At this point, the case was still considered a missing persons case, as Amys body would not be found until months later. He had a few girls he was extra close to, like the girl who sat in front of me. Then the man puts an arm around Amy's shoulders and leads her away. "I left for health reasons." ", I ask him about the sexual nature of the letters and he looks away. Oftentimes, the motive of these killers is actually sexual assault, but the charges for assault of a minor are so steep that offenders feel they have to kill the victim after the assault to prevent identification. People will say that DR was odd in many ways (which he may have been), about how he abruptly left, gave excuses, and whatnot but leaving and not telling anyone why isnt a crime. I don't think unjust collateral damage matters to him if it is likely to enhance his readership and thus his profit. 2 Suspects. The movie Mean Girls made a joke about this, but its something that sticks out to the kids theyve taught. He names the same restaurant that had been my first stop. New info and they are asking for help from the public. he shouts. She says he "probably" gave some to the Lake Erie Nature Center. Ryan said the car followed him a ways until it pulled up beside him and the man inside slowly lowered his window. But Runkle eventually asked for the money back. In the weeks leading up to Amy's abduction, a man called them at home, after school, and pretended to be a co-worker of either their mother's or father's. For 19 years, the FBI and the Bay Village Police Department kept the identity of these other girls a secret. The Absolutely Nutty Cleveland/East Palestine/15-Minute City Conspiracy Theory, Explained, Ohio Gets an "F" for Failing to Address Lead in School Water, A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How Ohio Enacted the Most Restrictive Voter Photo ID Law in America, Cleveland Public Library Hires First Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, At Householder Trial, Former State Rep. Nino Vitale Cites Hazy Memory, Distances Himself From HB6 Scandal, By Marty Schladen, The Ohio Capital Journal, What Norfolk Southerns History of Accidents Say About the Company and Industry, Scroll to read more Cleveland News articles. At that time, they told me that on the week of St. Patrick's Day in 2005, a retired FBI agent who worked on Amy's case contacted each of the girls from North Olmsted. And that's when the old man with a Frisbee shows up. DR seems eccentric from what Ive read, but being eccentric isnt a crime either. Whether there is enough to convict is a whole separate argument. Shortly after her friends went home, Amy was approached by a man in his 30s at the shopping center. A teacher at Amys middle school had told police back in 1989 that he had never heard of the nature center and had nothing to do with the establishment. Usually, someone that would go this far is not someone who has never done that before or hasnt done it again, Elish said. The report that was done by fox 8 said no sperm was found referenced a 1989 report that used 1989 technology. Sept. 21, 2021, 5:41 PM PDT. Investigators would later figure out that Amy was not the only girl who had received such phone calls around the same time. A pair of sisters had also received a call from a man who claimed to be a friend of their mothers. Marshals searching for Ohio man wanted in multiple crimes, Chief issues 6-alarm fire in Camp Washington, 1 dead, 4 hospitalized after being hit by semi-truck following crash on Ohio Turnpike, 2-year-old Ohio boy found safe, Amber Alert canceled, police say, Duo of suspected porch pirates wanted on Clevelands West Side, police say, RELATED: 32 years later, Mark Mihaljevic still hopeful his daughters killer will be found, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. Then, in August 2008, a man named Tony Perchinsky called to tell me that he'd heard from a local cop that the man who'd been Perchinsky's eighth-grade science teacher in 1991, Dean Runkle, was a suspect in Amy's case. They also start taking trophies. "I've been able to tear down this wall. "We were close. Edit: Press conference just ended. IDs The Lake Erie Murders: Who Killed Amy Mihaljevic? explores the chilling case of the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl in broad daylight. A female student from his 1989 class says she noticed the similarities between Runkle and the composite sketch of Amy's abductor. Were pursuing more so the angle of science now than we ever have in the past because DNA changes every couple of months, Elish said. INTERVIEW FOLLOW-UP The evidence is highly circumstantial toward Dean Runkle. without collection a pension that was owed to him (Renner, 2008). How often did you visit the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center? Whatever the reason, Runkle moved back in with his parents in New London and got a job working at a pet store. Details: In 1989, ten-year-old Amy Mihaljevic received a call from a man named Frank who claimed to be her mother's coworker and that she was getting a promotion and wanted to meet with her in order to pick out something for her mother for a . We know where she was found. Search for a Topic. inappropriate behavior and unwanted physicality? Unfortunately, Ryan