OH - Christie Mullins, 14, Columbus, 23 Aug 1975 *killer died*

[TrixieBel]

I wonder if the murder weapon WAS ever tested for bloody finger prints. There are still so many of the involved families alive, I don't understand why none of them have insisted on justice. If it had been my sister, I would be fighting for her till my dying day.

 

[nerosleuth]

Here are two word documents that I created.

The first one is the police sketch of the killer.

The second one is the police sketch and a side by side comparsion of the police sketch and the suspect who was arrested and later acquitted in the Christie Lynn Mullins murder case.

 

[SapphireSteel]

It seems as though Christie's killer knew her.

She probably didn't know him, because she would have recognised his voice.

I think the guy who "found" her is an excellent suspect, particularly as he lived nearby.

Maybe he'd been watching her for a while.

Stupid question, does anyone know if they traced the calls?

:twocents:

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Here are two word documents that I created.

The first one is the police sketch of the killer.

The second one is the police sketch and a side by side comparsion of the police sketch and the suspect who was arrested and later acquitted in the Christie Lynn Mullins murder case.

I don't have a program to open them. Adobe will-not. Any Suggestions?

 

[Roselvr]

Here are two word documents that I created.

The first one is the police sketch of the killer.

The second one is the police sketch and a side by side comparsion of the police sketch and the suspect who was arrested and later acquitted in the Christie Lynn Mullins murder case.

PDF for those on Mac or without MS Word

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

The male eyewitness at the crime scene also lived in the same subdivision that Carol and Christie lived in.

The male eyewitness lived on a parallel street one block over from where Christie lived.




From what I remember, security cameras did not exist inside the stores or on the shopping center property back then.

I remember reading an article (can’t remember where) years ago about one of the defense team attorneys discussing this murder case. It turned out that the mentally handicapped individual didn’t even know what rape was and the defense attorneys had to get a film to explain what rape was.

I believe the mentally handicapped individual was the type of person who could be easily persuaded and convinced by someone that he committed an act that he didn’t even do in the first place.

The murder of Christie Lynn Mullins took place on the north side of Columbus. According to the Columbus newspaper articles back then, the mentally handicapped individual lived across town on the west side of Columbus. He held odd jobs and occasionally worked in a restaurant as a busboy.

Now how is it that the male eyewitness was able to make a perfect one hundred percent description of the mentally handicapped individual to the police?

I think that the male eyewitness likely had seen the mentally handicapped man somewhere.

quote...Now how is it that the male eyewitness was able to make a perfect one hundred percent description of the mentally handicapped individual to the police?...end of quote.

I am wondering if perhaps the witness gave the description and after the artist was finish he gave it to the LEOS. Perhaps the witness didnot know the person they arrested, but the LEOs from looking at the compsite KNEW someone that looked similiar if not exact in there mind and went and arrested him. Put him in a line up looking somewhat consistent with the composite, and the witness looked at him and said THAT'S HIM.

I wouldn't be surprised if we discovered during the lineup they even had him wearing something that resembled what the witness reported he seen him wearing. I suspect the LEOs had this guy looking so much as the witness described it would be understandable that the witness said THAT'S HIM.

Seems to me instead of matching a suspect to the composite, they match the composite to a suspect that they happened to already know.

There are some similarities between the suspect and composite but not a lot in the sense of a direct match from what I have sen over the years. Similar yes, positive match I don't believe so. As far as matching the suspect. But it sounds like the LEOs wanted it to match THIS suspect and they did.

 

[nerosleuth]

Columbus Dispatch Tuesday August 26, 1975

Killer Composite Produces Leads

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article published on Tuesday August 26, 1975, Columbus Police reported that hundreds of calls came in after a composite sketch of the suspect was published in the Columbus Dispatch on Monday August 25, 1975.

The strongest theory that police had was that the girl was forced into the woods by someone who wanted to molest her and killed her when she struggled.

 

[TrixieBel]

Hmmm. The Columbus Dispatch Newspaper takes news tips, or story ideas. Wonder if they would run the story again?

 

[nerosleuth]

Columbus Dispatch Wednesday August 27, 1975

Fluke Placed Girl, Slayer At Same Site

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article on Wednesday August 27, 1975, Police say in the article that the mentally handicapped man had confessed to the murder.

The article also says that the mentally handicapped man was not the one who made the prank telephone call on Christie’s friend that resulted in Christie being alone in the woods behind the store.

The newspaper reported that the mentally handicapped man could not read or write.

The Franklin County coroner said that the murder victim was not raped and that there were no visible signs of rape.

The coroner claimed that the statement about the victim being raped was based on the preliminary report of the pathologist who performed the autopsy at the morgue.

The coroner also said that chemical tests were incomplete and he planned to consult with the pathologist to see if any evidence of rape had been found.

