KY KY - Jan Niesel, 33, Ashland, 12 Aug 1974

[kbrddet]

I lived in Ashland, KY at the time when this happened. It was horrendous at the time, but it (like everything else over time) just died down and went away. It has been said that the real killer was acquitted. So this case has been closed, from what I understand. I edited this because all I ever heard was rumors. I have since rethought what I believed at the time. I didn't know the Niesels. Such a sad case though.

There was another murder (actually two teenagers) a few years before this who were killed on Skyline Drive in Ashland. I have tried to find out information on that case, but I believe some boys/men were found guilty in that case and were slapped on the wrist and got out soon thereafter. Her name was Brenda and her boyfriend's name was Don. One of their killers had a crush on Brenda, I believe. She was a beautiful girl and was a senior in high school, I think.

I lived in Ashland, KY at the time when this happened. It was horrendous at the time, but it (like everything else over time) just died down and went away. It has been said that the real killer was acquitted. So this case has been closed, from what I understand. I edited this because all I ever heard was rumors. I have since rethought what I believed at the time. I didn't know the Niesels. Such a sad case though.

There was another murder (actually two teenagers) a few years before this who were killed on Skyline Drive in Ashland. I have tried to find out information on that case, but I believe some boys/men were found guilty in that case and were slapped on the wrist and got out soon thereafter. Her name was Brenda and her boyfriend's name was Don. One of their killers had a crush on Brenda, I believe. She was a beautiful girl and was a senior in high school, I think.

 

[kbrddet]

their name was brenda and don howard they were married i was born and raised in ashland

 

[kbrddet]

and i still dont think they had the right guy or girl for jans murder but apd thinks so

 

[Goldielocks67]

and i still dont think they had the right guy or girl for jans murder but apd thinks so

I agree completely. That’s why all the evidence was purged. Such a shame. With today’s forensic techniques, it could’ve been solved.

 

[MeMyself and I]

From what I heard, a person named Mark Kazee, the Duct Tape Bandits father, who is deceased, admitted to his exwife that he was the one that killed Jan Niesel. Mark was also known to be violent, and heavily used various drugs, and alcohol. He could have been lying to her, but that is what Ive heard. Mark also loved to fight. Mark also used to get his exwife down, and burn her with cigarettes.

 

[rdr5804]

I’ve contacted local law enforcement. They have no desire to pursue further. As far as they’re concerned it’s case closed. They feel Victor Lee Davies was the perp but was acquitted so no further investigation was done. All the evidence (other than prints of Davies’) was purged which is such a shame given new forensic techniques. So the prints would be all that’s left. Honestly with potential suspects still living, I would be nervous about contacting anyone other than anonymously.

Please contact me if you still have any interest in this . I am due to speak to APD in a week . I have turned up some interesting things I want them to look at about one person who I feel knows a lot about the murder . I am also trying to get our paper to print some stories on this .

 

[rdr5804]

I was very young at the time this murder occurred, but remember hearing enough about it that it really scared me. I know there was always speculation that her husband was involved but it was never proven. Rumor had it that she had the money in her name, but he was having an affair. At the time of the murder, he had a two-year old son, Jared, with Dreema Bird. Jared died in Ohio in 2012 at the age of 40. The obituary lists his parents as Bill and Dreema Niesel.

A man named Victor Lee Davies was extradicted from the Northwest (Oregon?, Washington?) and tried for the murder but was acquitted. I believe he left town after the trial. The Niesel family left town soon after and moved back to the Cincinnati area. I am curious if anyone remembers attending the trial or has ever reviewed the trial transcripts. With DNA evidence so prevalent today, you would think that someone would re-examine this case.

I have the trial manuscripts but are strange .There is no testimony mentioned in it . I have approached the APD and they say they are checking into it . I am asking them to run the finger prints thru the FBI again to see if they can match them . the only thing that can be found out about the trial is from news paper articles from the trial . They have a file at the Ashland library that has all news paper articles and the trial manuscripts form Frankfort .

 

[rdr5804]

I was very young at the time this murder occurred, but remember hearing enough about it that it really scared me. I know there was always speculation that her husband was involved but it was never proven. Rumor had it that she had the money in her name, but he was having an affair. At the time of the murder, he had a two-year old son, Jared, with Dreema Bird. Jared died in Ohio in 2012 at the age of 40. The obituary lists his parents as Bill and Dreema Niesel.

A man named Victor Lee Davies was extradicted from the Northwest (Oregon?, Washington?) and tried for the murder but was acquitted. I believe he left town after the trial. The Niesel family left town soon after and moved back to the Cincinnati area. I am curious if anyone remembers attending the trial or has ever reviewed the trial transcripts. With DNA evidence so prevalent today, you would think that someone would re-examine this case.

I have asked the Ashland Police Department to run the prints from the knife package at the murder seen through CODIS and check on one witness that told several false tales as if he was framing Davies but they will not get back to me after messaging them several times on the hotline. I have asked them to let other agencies investigate it if they are not interested anymore . No luck there again. The Sheriff and Kentucky State Police say they can not do anything since it is Ashland,s case. I have tried to get the Independant and local television station to do a story on it again but neither seams interested. I have the trial manuscripts which does not have any testimony of the trial. Newspaper articles is the only info on the trial I can find.

 

[PJ for the truth]

Jan (Haban) Niesel was a 33 year old mother of four children, her husband, William, owned (or perhaps ran) the local Volkswagen dealership.

Jan and her son, John (12?) were finished shopping at Wollco when they were approached by a "man in white" in the parking lot. He made Jan drive to a wooded area then had the two exit the car and walk into the woods where the assailant kicked John in the head, then grabbed Jan around the waist and cut her throat.

John was able to get away and request help from workman in the area. The killer took Jan's purse, which contained $60-80 in cash.

The murder weapon, a boning knife, was not recovered, but the receipt and packaging of the item were found at the scene.

A man was arrested and tried for her murder, he was a painter living in the area who relocated to Washington State in the days after the murder. He was located and brought back, but acquitted.

Topix on the crime
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I was very young at the time this murder occurred, but remember hearing enough about it that it really scared me. I know there was always speculation that her husband was involved but it was never proven. Rumor had it that she had the money in her name, but he was having an affair. At the time of the murder, he had a two-year old son, Jared, with Dreema Bird. Jared died in Ohio in 2012 at the age of 40. The obituary lists his parents as Bill and Dreema Niesel.

A man named Victor Lee Davies was extradicted from the Northwest (Oregon?, Washington?) and tried for the murder but was acquitted. I believe he left town after the trial. The Niesel family left town soon after and moved back to the Cincinnati area. I am curious if anyone remembers attending the trial or has ever reviewed the trial transcripts. With DNA evidence so prevalent today, you would think that someone would re-examine this case.