didnt remember this incident until years after Amys body was found. James Renner Amy visited the nature center frequently because she loved science. He was like a son. In 2006, it was revealed that before Amy was slain, many young girls around her same age had also received a similar phone call from an unidentified man, saying that hed help them buy their mother a present. Renner parked his car and confronted Runkle. Jay Elish. Eventually, their method of killing starts to bore them, and the killer needs more drama, risk and excitement with each new victim. Richard Holbert. He often filmed his students in class, cutting together the film later at home. He told different stories to administrators and students, everything from eating bad food while on safari in Africa to contracting a blood disease after cutting his hand on coral. But they recently tested dog hairs found on the fabric and determined that they matched hairs taken from the dog Amy owned at the time. The killer also must have been local at the time, having known about the corn field on the remote county road for disposal of Amys body. In 1971, he quit teaching for two years to play ragtime at Disneyland. Unfortunately, neither witness got a good look at the mans face, nor did they see him or Amy get into a vehicle, or go into a store. If youre interested in learning more about Amys case, please check out James Renners book about this case Amy: My Search for Her Killer now available on Audible. He then corroborated what each witness said with what they told police back in 1989 immediately after the disappearance. Cleveland newspaper reporter James Renner investigated Mihaljevic's murder case and concluded that a teacher named Dean Runkle should be viewed as a prime suspect. Margaret and Mark filed for divorce, and Mark moved out of the house. "And it better be someone who cannot be linked to you, because when a child is abducted and murdered in this country, trouble will rain down upon you. Another key person of interest in Amy Mihaljevics disappearance and murder case is Richard Holbert, who, like a few others, has confessed to slaying Amy. Cleveland newspaper reporter James Renner investigated Mihaljevic's murder case and concluded that a teacher named Dean Runkle should be viewed as a prime suspect. Amy and her friends were in . It was a tragic year for the Runkles; the family's first home burned to the ground too. Amy . Amy attended the local middle school, and her older brother Jason attended the local high school in 1989. A group of fifth-grade boys congregates at the corner of the plaza, by Bay Lanes. If you meet me at the plaza after school, I'll take you shopping to pick out a present for her. Your email address will not be published. Amy was 10 and had not yet reached puberty. Two witnesses said they saw Amy that day with a man who would now be in his mid-50s or early '60s. We know this perpetrator is both patient opportunistic, the play it safe type who allowed Amy to call her mom as to not raise suspicion, so why would he rush from his job to the abduction scene? Amys case remains open to this day, and the Bay Village police have never let her case go cold in almost 30 years. Her murder case raised national attention. Some of them have been suspects for years and decades.. In the weeks preceding Amys disappearance on October 27, she had received several phone calls from an unknown man who knew almost everything about her life. That night and much of the next day I show Runkle's photo around town. We knew in 2016, her dogs hair was on the curtain, but now knowing her hair is on them tells us more and is a lot stronger, explained Bay Village Det. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. "That was a difficult time in my life," he says. Amy Mihaljevic, United States Unclassified. It turns out the suspect had schizophrenia and he had stopped taking his medication. Several students say they were invited back to Runkle's apartment after school. When Amys body was found, the pair of blue earrings in the shape of horse heads that she was wearing that day were missing from her body. There is a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Amys killer. I wasn't going to chance it because I didn't trust him based on his unfounded and mean spirited hatchet job on his personally manufactured suspect, Dean Runkle, in the Amy Mihaljevic case. The handyman was brought in for questioning, but was quickly eliminated as a suspect once his alibi was corroborated by multiple people. Amy ignores him. Then March became June, and June became November. She had contracted lupus, along with several other health issues. Some credit him for inspiring them to become veterinarians or biologists. It's the big unsolved mystery of the area. "Also, preference does not mean exclusivity. He wears a beige windbreaker with plaid lining, front-pressed khakis and a button-up shirt. By James Renner on Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 4:00 am. "He's one of those men who makes you feel uncomfortable when you're alone with them," she says. This desolate stretch of cracked pavement is not a place you'd likely happen on by chance, and detectives had long theorized that whoever had dumped her body there must have