I would like to point out that Carol and the male eyewitness both lived on the same street while Christie lived on a parallel street one block away from them.

 

[nerosleuth]

Columbus Dispatch Thursday August 28, 1975

Police Check Shorts For Blood Traces

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article published on Thursday August 28, 1975, the article reported that detectives had found two or three cutoff shorts belonging to the mentally handicapped man and were planning to have then checked for bloodstains.

Police revealed that several north side girls told police they had received similar prank phone calls in the late part of the previous week.

The girls reportedly took the path to the woods to the rear of the store that the caller instructed. Carol went inside the store to check on the time. When Carol came back out from the store, Christie was gone. Carol thought Christie had gone on home and Carol then returned to her own home.

It was during the few minutes that the killer grabbed Christie onto the woods about 300 yards from the store and tried to rape her. Police said that it wasn’t certain that the victim was raped, but the mentally handicapped man told police he had raped the victim.

Christie’s underwear was still on but her halter top was pulled down to her waist. Police said that Christie struggled with the suspect and police believe the suspect picked up a two foot long two-by-four board and clubbed the victim five times on her head and face.

The mentally handicapped man was unclear what happened after the murder but thought he rode the public transit bus back to downtown Columbus.

Police were reportedly looking for the bus driver who might have seen the killer.

 

[nerosleuth]

Columbus Dispatch Friday August 29, 1975

Slaying Victim Buried in Richwood, Ohio

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article published on Friday August 29, 1975, Christie Lynn Mullins was buried the day after what would have been her 15th birthday. Christie was buried in a dress that her grandmother had made for Christie’s birthday gift.

A relative told a reporter that her cousin Christie had dreams of being a fashion model and often talked about plans for her own future.

 

[December]

So, this is interesting. It sounds like someone was trying to lure ANY teenaged girls to the woods. Not just Carol (or Christie).

This sounds like someone who was either from the neighborhood or frequented the neighborhood. I would say from the neighborhood because then they could use their general knowledge of the people on the street as well as the phone book to track down the families that had girls of the right age.

The killer might have called Christie's house and her family didn't play along with his game. So, he never really talked to her and they never really found out what the calls were about until they found out about the other girls after Christie died.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Hmmm. The Columbus Dispatch Newspaper takes news tips, or story ideas. Wonder if they would run the story again?

They need to........Someone needs to bring the case up out of the basement and knock the dust off and look at it again. Is there A COLD CASE UNIT in this state , city???

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

So, this is interesting. It sounds like someone was trying to lure ANY teenaged girls to the woods. Not just Carol (or Christie).

This sounds like someone who was either from the neighborhood or frequented the neighborhood. I would say from the neighborhood because then they could use their general knowledge of the people on the street as well as the phone book to track down the families that had girls of the right age.

The killer might have called Christie's house and her family didn't play along with his game. So, he never really talked to her and they never really found out what the calls were about until they found out about the other girls after Christie died.

Hm if we believe its true, and others girls whom made this statement were telling the truth about the phone calls and NOT trying to gain attention for themselves in the press or whatever than it opens up other possibilities.

Did these girls belong to or engage in any activity that brought them together alone with the killer. For instance the same church, a girls club etc etc. If the statement was true than the killer had to have met them somewhere to decide on which ones to call. I don't think , and he couldn't just call anyone without knowing where they lived, there age, what they looked like etc...........

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Columbus Dispatch Wednesday August 27, 1975

Fluke Placed Girl, Slayer At Same Site

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article on Wednesday August 27, 1975, Police say in the article that the mentally handicapped man had confessed to the murder.

The article also says that the mentally handicapped man was not the one who made the prank telephone call on Christie’s friend that resulted in Christie being alone in the woods behind the store.

The newspaper reported that the mentally handicapped man could not read or write.

The Franklin County coroner said that the murder victim was not raped and that there were no visible signs of rape.

The coroner claimed that the statement about the victim being raped was based on the preliminary report of the pathologist who performed the autopsy at the morgue.

The coroner also said that chemical tests were incomplete and he planned to consult with the pathologist to see if any evidence of rape had been found.

I would like to point out that Carol and the male eyewitness both lived on the same street while Christie lived on a parallel street one block away from them.

WOW...The LEOs at the time thought of the phone call as nothing more than a prank and had nothing to do with the killing!...That phone call lead carol through the path in the woods just as the killer wanted. But instead of carol it was Christie that got murdered.

They admit the man charged didn't make the phone call, and yet they seemed to have discarded it as having no relevance to the case. SHOCKING

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Columbus Dispatch Thursday August 28, 1975

Police Check Shorts For Blood Traces

In a Columbus Dispatch newspaper article published on Thursday August 28, 1975, the article reported that detectives had found two or three cutoff shorts belonging to the mentally handicapped man and were planning to have then checked for bloodstains.

