Cold and Missing: Amy Mihaljevic

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,780 The views and opinions expressed in Cold and Missing are exclusively those of the hosts. 2 00:00:13,780 --> 00:00:18,400 All parties mentioned are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 3 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,160 Cold and Missing also contains adult themes and languages. 4 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,560 Listener discretion is advised. 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,280 I'm your host, Ali McLaughlin-Sulkowski. 6 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,680 And I'm your co-host, Eli Sulkowski. 7 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:34,400 And this is Cold and Missing, where we cover cold cases and missing person cases. 8 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,000 Hello everyone and welcome back to Cold and Missing. 9 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,520 I'm your host, Ali. 10 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:40,480 And I'm your co-host, Eli. 11 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:41,480 Happy New Year, y'all! 12 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:43,400 Happy New Year, everyone. 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:48,120 If you're listening to this in real time, we just celebrated the new year just a few 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,080 days ago, so I hope you're all having a good new year so far. 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,780 And if you're not listening to this in real time, if you're going back and binging some 16 00:00:55,780 --> 00:01:00,080 old episodes, I hope you're having a great year still, no matter where you are. 17 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,280 All right, you have a new case for us this week, right? 18 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:04,280 I sure do. 19 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:09,120 So this week we are on a cold case, and this one comes to us from Ohio. 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:10,120 Ohio. 21 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,080 Okay, let's get started. 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:18,800 So just as a bit of a content warning at the top, this case does involve a young person. 23 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:23,020 So today we are covering the cold case of Amy Mihaljevic. 24 00:01:23,020 --> 00:01:27,280 And this takes place in Bay Village, Ohio, in October of 1989. 25 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:33,280 Now, Amy's case is pretty well known, but this is one that I was not very familiar with. 26 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,020 I didn't know a lot of the details and had only heard her name in passing, so this is 27 00:01:37,020 --> 00:01:41,640 something that I personally wanted to research just to find out more about. 28 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,800 Amy Mihaljevic was 10 years old in 1989. 29 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:50,080 Amy was born December 11, 1978, and she would be 45 years old today. 30 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,360 Amy was a fifth grader at Bay Village Middle School in Bay Village, Ohio. 31 00:01:54,360 --> 00:02:00,600 Bay Village in 1989 was a wealthy suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and it was once named one 32 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,120 of the safest places in America. 33 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,720 Amy was a shy girl with strangers, but very open and funny with those she knew. 34 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,640 She loved riding horses and was in the gifted program at school. 35 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:16,920 Amy is around 4'10", and weighed 90 pounds with shoulder-length blonde hair. 36 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:19,740 And now a timeline of events. 37 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:26,320 On Friday, October 27, 1989, Amy gets dressed that morning for school wearing green sweatpants, 38 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:32,000 a white jacket, black ankle boots that she would also wear to ride horses, and turquoise 39 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,920 earrings shaped like a horse head. 40 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:38,960 Before leaving for school that day, Amy tells her mother that she's going to be home late 41 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:44,360 that day because she either had choir practice or was auditioning for the fifth grade choir. 42 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,360 Both activities have been reported over the years. 43 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,560 But either activity, whichever one it was, was to take place after school. 44 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,040 Amy's mother worked as a writer for the Trading Times magazine, and her father worked 45 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,480 in the automotive industry and had business in Cleveland that day. 46 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,340 Amy leaves for school on her bike around 7.20am. 47 00:03:04,340 --> 00:03:08,120 Her older brother Jason had already left, so she was alone, but arrives to school with 48 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,560 no issues. 