been familiar with the area. There is new evidence in the Amy Mihaljevic murder investigation - a homemade curtain and a blanket found on the road where Amy's body was discovered in 1989. Edit: Press conference just ended. The report of a missing child from their own neighborhood frightened every soul in Bay Village. Immediately, police focused in on the caretaker of the ranch, who was a dead ringer for the composite sketch. Cleveland newspaper reporter James Renner investigated Mihaljevic's murder case and concluded that a teacher named Dean Runkle should be viewed as a prime suspect. According to reporter James Renner, Dean Runkle is a possible prime suspect in the FBI investigation. None had ever talked to a reporter, until they found me in 2006. Some believed that this suspect could have been teacher Dean Runkle, according to James Renner . Almost 30 years later, Amys killer is still at large. James Renner chased Runkle down to the Key West, FL area and attempted to interview him. Amy Mihaljevic was born on the 11th of December, 1978. There are no samples, according to Elish, currently being tested in a lab. But be careful not to try to fit a square peg in a round hole, he warns. So, take a look. Searchers discovered Amy's body on February 9, 1990. Amy Renee Mihaljevic (11 Dcembre 1978 - Le . According to friends and neighbors, Amy was a beautiful, intelligent girl with a bright future ahead of her. Amy told her mother she was ok and that she was at home now, and then quickly hung up. No sign of him, of course. He worked for the bureau for 30 years, the last 20 devoted to crimes against children. The story I've spent the most time on is the unsolved abduction and murder of Amy Mihaljevic. According to reporter James Renner, Dean Runkle is a possible prime suspect in the FBI investigation. he says. Several years after the murder, a man at a church service in a nearby town suddenly stood up and yelled out the words I killed Amy Mihaljevic. Some off-duty police officers happened to be in the congregation and immediately took the man into custody. During those delays, I learned that Runkle was that suspect. The girl became frightened and immediately hung up the phone. She was popular, funny, kind and energetic. Send a News Tip. One of them spots the girl spinning around the pole, seemingly without a care in the world. She did not tell the girls who she was waiting for, but she did tell them she received a mysterious phone call right after she got home from school from a man claiming to be a friend of her mothers. Police believe Amys body was wrapped in the curtain for transport from the actual crime scene to the field where her body was dumped. Case []. ALSO, Dean Runkle has NOT been named as a suspect. "At that age, there's not a lot of difference between boys and girls. It wouldnt have been unusual for Amy to go there alone or with friends. He arranged to meet Amy after school that day to help her buy a gift for her mom for a work promotion. The center had been one of Amy's favorite places. She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and she later moved to a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He starts to leave. They had a safe place to take her to incapacitate her, sexually assault her and murder her, all without detection. Required fields are marked *. He shrugs. "When you're dealing with human behavior," warns Lanning, "you're not dealing in absolutes. In 1994, Christina Adkins says she overheard Runkle say something that shocked her. Birth Sign Sagittarius. I will admit that sketch of the man Amy met that day looks like DR (and like a dead-ringer too), but simply looking like a sketch doesnt make him our guy. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. All the interviews checked out except one. I attempted to locate it in hopes of taking a sample of carpet that could be compared to the gold fibers found on Amy. Now we know: New clues in the Amy Mihaljevic case. Her body was found in Ashland County - about 50 miles away - a few months later. Dan says their relationship was never physical. He told them he needed their help to pick out a present and asked them to come with him to the store. If we can find out where that curtain came from or who owned that, we believe strongly that will take us to the person responsible for this, he said. The calls all came at times when the children were at home, and the parents were typically at work. That obsession leads James to a successful career as an investigative journalist. The fact that the killer left Amys body in an open field, albeit remote, in addition to the blanket the body was wrapped in during transport, tells us something about our killer. He looked after me when we lived at the shelter together a couple years ago. 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"I wouldn't be surprised if I was in a picture at the Lake Erie Nature Center," he says. Her dirty-blonde hair hangs, a little disheveled, over her earrings - turquoise horse heads, mounted on gold studs. