OH OH - Robin Durrer, 19, Reese, 9 Sept 1981

[nerosleuth]

On the evening of Wednesday September 9, 1981, Robin Marie Durrer, a 19 year old developmentally disabled woman, was supposed to be at home babysitting her 5 year old brother while her mother was attending a tax preparation class and her father was visiting the homes of Rohr Road Baptist Church members.

But Robin sneaked out, leaving her opened school books scattered across the living-room floor. She left her 5-year-old brother with a next-door neighbor and took off on her yellow and brown 10 speed bicycle for the B&C Market, the neighborhood store less than a half mile away, to get something to eat.

Clerks and other witnesses saw Robin at the market at 7:30 p.m. buying a candy bar and soda pop, and talking with friends inside the store. At 7:40 p.m., another witness saw Robin riding her bike on Rathmell Road near the railroad trestle between the store and her home.

When Robin’s parents returned home later that evening, Robin’s father searched the area for his daughter but could not find her. He contacted police at 11:00 p.m. to report his 19 year old daughter missing.

During the evening of Thursday September 10, 1981, Robin’s father found his daughter’s body in the weeds near a railroad track and about 300 yards from the back of the family’s property.

The Franklin County coroner ruled the cause of death to be a homicide. The victim was beaten on the skull with a blunt instrument, possibly with a tree limb, and she had been raped. Her body was clad only in blouse and socks, and a pair of panties and slacks were found lying nearby. Robin’s yellow and brown 10 speed bicycle was found parked near her body.

DNA evidence exists in this case. Detectives believe that due to the fact that Robin Marie very trusting and friendly, she either met someone in the woods or she was lured to that spot as she was on her way home.

No arrests have been made and the murder of 19 year old Robin Marie Durrer remains unsolved to this day.



Sources:


Family Still Wonders What Person Could Have Done These Unspeakable Things


http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten..._ART_01-31-10_B1_10GESA7.html#story-continues


Investigators Working To Crack 1981 Cold Case


http://www.10tv.com/live/content/cr...11/05/25/story-columbus-durrer-cold-case.html


Ohio Unsolved Homicides


http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Enforcement/Unsolved-Cases/Cold-Case/Homicides/Durrer

 

[nerosleuth]

I recently visited the public library at looked at Columbus newspaper articles on microfilm from the early 1980’s about the Robin Marie Durrer homicide.

Here’s what the Columbus newspaper articles reported during the early 1980’s about the homicide of Robin Marie Durrer.


Columbus Citizen Journal Friday September 11, 1981

Body Is Found In Remote Area South Of Obetz

Sheriff’s detectives late Thursday were investigating the apparent slaying of a 19 year old woman whose partially clad body was discovered in a remote area of Hamilton Township in southern Franklin County.

Detectives identified the victim as Robin Durrer, who lived on Reese Road.

Detectives said that the victim apparently died after she was struck in the head, possibly with a tree limb. The county coroner estimated that the victim had been dead for at least 16 hours.

A radio dispatcher said the sheriff’s office received at call at 8:16 p.m. Thursday, and the caller reported that a body can be found in a heavily wooded area about 300 yards south of Rathmell Road and near Norfolk & Western Railway tracks two miles south of Obetz.

Without elaborating further, deputies said that they went to the home of the dead woman, and a family member led them to the body. The woman’s family had reported her missing about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

A sheriff’s department spokesman said that the body was clad only in a shirt and that no suspects had been taken into custody early Friday.


Columbus Citizen Journal Saturday September 12, 1981

Deputies Seek Clues In Death Of Girl, 19

The Franklin County coroner’s office said Friday that a blow to the head with a large tree branch killed 19 year old Robin Durrer. The coroner also confirmed that Robin Durrer had been sexually assaulted.

Miss Durrer’s partially nude body was found Thursday night in a wooded area near the Chessie System railroad tracks off of Rathmell Road, about a quarter mile from her home on Reese Road.

She had been missing since 7:30 p.m. Wednesday September 9 when she rode her bicycle to a nearby carryout store.

Robin Durrer was a special education student at Hamilton Township High School, where she was to have graduated at the end of the current school year.

Robin Durrer’s father said that his daughter Robin was supposed to be babysitting her younger brother while the parents were away from home Wednesday night. Robin apparently left on her bicycle to go to the B&C Market on Rathmell Road, almost about half a mile from her home, to get something to eat.

Robin’s father said that when he and his wife returned home at 10:30 p.m., he searched the area but could not find his daughter. He contacted police at 11:00 p.m. to report his daughter missing.

Robin’s father said that while searching for his daughter on Thursday September 10, he happened to see a spot in the weeds where it looked like something had been dragged into the weeds. He checked that spot and found his daughter’s body.