49 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,440 During the school day, she tells classmates that after school she's going shopping with 50 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:18,240 a family friend she hadn't met before to buy her mother a surprise gift, and he was 51 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,480 going to buy her gifts as well. 52 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,240 So once school is let out, Amy leaves her bike locked up at school and walks the 7 minutes 53 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,560 over to Bay Square Shopping Center. 54 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,160 This was a popular place for middle schoolers to hang out after school since it was so close. 55 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,240 This area is like an L-shaped strip mall with a large parking lot. 56 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,840 At around 2.15am, Amy is seen at the shopping center by two classmates. 57 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,040 Amy still has her red and denim backpack with her. 58 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,320 She is standing in front of an ice cream parlor, which is also across the street from the Bay 59 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,760 Village Police Department at that time. 60 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,080 According to witnesses, Amy looked like she was waiting for someone when a man approached 61 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,920 her, put his hand on her shoulder, and led her through the parking lot where she was 62 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,720 seen getting into his car. 63 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,600 At 3.10, Jason arrives home from school and calls his mother to let her know that 64 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:05,600 he was home. 65 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,440 This was the kid's routine. 66 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,480 They would call their mom once they got home from school just to let them know that they 67 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,000 made it home safely. 68 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,800 Jason told his mom that Amy was not home yet. 69 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,880 Amy's mother, Margaret, was not immediately alarmed since Amy had told her that she would 70 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:19,880 be late. 71 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:24,520 Jason calls his mother again at 3.30 to say that Amy was still not home. 72 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,440 Margaret is starting to get worried about Amy as she should have been home by now. 73 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:33,960 However, at 3.40, just 10 minutes later, Amy calls her mother to check in after school 74 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,000 and Margaret assumes that she's calling from the house. 75 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,520 This is before caller ID is super common. 76 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,880 This is the last time that Margaret talks to her daughter. 77 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:48,160 Margaret leaves work around 5pm that day and gets home to discover that Amy is not there 78 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:49,800 and hadn't been there. 79 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:54,560 Immediately, Margaret drives to the school and finds Amy's bike is still there and locked 80 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:55,600 up. 81 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,460 Margaret is able to find a school janitor and they look through every room at the school 82 00:04:59,460 --> 00:05:01,500 but are unable to find Amy. 83 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:05,540 At 5.58, Margaret reports Amy missing to the police. 84 00:05:05,540 --> 00:05:09,880 Just a few minutes later, Amy's father, Mark, returns from his work in Cleveland and finds 85 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:11,920 out that Amy is missing. 86 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,560 Almost immediately, a massive search is started. 87 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,880 By the next day, the FBI have joined the case to help search for Amy. 88 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:23,040 Investigators begin canvassing the neighborhood and talking with neighbors, searching wooded 89 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,040 areas, and they even drag a few lakes near Amy's home. 90 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,880 While searching a wooded area near where Amy liked to ride horses, they find a pair of 91 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,040 sweatpants in Amy's size. 92 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,680 Her parents are unable to ID them as Amy's but they're sent for further testing. 