OH OH - Amy Mihaljevic, 10, Bay Village, 27 Oct 1989

[jgfitzge]

Retail workers often have odd days off or non-standard shifts.

I could go along with the retail occupation. I am thinking He was dressed casual, and if he work at 5 or 6 that night he didn’t seem to be in a big rush. I may be wrong, but Bay Village doesn’t strike me as having a lot of warehouses in the area.In addition, working remotely in 1989 was almost unheard of.

Ironic that you chose retail, given that he abducted Amy to go shopping for a present. Thinking about it more, that may be a very good guess.

 

[book-thinker]

Possibility, the POI was a suspect at the time of her disappearance. Was he called in for questioning during this time period.
A person doesn’t suddenly decide to contact LE after 30 years without a reason. If she lived with him during this period time, didn’t she realized something was off, odd behavior, perhaps a different routine. He lived approximately 1.5 miles from either the strip mall or Amy’s home did he meet her family at some event.
Was their a connection to the elementary school, how would he know a young girl would answer the phone. I understand he had phoned several girls before Amy. What was the connection to the information he had on her mother and knowing she had a young girl. His work history might give a clue to the connection.
What’s concerning he’s been a predator for the last 30 years. He needs to get off the streets.

 

[Betty P]

I could go along with the retail occupation. I am thinking He was dressed casual, and if he work at 5 or 6 that night he didn’t seem to be in a big rush. I may be wrong, but Bay Village doesn’t strike me as having a lot of warehouses in the area.In addition, working remotely in 1989 was almost unheard of.

Ironic that you chose retail, given that he abducted Amy to go shopping for a present. Thinking about it more, that may be a very good guess.

I had originally thought he worked at some kind of skilled service work, etc. like plumbing, electrician, etc. where he would be on call traveling around to jobs every day. That's still possible, but the description of his clothing sounded to me a little more dressy than that. More likely that, while he worked in Bay Village, he may have taken the day or afternoon off work and changed clothes. Also possible he did work in a job that required he dress in sort of "business casual".

BTW, there was not much retail business in BV back then, still not much today. It's mostly a small bedroom community. The biggest employers would be the schools. Otherwise, there were grocery stores, dry cleaners, convenience stores, pharmacy, Post Office, real estate, insurance companies, bank branches, county library, churches, a couple of doctors offices and a dentist, bowling alley, barber & beauty shop, gift shop, small hardware store, a few restaurants, city hall, fire and police dept., etc.

 

[Yemelyan]

I had originally thought he worked at some kind of skilled service work, etc. like plumbing, electrician, etc. where he would be on call traveling around to jobs every day. That's still possible, but the description of his clothing sounded to me a little more dressy than that. More likely that, while he worked in Bay Village, he may have taken the day or afternoon off work and changed clothes. Also possible he did work in a job that required he dress in sort of "business casual".

BTW, there was not much retail business in BV back then, still not much today. It's mostly a small bedroom community. The biggest employers would be the schools. Otherwise, there were grocery stores, dry cleaners, convenience stores, pharmacy, Post Office, real estate, insurance companies, bank branches, county library, churches, a couple of doctors offices and a dentist, bowling alley, barber & beauty shop, gift shop, small hardware store, a few restaurants, city hall, fire and police dept., etc.

The grocery stores, convenience stores, gift shop, hardware store, etc would all be in my definition of "retail," as they mostly require staff to work odd days (off on a Tuesday, for example, because you have to work Saturday business hours) or odd shifts for store coverage.

 

[Betty P]

The grocery stores, convenience stores, gift shop, hardware store, etc would all be in my definition of "retail," as they mostly require staff to work odd days (off on a Tuesday, for example, because you have to work Saturday business hours) or odd shifts for store coverage.

Perhaps, but it likely would be working in the back of the business, not interacting with customers. The poxters with the sketch of the killer were plastered everywhere. People worried about their kids were looking for that face everywhere.

 

[Yemelyan]

Perhaps, but it likely would be working in the back of the business, not interacting with customers. The poxters with the sketch of the killer were plastered everywhere. People worried about their kids were looking for that face everywhere.

Sketches don't always look like a faithful representation of the subject, though. This sketch might - but we just don't know. It may not be close enough to how the perpetrator actually looked at that time for people who don't know him very well to make the connection.

JMO but I think most sketches aren't really meant for people to look at and say "oh I think I saw a guy who looked just like this at the gas station the other day!" Maybe that type of recognition happens sometimes. But if they are circulated at all (I think most composite sketches are used privately by LE actually) they are really designed for people who have a person in their lives, well-known to them, who has a feature or two in common with the sketch AND something about the day the crime took place that doesn't add up - called out of work or an appointment with a flimsy excuse, threw away or burned clothes, stayed out all night when that's atypical behavior. The sketch is meant for those people to put two and two together - not the general public. But again, it's JMO though.