His daughter’s body was found about 80 feet from the railroad tracks and more than 700 feet from Rathmell Road. Robin’s 10 speed bicycle was found nearby about 20 feet away.

The owner of the B&C Market where Robin Durrer was last seen at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday said that Robin was a frequent customer of her store. The store owner also said that a man told her he had seen Robin walking her bicycle along the railroad tracks at about 7:50 p.m., about 20 minutes after Robin had left the store.


Columbus Dispatch Friday September 11, 1981

Friendly Daughter’s Killing Stuns Father

Robin Durrer’s father speculated on Thursday night that his daughter’s friendliness may have led to her slaying. His daughter was a special education student at Hamilton Township High School.

Franklin County sheriff’s detectives say they have no clues in the killing, and pointed out that the murder occurred in a wooded area which frequently is the scene of drug transactions and often is the location where stolen items and vehicles are recovered.

Sheriff detectives said that Robin Durrer’s father found his daughter’s body clad only in blouse and socks at about 8:00 p.m. Thursday. A pair of slacks and panties was found lying about 20 feet away and detectives said that the young woman may have been sexually assaulted.

Detectives said that Robin Durrer was beaten about the head, possibly with a tree limb, and was estimated to be dead 12 to 18 hours before her body was found. Detectives also said that no murder weapon had been found. Robin’s yellow and brown 10 speed bicycle was parked nearby and there was evidence of a struggle.

A detective said the area where the Robin Durrer’s body was found was only 400 yards from the market where she was last seen on Wednesday evening.


Columbus Dispatch Saturday September 12, 1981

Father Says Robin Lured To Woods

The father of 19 year old Robin Durrer believes his daughter was lured to the wooded area where she was killed.

The partially clad body of Robin Durrer was found by her father in a heavily wooded area about 300 yards from their home.

Franklin County sheriff’s detectives said Robin Durrer was beaten about the head with a large tree limb and was sexually assaulted. Her body was only clad in a blouse and socks. Her 10-speed bicycle was found near her body.

Robin Durrer was last seen at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the B&C Market on Rathmell Road. Her father said that to get home from the market, Robin would have rode past the wooded area and was probably lured into the woods.

Robin’s father said that his daughter was developmentally disabled and wasn’t as mature as an average 19 year old. She wasn’t allowed to date and her parents were afraid that someone would take advantage of their daughter.

Robin’s father said that his daughter knew not to go into the wooded area and theorized that someone either persuaded or forced her to go into the wooded area.

 

[nerosleuth]

There is another Central Ohio girl who went missing and was also found murdered in 1981. Her name is Joanne Lynne Hebert.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearances of Joanne Lynn Hebert and Robin Marie Durrer are eerily similar. Both girls rode 10 speed bicycles and both were last seen at a neighborhood market. Both girls were later found murdered in a wooded area not far from their homes.

Joanne Lynn Hebert has a thread on Websleuths:


http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...nne-Lynn-Hebert-14-Shawnee-Hills-22-July-1981

 

[arielilane]

Does sound similar. In Robin Durrer's case they have DNA. I haven't read Joanne Hebert's story yet so I don't know if they have DNA. However, if they have DNA in Joanne's case does anyone know if the DNA was checked for a match?

 

[SachaS]

Hello all, I am new to Webslueths, I came across this website while looking for information on Robin Durrer's 1981 Murder case. I am having a hard time finding any new information on this case. I believe that back in 2010 they re-opened the case due to DNA evidence and was told that there were no matches. I have tried reaching out to request records, however the case is still open and I of course was denied. Any advice or suggestions on where to turn now. Thank you so much!

 

[SachaS]

There is another Central Ohio girl who went missing and was also found murdered in 1981. Her name is Joanne Lynne Hebert.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearances of Joanne Lynn Hebert and Robin Marie Durrer are eerily similar. Both girls rode 10 speed bicycles and both were last seen at a neighborhood market. Both girls were later found murdered in a wooded area not far from their homes.

Joanne Lynn Hebert has a thread on Websleuths:


OH - OH - Joanne Hebert, 14, Shawnee Hills, 22 July 1981

I did some digging and pulled up a map of the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and it looks like the same railroad runs close to the carry outs where these girls went missing/murdered. Joanne Lynn Hebert went to Tags Market (currently Walgreens 9110 Dublin Rd.) in the Shawnee Hills area of Powell. Not sure if there is a connection with that, however it is interesting.

 

[CastlesBurning]

I have to wonder, when they say "developmentally disabled," what exactly did they mean? She was obviously considered mentally competent enough to be entrusted with the care of a young child, but if it's mentioned in the articles, then it was significant enough an impairment.