93 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:43,320 By Sunday, October 29th, Bay Village Police Chief William Garou says that the man who 94 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:49,120 took Amy is, quote, believed to have a familiarity with the family, end quote. 95 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:54,800 On Monday, October 30th, it's revealed by a neighbor, Riley Bonham, whose 11-year-old 96 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,720 daughter was best friends with Amy, that Amy had received two phone calls prior to her 97 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,500 disappearance from a man who she did not know. 98 00:06:02,500 --> 00:06:06,720 The first phone call was the man saying that he needed Amy's help buying her mother a 99 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:07,760 gift. 100 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,560 The man told Amy that her mother, Margaret, had received a promotion at work and he wanted 101 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,920 her help picking out a gift for the surprise party that the staff were going to throw. 102 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,880 Margaret had not received a promotion at work. 103 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:24,520 The second phone call promises that in addition to buying her mother a gift, he'll also buy 104 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,160 Amy a gift as well. 105 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:30,880 The man stresses to Amy that she has to keep it all a secret in order to preserve the surprise 106 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,280 for her mother. 107 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:35,740 Once this information comes to light, the family is dumbfounded. 108 00:06:35,740 --> 00:06:39,960 Not only because Margaret was not promoted at work, but they have no idea who the caller 109 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:40,960 is. 110 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,120 The FBI calls in a sketch artist to sit down with the witnesses who saw Amy and the man 111 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,360 at the shopping center to create a composite sketch. 112 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,560 On Tuesday, October 31st, police release the sketch of the suspect. 113 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:57,980 He is believed to be a white male, 35 to 45 years old in 1989. 114 00:06:57,980 --> 00:07:03,400 In 58 and 59, medium build with darker hair but was balding at his crown. 115 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,560 He wore round glasses and was wearing a tan jacket. 116 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,080 There were faint traces of a beard on the man. 117 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,920 With the release of the sketch, police are flooded with calls. 118 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:16,020 They're still hopeful that they can find Amy alive and bring her home. 119 00:07:16,020 --> 00:07:20,760 On Thursday, November 2nd, as more stories about Amy hit the media, specifically the 120 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:25,360 information about her getting a phone call from a man, two other young girls in the area 121 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,260 come forward to say that they also got similar phone calls. 122 00:07:29,260 --> 00:07:33,780 Police Chief William Garou says, quote, in each case those girls hung up, but the calls 123 00:07:33,780 --> 00:07:34,780 were very similar. 124 00:07:34,780 --> 00:07:38,160 We are looking for a common thread, end quote. 125 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,740 Police say that the man making the phone calls was very appealing. 126 00:07:41,740 --> 00:07:46,160 Police are questioning several men who resemble the composite sketch, but all are let go. 127 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,360 Police also search the wooded area around the water filtration plant based off of a 128 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,600 tip but nothing turns up there. 129 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,900 On Sunday, November 5th, Amy has been missing for over a week now. 130 00:07:56,900 --> 00:08:02,200 Police announced that there was a man seen on October 26th and 27th, so the day before 131 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,760 and the day of Amy's kidnapping. 132 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:10,440 The man had a camcorder and was taking pictures of kids near Normandy School, City Hall, and 133 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:12,280 the Bay Square Shopping Center. 134 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,760 Police want to talk with this man and they also want to look at his footage to see if 135 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:17,180 there are any clues. 136 00:08:17,180 --> 00:08:21,300 To date, I do not believe that this man was ever identified and police were never able 137 00:08:21,300 --> 00:08:23,320 to review that footage. 