 

[Betty P]

Amy Mihaljevic murder

Law enforcement officials tell the I-TEAM they have taken DNA samples from people as recently as a couple of months ago.

Bay Village Detective Jay Elish says a lot of the DNA testing they are doing now is to help eliminate possible suspects and to make sure any of the DNA they do have is not what is referred to as contamination DNA, such as a hair, from a law enforcement agent that was dropped at the scene.

“So we are always ruling people out that were previous suspects to see if their DNA matches the DNA that we have,” Elish told the I-TEAM.

He added that they do have some untested DNA in Amy’s case and they are exploring testing it with the latest DNA advancements.

​

 

[Betty P]

New steps taken to find whoever kidnapped, murdered 10-year-old Ohio girl 32 years ago

A similar article to the Fox 8 report above

"A detective with the Bay Village Police Department tells the iTeam that a lot of the DNA testing they are doing now is to help eliminate possible suspects and to make sure any of the DNA they do have is not what they refer to as contamination DNA, such as a hair from a law enforcement agent that was at the scene.

"..We're always ruling people out or checking people that were previous suspects to see if their DNA matches the mitochondrial DNA that we have.

Authorities also have some untested DNA in Amy's case. And they are exploring testing it with the latest DNA advancements.

BBM The news report also states they have tested the DNA of people as recently as the last 2 months.​

 

[Betty P]

Bringing this link forward again from the news story a few months ago

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news...pments-in-amy-mihaljevic-murder-investigation

Confidential sources reveal to local news media that documents have been filed in county court regarding a suspect in the case. A tip about this suspect was sent to LE on the most recent anniversary of Amy's abduction and murder. The suspect lived nearby, had a relative who was in Amy's class, worked in Bay Village, had made the acquaintance of Amy's mother at a local bar and was missing the night of Amy's abduction. He called his girlfriend that night asking about news reporting of Amy's abduction.

 

[mothwings]

I can't wait to see this evil pork-chop pervert's face in a mug shot.

 

[Barbieshell]

Bringing this link forward again from the news story a few months ago

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news...pments-in-amy-mihaljevic-murder-investigation

Confidential sources reveal to local news media that documents have been filed in county court regarding a suspect in the case. A tip about this suspect was sent to LE on the most recent anniversary of Amy's abduction and murder. The suspect lived nearby, had a relative who was in Amy's class, worked in Bay Village, had made the acquaintance of Amy's mother at a local bar and was missing the night of Amy's abduction. He called his girlfriend that night asking about news reporting of Amy's abduction.

I hope it's the guy, I'm sure I remember hearing similar info to this years back on a TV program about Amy. It's a real travesty that this case has taken so long to move forward tbh, hopefully justice is served for her very soon bless her.

 

[Barbieshell]

I can't wait to see this evil pork-chop pervert's face in a mug shot.

And ^^^^THIS

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I'm not putting too much weight on his clothes to tell us something about him.

They could be what he usually wears around town or for work, etc. But he could have also lost his job or been unemployed.

Remember, this is a planned ruse he's using. He may have only chosen to dress in the way he assumed his character might dress.

 

[Jmoose]

Everything I have found says the man had a niece in the same grade as Amy. I haven’t read anywhere that his niece attended the same school as Amy.

...In the affidavit, police said the man worked in Bay Village at the time and had family living there, including a niece in the same grade as Mihaljevic.

From: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news...pments-in-amy-mihaljevic-murder-investigation

Was there only one elementary school in Bay Village at the time? If so, I guess it would have been implied that Amy and the niece attended the same school.

Unless the niece was in parochial school; does St Raphael’s still have a school?

 

[Jmoose]

Was this guy one of the people who James Renner promoted as a suspect? There were a few people who he didn’t mind putting out there as a possible suspect, without a really good reason-something we are not allowed to do here. I feel sorry for a few of those people, especially the brother of Hollie Anzenberger, who I feel was smeared because he was “different”.

 

[MissLaura]

Was this guy one of the people who James Renner promoted as a suspect? There were a few people who he didn’t mind putting out there as a possible suspect, without a really good reason-something we are not allowed to do here. I feel sorry for a few of those people, especially the brother of Hollie Anzenberger, who I feel was smeared because he was “different”.

Nope. This is a new guy.

