the x-rays and photos would be included in those files. He didn't recall this particular case due to the amount of time and subsequent cases. He also did not mention what may have happened to the skull afterwards (but I forgot to ask; it's probably buried anyway). He suggested I contact James Schneider at the Coroner's, and if all else failed when trying to get the dentals and other info, to let him know and he might be able to obtain them to give us access. Now, Lt. Don said he would be calling the Coroner's for any more info such as photos and the x-rays, but I have not heard back from him. Depending on the outcome when I do, I will contact the current odontologist.

I asked my aunts how Berea and Strongsville were in the '70s. They went to school at Midpark which is just north of where Mill Stream Run starts. The younger aunt who was 18 when this UID was found, said somewhere around '70-75, her mother started drilling it into her head to "not stop for anyone in a car along the parkway." She did not know if this was a "don't talk to strangers" deal like kids receive nowadays, or if there was a specific reason she started being told that. She mentioned her friend had seen a pervert on Nethersole Rd in Berea, a road connecting to Fowles and northeast of the main park; this was circa '70 and happened once. Her and her elder sister by about 8 years both said they do not remember anyone from the area going missing. They both said the neighborhood and the parks were very nice and safe; many kids would hang out at Wallace Lake. They didn't mention any transients or events that would have drawn people from out of town (except the fair).

I sent a few facebook pages for missing people a message about them potentially posting to get awareness about a 15-25 W/F who went missing. Haven't heard back.

So, just a bit more narrowing locations for info down.

Another article that mentions the case also mentions an 18 year old girl who was killed the year before Hinke. She was found on a golf course in North Royalton, so that made me go hmm..., but her killer was already in prison by the time our UID was killed I think so I wrote him off.

-Irish_Eyes, this is interesting, do you think it's possible the UID was killed by the same person, and the estimated time of death was further off? Why so many murders!

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Just in reference to your relatives' recollection of being told not to stop for anyone on the freeway, recall that the man who was caught with all the purses in this case mentioned that he "worked the highways".

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Irish, do you recall the name of the 18 year old girl or recall where you read that? A quick google search gave me nothing. I searched missing area girls/women from the seventies as well as hinke and Johnson and did not come up with it.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Nerosleuth triggered another memory for me. A lot of local Catholic Churches also had carnival bazaars to raise funds during that time. Bingo wasn't enough I guess. . My bet is on the cuyahoga county fair in Berea though if it was something like this.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Irish, do you recall the name of the 18 year old girl or recall where you read that? A quick google search gave me nothing. I searched missing area girls/women from the seventies as well as hinke and Johnson and did not come up with it.

The girl was Christine McWeeny. Johnson was not her killer, a guy named Schroeder was convicted in her case. But it looks like Schroeder was already locked up by the time our case happened. I know it is possible that estimates could be off but I don't think they could have been that far off if there was any flesh at all with the remains.

Randomly, I did find an interesting article/report from a prof at CWRU about forensic practices back in the 1970s and using the McWeeny case as an example of how dental comparisons could be used to make identifications.

 

[nerosleuth]

BUT.....she was found in November of '75 in some woods in Rocky River Reservation by some kids tracking deer. This was after our case.

How far apart were they found from each other? Were they found in the same park or in a different park?

Nerosleuth triggered another memory for me. A lot of local Catholic Churches also had carnival bazaars to raise funds during that time.

My bet is on the cuyahoga county fair in Berea though if it was something like this.

Another thought has occurred to me. Were there any festivals held by local ethnic groups back then?

The Greek Festival, the Italian Festival, and Oktoberfest are some of the local ethnic festivals that are held in my hometown. And some of the local Catholic Churches still have their church festivals during summer weekends.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Yes, Oktoberfest Berea, fair grounds, same place as fair, usually Labor Day weekend? Don't know if it existed in 1975. Also, there is something called bike week, though I can't tell if it's at the fairgrounds, or if it existed in 1975, or if it is bikes or "BIKES".

 

[Owutatangledweb]

The Feast of the Assumption in Little Italy is also a huge draw every year in August. I used to go almost every year in high school and college. But it is on the near east side of Cleveland and although highways are easily accessible to the park, it is really not near the park at all.

 

[Shamrocker99]

were there any autopsy photos or crime scene photos included in the case file?? Just wondering if we could get a mock up of what she possibly looked like prior to her death!

DISREGARD--forgot that most of her body was skeletonized!

 

[ice190]

The photos that were taken by the Rangers didn't develop correctly, I think the files mentions that around pg 81. Lt. Don said this yesterday:

Yes, I did request any photos and additional reports. Also, to have a doctor review the autopsy report and meet with me to explain the homicide ruling. Still waiting, though.

So ME photos and xrays of the sorts may be obtainable.

The girl that was found in Rocky River Reservation, that park connects to Mill Stream Run at the north end. RRR is where the two branches of the River meet and then go into Lake Erie.

Also, today I would estimate at least 25 cultural fairs in the Cuyahoga County area. I actually have a goal to hit each one this year! Dyngus Day and Oktoberfest were complete beer fests with delicious food, both had bands.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

were there any autopsy photos or crime scene photos included in the case file?? Just wondering if we could get a mock up of what she possibly looked like prior to her death!

DISREGARD--forgot that most of her body was skeletonized!

It would be nice if they have the skull. I believe they have done facial busts from skulls.