138 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,520 Searches continue throughout the week of November 5th in rural areas nearby. 139 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:31,560 Police continue to look at people who are reported through the tip line, some as far 140 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,860 away as Louisiana, but no real suspect has emerged. 141 00:08:35,860 --> 00:08:40,080 Police are able to obtain footage from a local commercial that was shot the day before Amy 142 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:44,500 was kidnapped at the Bay Square Shopping Center, but they're still looking for the man who 143 00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:48,380 was there the day that she was kidnapped with his camcorder. 144 00:08:48,380 --> 00:08:52,440 Police also send in the sweatpants that they found for DNA testing. 145 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:58,300 Ultimately, these pants will come back with a 95% probability that they were Amy's. 146 00:08:58,300 --> 00:09:02,200 Police return to the area where they found the sweatpants to search that area again. 147 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,220 This time, police will use aircraft to help in their search and also send divers into 148 00:09:06,220 --> 00:09:08,400 a pond nearby. 149 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,820 Investigators remain hopeful that Amy will be found alive, but her family is growing 150 00:09:11,820 --> 00:09:14,440 increasingly worried with each passing day. 151 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,980 Mark Mihaljevic says, quote, the longer it goes, the scarier it gets for her safe return 152 00:09:18,980 --> 00:09:22,500 to home, but we aren't giving up hope, end quote. 153 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:27,100 As Amy's disappearance enters its third week, local businesses donate materials to 154 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:32,020 print flyers with the goal of sending out 1 million flyers across the country about 155 00:09:32,020 --> 00:09:33,020 Amy. 156 00:09:33,020 --> 00:09:36,900 The flyers have Amy's picture and the composite sketch of the suspect on it. 157 00:09:36,900 --> 00:09:41,460 The community ties white ribbons around trees, light posts, and telephone poles as a reminder 158 00:09:41,460 --> 00:09:44,100 that they're hopeful Amy will come home. 159 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:48,820 Police start to search abandoned farmhouses all over northern Ohio for any clue about 160 00:09:48,820 --> 00:09:50,580 what happened to Amy. 161 00:09:50,580 --> 00:09:54,420 Thanksgiving rolls around that year and people are encouraged to pick up flyers and bring 162 00:09:54,420 --> 00:09:58,180 them with them to post as they travel out of town. 163 00:09:58,180 --> 00:10:03,740 Lots of people do this and flyers about Amy are put up all over the Midwest and beyond. 164 00:10:03,740 --> 00:10:08,500 About 25% of all the new tips that come in are from people outside of the Bay Village 165 00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:09,500 area. 166 00:10:09,500 --> 00:10:14,780 There are even reported sightings of Amy in Maine and Oklahoma, but police are unable 167 00:10:14,780 --> 00:10:19,500 to confirm if it is Amy and they do not find her at these locations. 168 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:24,260 On December 1, 1989, it's been over a month since Amy was kidnapped. 169 00:10:24,260 --> 00:10:29,100 Two girls, 10 and 11 years old, are waiting for a bus when a man pulls up and motions 170 00:10:29,100 --> 00:10:30,780 for them to get into the car. 171 00:10:30,780 --> 00:10:35,200 The girls take off running and say that the man attempted to follow them but stopped when 172 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,060 they reached an apartment building. 173 00:10:37,060 --> 00:10:41,300 According to the girls, the man resembled the composite sketch in Amy's case. 174 00:10:41,300 --> 00:10:47,220 On December 11, which should have been Amy's 11th birthday and her golden birthday, police 175 00:10:47,220 --> 00:10:51,940 are no closer to finding her than the day she went missing and they have no suspects. 176 00:10:51,940 --> 00:10:56,700 They have run down 3,000 leads and still have not found any trace of Amy. 177 00:10:56,700 --> 00:11:03,140 Amy's parents launched the Community Fund for Assisting Missing Youth, or A.M.Y. for short. 178 00:11:03,140 --> 00:11:07,620 The organization will help raise money for the Reward Fund for Amy and put on safety 179 00:11:07,620 --> 00:11:10,100 programs for Northern Ohio youth. 180 00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:14,660 When reporters ask Margaret what she would say to Amy and her captors, she says, quote, 181 00:11:14,660 --> 00:11:15,980 We love you, Amy. 182 00:11:15,980 --> 00:11:17,780 We love you and support you. 183 00:11:17,780 --> 00:11:19,620 Find some way to get a message to us. 184 00:11:19,620 --> 00:11:20,620 End quote. 185 00:11:20,620 --> 00:11:24,060 And to the captors, she says, quote, We love Amy more than you do. 186 00:11:24,060 --> 00:11:25,860 Just let Amy come home. 187 00:11:25,860 --> 00:11:26,860 End quote. 188 00:11:26,860 --> 00:11:33,100 It's January 17, 1990, so we're in a new year now, and Amy has been missing for nearly 189 00:11:33,100 --> 00:11:35,060 three months at this point. 