Police revealed that several north side girls told police they had received similar prank phone calls in the late part of the previous week.

The girls reportedly took the path to the woods to the rear of the store that the caller instructed. Carol went inside the store to check on the time. When Carol came back out from the store, Christie was gone. Carol thought Christie had gone on home and Carol then returned to her own home.

It was during the few minutes that the killer grabbed Christie onto the woods about 300 yards from the store and tried to rape her. Police said that it wasn’t certain that the victim was raped, but the mentally handicapped man told police he had raped the victim.

Christie’s underwear was still on but her halter top was pulled down to her waist. Police said that Christie struggled with the suspect and police believe the suspect picked up a two foot long two-by-four board and clubbed the victim five times on her head and face.

The mentally handicapped man was unclear what happened after the murder but thought he rode the public transit bus back to downtown Columbus.

Police were reportedly looking for the bus driver who might have seen the killer.

quote...Police revealed that several north side girls told police they had received similar prank phone calls in the late part of the previous week...end of quote.

Did these girls belong to any club activity that would have brought them together and killer was able to pick and choose which ones he wanted to call?
If we are to believe the above quote is true, and not just someone at the time seeking attention in the press and so forth.

 

[December]

I believe the local swimming pool might be the place. Christie was wearing bathing suit bottoms according to one article, I think.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

I believe the local swimming pool might be the place. Christie was wearing bathing suit bottoms according to one article, I think.

Could be. Someone working there. Seeing the girls in there swimsuits.
We can assume that carol and Christie swam at the same local pool.
And the killer being from the neighborhood had easy access to this pool.
Good place to start, until someone posts another possible connection linking the girls together.

 

[FragileSugar]

While searching through columbuslibrary.org I came across these two headlines:

56. THE ATTEMPTED RAPE AND SEVERE BEATING OF CONNIE AVENI, 34, 3184 DORRIS AVE, IS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR ANY CONNECTION WITH THE RAPE-SLAYING OF CHRISTIE MULLINS IN 1975
Publication: Columbus Dispatch Date: Thursday, July 27, 1978 Page: 10 B
Byline: JERRY LOVETT
View Related Subjects




Save Record 57. POLICE THINK THERE ARE DEFINITE SIMILARITIES IN THE BEATING OF CONNIE AVENI ON 7/26 AND THE BLUDGEON SLAYING OF CHRISTIE MULLINS IN 1975
Publication: Columbus Dispatch Date: Friday, July 28, 1978 Page: 13 B
Byline: JERRY LOVETT
View Related Subjects

I can't seem to view them online though.

 

[nerosleuth]

It seems as though Christie's killer knew her.

She probably didn't know him, because she would have recognised his voice.

I think the guy who "found" her is an excellent suspect, particularly as he lived nearby.

Maybe he'd been watching her for a while.

Stupid question, does anyone know if they traced the calls?

:twocents:

That’s a very good question. I doubt if the phone calls were ever traced. My best guess is that whoever made the phone calls probably made it from a pay phone. I bet the calls were made from a glass enclosed pay phone booth.

I don’t know if back then the telephone company kept records of a phone number making local calls, but they sure kept records of long distance calls.

Hmmm. The Columbus Dispatch Newspaper takes news tips, or story ideas. Wonder if they would run the story again?

The Columbus Dispatch newspaper in Columbus publishes a special story every once in awhile about old unsolved homicide cases in the Columbus area.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/topic/special-reports/unsolved.html


As far as I know, they haven’t done a story about this case.

They need to........Someone needs to bring the case up out of the basement and knock the dust off and look at it again. Is there A COLD CASE UNIT in this state , city???

There is a cold case unit in Columbus, but there is a massive backlog though. There are over 800 unsolved homicides in the city of Columbus. The oldest unsolved homicide case dates back to 1955. They only look at cases that have the best chance of being solved.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/08/28/police-cold-cases.html

Hm if we believe its true, and others girls whom made this statement were telling the truth about the phone calls and NOT trying to gain attention for themselves in the press or whatever than it opens up other possibilities.

Did these girls belong to or engage in any activity that brought them together alone with the killer. For instance the same church, a girls club etc etc. If the statement was true than the killer had to have met them somewhere to decide on which ones to call. I don't think , and he couldn't just call anyone without knowing where they lived, there age, what they looked like etc...........

That’s a very good question. The other girls that got the same phone calls that Carol did, I don’t know what clubs, churches, schools, or organizations that they belonged to girls belonged to.

One of Christie’s favorite activities was swimming. Christie and Carol went to a private swimming pool at an apartment complex in their neighborhood rather than going to a public swimming pool. It could be someone who lived in the apartment complex had seen them swimming. I wonder if there was any tenant that moved away from the apartment complex after the murder.