 

[kemo]

James Renner put a lot of effort into his research. In his first book on the case, he did name a suspect but that went nowhere. Later he identified a different guy that did appear to be a very strong suspect. His investigation did not “ discover” this guy. The guy was a teacher in a town not far from Bay Village that some of his students reported him to the FBI. He did have a rather odd background and looked very much like the composite. Most interesting was the fact that Amy’s body was found in the vicinity of the guy’s childhood home. What Renner did was discover his name and basic information; probably from a Law Enforcement source, dug up a little more information and put it all out on the internet. The photos and other information that Renner put out do present a strong circumstantial case against the guy but the FBI appears to have checked him out but then moved on to other suspects. The FBI has not disclosed why he “ downgraded as a suspect”. He is not the guy currently under investigation.

The whole situation with Renner might be a warning about the outing of suspects, particularly suspects that Law Enforcement has not identified. It is too easy to list and perhaps exaggerate “evidence” that suggests guilt while ignoring or downplaying exonerating information. Renner provided one photo that looked just like the composite but we don’t know if that accurately represented how he looked at the time.

Obviously, we don’t know for certain that the teacher was innocent but there was never any justification for putting his name in play as a horrific child killer. Law Enforcement is going to take a look at lots of people who might be involved in any high profile crime and most will be completely uninvolved. Law Enforcement must be allowed to proceed with their investigation in a manner that will not drag the names of innocent people through the mud.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

This lead had nothing to do with Renner. It is based on a tip that came from a member of the public directly to law enforcement.

It's not uncommon for people to call in tips on this case. It is very uncommon we hear anything publicly about the ones they are actively investigating. Just gotta keep sitting on my hands and praying. Weird way to pray, perhaps, but I know God hears <3

 

[Jmoose]

James Renner put a lot of effort into his research. In his first book on the case, he did name a suspect but that went nowhere. Later he identified a different guy that did appear to be a very strong suspect. His investigation did not “ discover” this guy. The guy was a teacher in a town not far from Bay Village that some of his students reported him to the FBI. He did have a rather odd background and looked very much like the composite. Most interesting was the fact that Amy’s body was found in the vicinity of the guy’s childhood home. What Renner did was discover his name and basic information; probably from a Law Enforcement source, dug up a little more information and put it all out on the internet. The photos and other information that Renner put out do present a strong circumstantial case against the guy but the FBI appears to have checked him out but then moved on to other suspects. The FBI has not disclosed why he “ downgraded as a suspect”. He is not the guy currently under investigation.

The whole situation with Renner might be a warning about the outing of suspects, particularly suspects that Law Enforcement has not identified. It is too easy to list and perhaps exaggerate “evidence” that suggests guilt while ignoring or downplaying exonerating information. Renner provided one photo that looked just like the composite but we don’t know if that accurately represented how he looked at the time.

Obviously, we don’t know for certain that the teacher was innocent but there was never any justification for putting his name in play as a horrific child killer. Law Enforcement is going to take a look at lots of people who might be involved in any high profile crime and most will be completely uninvolved. Law Enforcement must be allowed to proceed with their investigation in a manner that will not drag the names of innocent people through the mud.

Yes, I read his book-I do think he ran with what his research uncovered, but sort of spread out publicly what he speculated on. Harold Bound (Hollie Fettinger Anzenberger’s brother) was easy to point a finger at, in my opinion, but after Renner pointed that finger, he moved on to someone else, with no regard for what his book did to Bound, or the Fettinger family. I knew the Fettinger family when I was a kid, rode at their stable, and didn’t appreciate what Renner did to them in his book. There was never anything to worry about at that barn from any member of the Fettinger family. And now it looks like the most likely suspect was none of the people that Renner chose to put up as suspects. If he wants to be an investigative journalist, he needs to be more careful

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Yes, I read his book-I do think he ran with what his research uncovered, but sort of spread out publicly what he speculated on. Harold Bound (Hollie Fettinger Anzenberger’s brother) was easy to point a finger at, in my opinion, but after Renner pointed that finger, he moved on to someone else, with no regard for what his book did to Bound, or the Fettinger family. I knew the Fettinger family when I was a kid, rode at their stable, and didn’t appreciate what Renner did to them in his book. There was never anything to worry about at that barn from any member of the Fettinger family. And now it looks like the most likely suspect was none of the people that Renner chose to put up as suspects. If he wants to be an investigative journalist, he needs to be more careful

He proposed my former boss as a suspect as well!

But to be fair, Renner himself has acknowledged that he has made some missteps in his pursuit of the truth in this case, and that if he had to do it over again, he'd change some things. I don't think that minimizes the stress that some people experienced who were probably entirely innocent and undeserving. I think he got too close to the case and lost perspective for a bit, but I think his heart was in the right place ultimately in trying to bring justice for Amy.