190 00:11:35,060 --> 00:11:38,180 The FBI released a profile of the suspect. 191 00:11:38,180 --> 00:11:42,420 Special Agent William Branon says, quote, The abductor likely acted alone during the 192 00:11:42,420 --> 00:11:48,300 actual abduction, but he may have taken someone into his confidence to create an alibi or 193 00:11:48,300 --> 00:11:53,900 to obtain the assistance of a friend or associate to cover up his involvement in this crime. 194 00:11:53,900 --> 00:11:59,300 The person responsible for this crime would likely become anxious, more rigid, reclusive, 195 00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:01,020 and more uptight than usual. 196 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:04,940 He may have experienced trouble sleeping, may have lost weight, or would have increased 197 00:12:04,940 --> 00:12:09,140 his consumption of drugs and alcohol, which would further affect his behavior. 198 00:12:09,140 --> 00:12:14,140 The offender may have found a logical reason to depart on a previously unscheduled vacation 199 00:12:14,140 --> 00:12:16,900 or visit relatives or change jobs. 200 00:12:16,900 --> 00:12:21,780 In crimes of this nature, the offender frequently provides a reason to miss work on the days 201 00:12:21,780 --> 00:12:24,020 immediately following the abduction. 202 00:12:24,020 --> 00:12:28,540 The offender may have become more religious than normal or become more solicitous towards 203 00:12:28,540 --> 00:12:30,420 family or associates. 204 00:12:30,420 --> 00:12:34,820 Any or all of these changes in the offender's behavior after the crime occurred would be 205 00:12:34,820 --> 00:12:37,500 recognized by those closest to him. 206 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:38,700 End quote. 207 00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:44,340 On February 8, 1990, Janet Seabold gets up for her morning jog. 208 00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:49,700 She lives in Ashland County, Ohio, and she's running along Ohio 1181. 209 00:12:49,700 --> 00:12:51,020 It's a rural area. 210 00:12:51,020 --> 00:12:54,660 Just about 45 miles from where Amy was kidnapped. 211 00:12:54,660 --> 00:13:00,740 Janet's jog takes her near a 300-acre farm around 740 a.m. when she notices something 212 00:13:00,740 --> 00:13:03,820 about 20 to 25 feet from the road. 213 00:13:03,820 --> 00:13:05,020 It's a body. 214 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:07,180 She immediately runs to the farmhouse. 215 00:13:07,180 --> 00:13:11,780 The farmer is Wilbur Salyer, but he doesn't get to the door fast enough. 216 00:13:11,780 --> 00:13:15,460 Janet then bolts across the street to her friend's house, Patricia Kidd, and tells 217 00:13:15,460 --> 00:13:17,000 her to call the police. 218 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,140 Janet says, quote, I think I found a body. 219 00:13:19,140 --> 00:13:20,140 Call the police. 220 00:13:20,140 --> 00:13:22,340 Why did it have to be me that found it? 221 00:13:22,340 --> 00:13:23,340 End quote. 222 00:13:23,340 --> 00:13:27,660 Police arrive within four minutes of the call and begin to process the scene. 223 00:13:27,660 --> 00:13:32,460 Almost immediately, the Ashland County police believe that the body is that of Amy Mahalovic. 224 00:13:32,460 --> 00:13:36,540 The sheriff, Kenneth Etzweiler, says, quote, the physical appearance is almost similar 225 00:13:36,540 --> 00:13:37,620 to Amy's. 226 00:13:37,620 --> 00:13:41,580 This is just a guess, but it appears the body has been there since, say, the latter 227 00:13:41,580 --> 00:13:42,580 part of November. 228 00:13:42,580 --> 00:13:45,620 We're going to walk this entire area foot by foot. 229 00:13:45,620 --> 00:13:49,300 The only thing we found near the body so far was part of one earring. 230 00:13:49,300 --> 00:13:50,300 End quote. 231 00:13:50,300 --> 00:13:52,220 Amy was found fully clothed. 232 00:13:52,220 --> 00:13:54,420 She was wearing the clothes that she was last seen in. 233 00:13:54,420 --> 00:14:00,340 However, her turquoise horse head earrings, her boots, and her backpack have never been 234 00:14:00,340 --> 00:14:01,340 found. 235 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:04,540 She was face down and hidden by knee high weeds. 236 00:14:04,540 --> 00:14:10,100 Amy had been hit on the back of the head with a blunt object and also had one or two stab 237 00:14:10,100 --> 00:14:12,620 wounds on the left part of her neck. 238 00:14:12,620 --> 00:14:16,740 Amy's autopsy is conducted that afternoon and evening, and they will confirm that it 239 00:14:16,740 --> 00:14:21,960 is Amy via dental records and that what killed her was the stab wound in the neck that severed 240 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:23,420 her artery. 241 00:14:23,420 --> 00:14:27,680 Police never confirm or deny if Amy was sexually assaulted. 242 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:33,080 At the scene, about 300 yards away from Amy's body, police find a curtain and a blanket. 243 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:34,740 The curtain is pretty unique. 244 00:14:34,740 --> 00:14:38,820 It's an avocado green curtain that might have one time been a quilt. 245 00:14:38,820 --> 00:14:42,020 There's wavy stitching throughout the entire length of the curtain. 