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, U.S. Ohio Gov. Amy's case, beginning with the phone calls from a stranger posing as a family friend, appears to have been a seduction gone wrong. But, they did classify that although he looked quite presentable, he didnt carry himself in a way that an accomplished or a professional person might. Renner never got in touch with him again. These items were found a ways down the road from her body and until now they were not sure that they were linked to the crime. July 12, 202211 items. They recalled seeing him eating at Rax on Route 58 every night, sometimes with his classroom assistants. Nothing is that simple, I told myself. She lugs a blue-denim book bag with red piping. Four months after her kidnapping in 1989, of which the 32nd anniversary falls on Wednesday, Amy's body was discovered in . Residents of Bay Village lived on edge for years after Amys disappearance and murder. I ask my questions anyway. Multiple witnesses say that he matches the man they saw with Amy the day she vanished. On Oct. 27, 1989, Amy was lured to Bay Square shopping plaza by a man who had previously called Amy at her home. . This three-decade-old mystery and the nationwide hunt for the perpetrator, involving hundreds of suspects, is still ongoing. All four girls, who received suspicious phone calls (with Amy being the last one), have visited it in the weeks before the abduction and may have written their names and phone numbers in a logbook by the front doors. One of Amys friends, who saw this man lead her away, has been shown hundreds of pictures of possible suspects. Another angle is that this killer is toying with police. His denials of involvement in her abduction and murder notwithstanding, no other suspect has ever matched the facts of the case as closely as Dean Runkle. Your email address will not be published. Two years later, he earned a Young Educator of the Year award for starting a science fair at the school. Elish believes anyone who can identify those items, the curtain especially, will help solve this case. Someone stitched this together inside their home and hung on their tall, narrow window. Puberty seems to be a very significant issue for many of these serial offenders.". Real Name: Amy Renee Mihaljevic Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: Bay Village, Ohio Date: October 27, 1989 Amy Mihaljevic. Renner never made contact until he was about to leave town. I was around kids all day.". BAY VILLAGE, Ohio (WOIO) - Nearly 32 years after her murder, theres a new clue in the Amy Mihaljevic case. He leans down to whisper something in her ear. "He used to tell us about the science center he volunteered at. The witnesses described that he was within the average range for a males height, weight, and build, making him unremarkable in appearance. Her murder case received national attention. The FBI Finally Has A Top Suspect In The Amy Mihaljevic Murder. Does Amy Mihaljevic Dead or Alive? Last year, they stated that they are extensively investigating all the suspects in connection with this particular case and feel that when they identify Amys killer, Joseph would most likely be on their list. Just like this, because the authorities have revealed a lot of information and evidence surrounding this case to the public in the hopes of getting some tips they have received several false confessions from mentally ill individuals or convicts who get a kick out of admitting to something so heinous. A couple hours later after no response, the Mihaljevics filed a missing persons report with the Bay Village Police Department. Over time the letters became sexual in nature. Runkle also seemed to have volunteered in the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village at the time of the murder. He was immediately brought in for questioning. I ask. Most of these killers have what psychologists deem a thrill-seeking personality.. When she learned he was also living in New London, not far from where they found Amy, she called the Amherst police and then confronted Runkle directly. Amy is . There may be circumstances or reasons that may lead him to have sex with others outside his preferred age/sex demographic." Lanning doesn't assume to know enough about Runkle to offer an opinion of his behavior or his motivations. Runkle also seemed to have volunteered in the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village at the time of the murder. When Rax became a different fast-food restaurant, he continued frequenting the place as if nothing had changed. Amy Mihaljevic disappeared in 1989 when she was ten years old. Friends said she never recovered from Amys death and the lack of solid leads in solving the case. Dean Runkle himself denies any involvement in the murder of Amy Mihaljevic and the FBI has never officially declared him a suspect. Amy Renee Mihaljevic (i)mhlvk (December 11, 1978 October 27, 1989) was a tenyearold American elementary school student who was kidnapped and murdered in the U.S. state of Ohio in 1989. . Thursday marks 33 years since Amy was taken from a shopping plaza in Bay Village. That way I really get to know the kids and they get to know me, and we understand each other that way.". Friends of hers claim she slid into alcoholism. The FBI, currently offering an up to $25,000 reward for any information, has never let this case go cold. A stranger convinced Amy that he needed her help buying a present . 