246 00:14:42,020 --> 00:14:46,580 At around noon that day, police contact Amy's family to let them know that they believe 247 00:14:46,580 --> 00:14:47,940 they found her body. 248 00:14:47,940 --> 00:14:52,380 The family is absolutely devastated that their hopes for Amy coming home to them are now 249 00:14:52,380 --> 00:14:53,780 officially over. 250 00:14:53,780 --> 00:14:58,660 The family retreats into privacy to grieve for Amy, but send the following message. 251 00:14:58,660 --> 00:15:03,460 The family says, quote, We honestly believed that Amy was alive all this time. 252 00:15:03,460 --> 00:15:04,820 Our hope was real. 253 00:15:04,820 --> 00:15:09,780 As her family, we salute and thank everyone who has been so kind to us and has helped 254 00:15:09,780 --> 00:15:12,100 us so much during our ordeal. 255 00:15:12,100 --> 00:15:14,500 What do we say except thank you, Cleveland? 256 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:19,540 For all your efforts, for all your hope, for all your support, for all your caring. 257 00:15:19,540 --> 00:15:21,460 We have been through hell and back. 258 00:15:21,460 --> 00:15:22,460 End quote. 259 00:15:22,460 --> 00:15:27,500 As news about the discovery of Amy's body spreads throughout the region, people begin 260 00:15:27,500 --> 00:15:30,420 to debate how long the body could have been there. 261 00:15:30,420 --> 00:15:35,180 As mentioned before, Amy's body was found 20 to 25 feet from the road. 262 00:15:35,180 --> 00:15:41,700 Her body was 300 yards away from the farmhouse and 300 yards away from Amy was one large 263 00:15:41,700 --> 00:15:46,320 blanket and one large curtain, both avocado green in color. 264 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,300 Members of Amy's family who live in Ashland County where her body was found say that they 265 00:15:50,300 --> 00:15:53,740 had driven past that area several times and didn't see anything. 266 00:15:53,740 --> 00:15:58,460 Another neighbor said his son often rode his bike past the area and didn't see her either. 267 00:15:58,460 --> 00:16:04,060 A hunter calls police to say that he had been on the farm hunting a week before and in that 268 00:16:04,060 --> 00:16:06,140 area and didn't see Amy. 269 00:16:06,140 --> 00:16:10,260 Tips start to come in about a car scene in the area a few weeks before Amy's body was 270 00:16:10,260 --> 00:16:12,300 found with the trunk popped open. 271 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:17,380 However, investigators maintain then as they do now that Amy's body was put there shortly 272 00:16:17,380 --> 00:16:19,900 after her abduction in October. 273 00:16:19,900 --> 00:16:23,740 Police are determined to find the killer and promise the community and Amy's family that 274 00:16:23,740 --> 00:16:26,300 they'll stay on the case until it's solved. 275 00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:30,100 Over the next few months, tips will begin to dwindle from the community. 276 00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:34,540 By April, the reward fund had grown to $60,000. 277 00:16:34,540 --> 00:16:39,020 Police will continue to question anyone who resembles the composite sketch or anyone who's 278 00:16:39,020 --> 00:16:41,500 called in on the tip line. 279 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:46,540 By July of 1990, police will say that they've talked to 9,000 people and Amy's story will 280 00:16:46,540 --> 00:16:49,500 appear on TV shows across the nation. 281 00:16:49,500 --> 00:16:54,660 But ultimately, the killer is never caught and police are never able to pin down a suspect. 282 00:16:54,660 --> 00:17:00,900 Amy's case remains in the news over the years, but no new information is really developed. 283 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:08,580 In 2016 though, through advances in DNA, police are able to determine that Amy's dog hair 284 00:17:08,580 --> 00:17:11,820 was found on the curtain found near her body. 285 00:17:11,820 --> 00:17:19,380 In 2019, just a few years later, a woman comes forward to tell police about her ex-boyfriend. 286 00:17:19,380 --> 00:17:24,300 She said that the day Amy went missing, he never came home that night, but he did call 287 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:27,860 her to ask if there was news coverage about Amy. 288 00:17:27,860 --> 00:17:34,840 Additionally, it's revealed by local news that on Amy's body were gold fibers and according 289 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:39,160 to the woman, the man drove a gold car with a tan interior. 290 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:44,460 The day Amy's body was found, an FBI agent sat at a nearby intersection and wrote down 291 00:17:44,460 --> 00:17:49,240 the model, make, and license plate of every car that drove by. 292 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:54,820 According to police documentation, that man, the ex-boyfriend, drove by that day. 293 00:17:54,820 --> 00:18:00,160 Police talked with him in 2019 and took his DNA and searched a storage unit that belonged 294 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:01,160 to him. 295 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:05,380 They did seize evidence at the storage unit, but to date, no charges have been brought 296 00:18:05,380 --> 00:18:06,660 against him. 297 00:18:06,660 --> 00:18:11,020 Police have never said if they have a DNA profile for the suspect, but I would think 298 00:18:11,020 --> 00:18:16,300 by taking the DNA of people they interviewed that they are looking to compare it to something. 299 00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:23,500 In 2021, thanks to more advances in DNA technology, police are able to determine that Amy's 300 00:18:23,500 --> 00:18:28,700 hair was found on both the blanket and curtain found near her body. 301 00:18:28,700 --> 00:18:33,100 Police theorize that both items were used to wrap Amy's body in before dumping her 302 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:34,520 where she was found. 303 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,660 As mentioned before, the curtain is pretty unique and possibly homemade. 304 00:18:38,660 --> 00:18:43,380 Police believe that if they can find who that curtain belonged to, it will lead to the person 305 00:18:43,380 --> 00:18:45,700 responsible for Amy's murder. 306 00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:49,460 But that is where the case stands today. 307 00:18:49,460 --> 00:18:54,780 So if you know anything about the abduction and murder of Amy Mihaljevic in October of 308 00:18:54,780 --> 00:19:05,940 1989, you are asked to call the FBI directly at 1-800-CALL-FBI or 1-800-225-5324. 309 00:19:05,940 --> 00:19:11,260 The sources for the timeline today come from The Telegraph Forum, The Akron Beacon Journal, 310 00:19:11,260 --> 00:19:15,660 Lancaster Eagle Gazette, The Marion Star, Centennial Tribune, News Journal, The New 311 00:19:15,660 --> 00:19:21,380 Work Advocate, Troy Daily News, The Times, The Daily Advocate, Brian Times, St. Cloud 312 00:19:21,380 --> 00:19:26,100 Times, Wilmington News Journal, The Evening Sun, Sun Journal, The Delaware Gazette, The 313 00:19:26,100 --> 00:19:32,700 Tribune, Dayton Daily News, The Daily Oklahoman, Tulsa World, Telegraph Forum, 19 News, Cleveland 314 00:19:32,700 --> 00:19:34,980 News 5, and the FBI. 315 00:19:34,980 --> 00:19:37,700 So that is the case of Amy Mihaljevic. 316 00:19:37,700 --> 00:19:40,220 Thank you for sharing this. 317 00:19:40,220 --> 00:19:47,580 It's a case that I've heard once before and I remembered it just because of the oddness 318 00:19:47,580 --> 00:19:49,620 surrounding her kidnapping. 319 00:19:49,620 --> 00:19:55,420 But yeah, it's one that kind of surprises me that we haven't heard more of. 320 00:19:55,420 --> 00:19:56,660 Yeah. 321 00:19:56,660 --> 00:19:59,020 This is a case that I was very unfamiliar with. 322 00:19:59,020 --> 00:20:01,260 I had kind of heard the name before. 323 00:20:01,260 --> 00:20:04,060 Mihaljevic is kind of a unique last name. 324 00:20:04,060 --> 00:20:07,380 This is the only time that I've heard it personally. 325 00:20:07,380 --> 00:20:13,220 So that's kind of how it rang a bell with me, but I truly didn't know much about her 326 00:20:13,220 --> 00:20:18,160 case, but this has been covered pretty well over the years. 327 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,860 My sources, I listed out a ton, so this was covered really heavily at the time. 328 00:20:22,860 --> 00:20:29,140 And each year at the anniversary of her abduction or of her body being found, there's usually 329 00:20:29,140 --> 00:20:33,740 some news coverage out of Ohio covering the case. 330 00:20:33,740 --> 00:20:35,580 I have a question. 331 00:20:35,580 --> 00:20:43,140 My mind always just goes back to who was that guy? 332 00:20:43,140 --> 00:20:53,220 Who was that guy who had their contact and knew where she went to school? 333 00:20:53,220 --> 00:20:55,620 That part of it is just so... 334 00:20:55,620 --> 00:20:59,180 That's the really odd and scary part to me. 335 00:20:59,180 --> 00:21:03,740 So yeah, I haven't had the chance to talk about this case with anyone. 336 00:21:03,740 --> 00:21:06,820 So that's my question for you. 337 00:21:06,820 --> 00:21:10,140 Over the years, police have looked at people who knew the family. 338 00:21:10,140 --> 00:21:17,100 So coworkers of both mom and dad, family, friends, because whoever called Amy did seem 339 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:22,160 to know her family, did seem to know her, knew her schedule, like you said, knew where 340 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:30,300 she went to school, knew what was nearby, and kind of knew how to get Amy to come with 341 00:21:30,300 --> 00:21:31,300 him. 342 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:38,900 You know, he really exploited her love for her mother by wanting to do this nice thing 343 00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:42,820 for her mom, buying this gift, her mom got promoted, there was going to be a surprise 344 00:21:42,820 --> 00:21:46,340 party, she wanted to be in on it. 345 00:21:46,340 --> 00:21:51,860 He was able to exploit that, but there does appear to be similar phone calls that had 346 00:21:51,860 --> 00:21:56,260 happened before Amy's abduction to two other girls in that area. 347 00:21:56,260 --> 00:21:58,420 They received similar phone calls. 348 00:21:58,420 --> 00:22:02,900 In one case, she hung up, in another case, she handed the phone to her brother. 349 00:22:02,900 --> 00:22:08,200 So they believe it was the same man, since it appears to be kind of the same ruse he 350 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:09,200 was using. 351 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:15,340 But it makes you think that he was possibly watching the middle school and kind of picking 352 00:22:15,340 --> 00:22:20,140 out girls in the area that he wanted to target. 