3. He admitted he was a teacher at Amys middle school, but denied he had anything to do with the nature center. Investigators said she was stabbed to death. As it happens, the soup kitchen is scheduled to serve free lunch in a half-hour. He promptly began building a new zoo and inviting kids to help with the animals after school. Only a few times has she told investigators that the man in the photo could be the same one who led Amy away. A search warrant for the suspects house was executed, but no evidence linking the man to Amy was found. Blood was also found inside of her underwear. Categories Posted Recently. After he returned, Runkle began building his own nature center inside his classroom. "I don't have anything to say." Amys body was only ever found because her killer wanted it that way. We may never find answers to these questions, but Amys family deserves to know what happened to her. Bay Village, . Multiple witnesses say that he matches the man they saw . At the time of the crime, he was wearing a beige windbreaker with plaid lining, front-pressed khakis, and a button-up shirt. In terms of a suspect, I agree that Dean Runkle appears incredibly suspicious. Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 4:00 am. She said she was going with a friend to the Bay Square Shopping Center. and our Spaetzel also discussed the dangers of strangers. A Catastrophic Cyber Event in the Next 2-Years; Youth Pastor and Foster Dad in Florida Accused of Human Trafficking; Downtown Denver Dying? The FBI brought in a sketch artist, and the artist was able to create a composite sketch of the man based on the two witness accounts. Mr. Runkle taught classes at the nature center and frequently volunteered there. Tue Aug 17, 06:49:00 PM . Call the Bay Village Police Department at 440-871-1234. And though I've never seen him in person before, I recognize him immediately - not from the grainy 13-year-old newspaper photos but from the composite sketch of Amy's abductor. Person Of Interest. Since Runkle is exceptionally well liked as a teacher by many former students, Renner became the subject of strong criticism, unlike anything he had faced from naming previous suspects, when he named Runkle. In 2002, during a Sunday Mass at St. Angela Merici Catholic Church on Lorain Road in Fairview Park, he announced that he was the one responsible for what happened to Amy. Somebody who had ridden in that car a week ago, had dropped a hair on the seat," Renner said about the transfer theory. He was very touchy." They walk together until they reach the shopping plaza a quarter mile down the road. Meet Dean Runkle, former teacher of the year from Amherst, Ohio. Science teacher from the area, lived in Ashland County and grew up. . Runkle also seemed to have volunteered in the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village at the time of the murder. But only a handful crossed paths with each of the girls the abductor attempted to seduce over the phone before successfully luring Amy to the shopping center that day - the clue upon which the entire case hinges, the one way in which the killer was careless. However, a few minutes after she hung up from Jason, Margaret received a call from Amy herself. Moments later, I pull up in front of the apartments, which are actually a dozen separate buildings surrounded by a chain-link fence. Both witness accounts corroborated each other. None took the bait. They thrive off the increased risk of being caught, so they start leaving bodies out in the open and leaving behind trace evidence. Also not in his personnel file were the occasions when Runkle was caught alone with students in his gold-colored Grand Prix, by both the principal and a policeman, who let him go with a warning. BAY VILLAGE -- As the family of JonBenet Ramsey awaits the arrival of a primary suspect in the decade-old murder of 6-year-old JonBenet, Bay Village police are reminded there is still hope to find the killer of Amy Mihaljevic. He gave them the name of a suspect and asked if it sounded familiar. In 2002, during a Sunday Mass at St. Angela Merici Catholic Church on Lorain Road in Fairview Park, he announced that he was the one responsible for what happened to Amy. It's hard to tell what might be ailing Runkle, though, because, at 65, he could easily pass for 45. Police considered it another dead end. As I'm considering how to enter the compound, a man walks across the street in front of me. Although Renner describes Runkle as an eccentric teacher, no hard evidence supports this view. I quickly began to see why this man was on the FBI's list of priorities. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. By the time these women sought me out in 2006, they had forgotten the name. He bred mice in his classroom, and then donated them to the nature center to feed the mice there. 4. Runkle resigned abruptly, explaining he had to leave for "health reasons." How did Amy's life cross paths with the lives of three girls from North Olmsted she had never met? BAY VILLAGE, Ohio Investigators Thursday revealed new evidence they believe will help solve the kidnapping and murder of Amy Mihaljevic. But there is so much more circumstantial evidence that says they are guilty than there is for any other "suspects".
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