353 00:22:20,140 --> 00:22:26,940 Yeah, stalking the area, getting the lay of the land, and you know, that makes sense to 354 00:22:26,940 --> 00:22:28,120 me. 355 00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:34,020 A question that I have, and this might be not an important point, but a question that 356 00:22:34,020 --> 00:22:39,100 I have is they found sweatpants that they send in for DNA testing. 357 00:22:39,100 --> 00:22:44,020 And it comes back with a 95% probability that they were Amy's. 358 00:22:44,020 --> 00:22:46,780 But it's nowhere near where her body was found. 359 00:22:46,780 --> 00:22:51,500 And she was found wearing, I believe, the clothes that she was last seen in. 360 00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:57,140 The only thing missing are her turquoise horse head earrings, her boots, and her backpack. 361 00:22:57,140 --> 00:23:01,500 According to all the reports, she was wearing everything else she was last seen in. 362 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:08,700 So I just wonder, you know, DNA testing was still kind of in its infancy as of 1989. 363 00:23:08,700 --> 00:23:12,340 So I wonder if it just was kind of a misfiring. 364 00:23:12,340 --> 00:23:17,420 95% in DNA is kind of on the low end, I would say. 365 00:23:17,420 --> 00:23:21,020 Usually when you hear about DNA results, it's like 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999. 366 00:23:21,020 --> 00:23:25,120 You know, like it's, it's always up there in that area. 367 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:29,760 So I wonder if that's just the limitations of DNA at that time. 368 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,620 Were they actually Amy's pants? 369 00:23:31,620 --> 00:23:36,540 Her parents were never able to ID them as hers. 370 00:23:36,540 --> 00:23:39,340 They weren't sure if they were, but they didn't think they were. 371 00:23:39,340 --> 00:23:42,060 So that's something that I kept coming back to. 372 00:23:42,060 --> 00:23:44,180 I was really curious about that. 373 00:23:44,180 --> 00:23:45,380 Yeah. 374 00:23:45,380 --> 00:23:53,080 In my own speculative brain, you know, I, I kind of have issues with what's been given 375 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:59,020 to the public so far information wise about like the fact that where she was murdered 376 00:23:59,020 --> 00:24:04,740 was like where she stayed to me, right? 377 00:24:04,740 --> 00:24:05,740 That's it. 378 00:24:05,740 --> 00:24:08,860 Or that she didn't move much. 379 00:24:08,860 --> 00:24:12,220 So she was actually not murdered where she was found. 380 00:24:12,220 --> 00:24:17,020 She was not found or she was not murdered in that field where she was found. 381 00:24:17,020 --> 00:24:24,480 Police do believe that there is a second site where the actual murder took place and probably 382 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,180 where that curtain and blanket came from. 383 00:24:27,180 --> 00:24:29,260 So she was moved to the field. 384 00:24:29,260 --> 00:24:30,340 Okay, great. 385 00:24:30,340 --> 00:24:33,140 Thank you for clarifying that for me. 386 00:24:33,140 --> 00:24:35,020 It's all just odd. 387 00:24:35,020 --> 00:24:43,860 You know, a lot of questions about specificities in like, I guess, a kidnapping for that area 388 00:24:43,860 --> 00:24:46,940 that you don't, you don't see very often. 389 00:24:46,940 --> 00:24:50,540 I'm glad to see that there is movement as far as 2021 goes. 390 00:24:50,540 --> 00:24:55,420 You mentioned that, I didn't know if you were able to elaborate more on that. 391 00:24:55,420 --> 00:24:57,820 I couldn't remember what it was. 392 00:24:57,820 --> 00:25:04,260 Yeah, so police are actively always going back to that curtain and the blanket kind 393 00:25:04,260 --> 00:25:08,140 of specifically to test for more DNA. 394 00:25:08,140 --> 00:25:13,580 And as things advance in technology, as of 2021, they were able to determine that her 395 00:25:13,580 --> 00:25:18,060 hair was found on the blanket and curtain. 396 00:25:18,060 --> 00:25:23,660 So in 1990, when her body was found, they just kind of assumed that these things had 397 00:25:23,660 --> 00:25:27,180 to do with Amy. 398 00:25:27,180 --> 00:25:32,460 So they collected everything that was found near her body, cigarette butts, bottle cans, 399 00:25:32,460 --> 00:25:35,300 this curtain, this blanket, everything. 400 00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:41,300 And in 2016, they were able to determine that her dog's hair was found on the curtain. 401 00:25:41,300 --> 00:25:46,220 And then a few years later, they were able to determine that her hair was found on the 402 00:25:46,220 --> 00:25:47,540 curtain and the blanket. 403 00:25:47,540 --> 00:25:53,480 So they do believe, or they theorize that her body was wrapped in those items before 404 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,140 being dumped there. 405 00:25:55,140 --> 00:26:00,220 But it's also like, if she was wrapped in those items, this is kind of another question 406 00:26:00,220 --> 00:26:01,220 I have. 407 00:26:01,220 --> 00:26:06,540 The person who dumped her, presumably the killer, had to kind of take the time to unroll 408 00:26:06,540 --> 00:26:10,020 her from those items and then leave everything there. 409 00:26:10,020 --> 00:26:15,340 He could have just dumped the material in her body and just left it wrapped and dumped 410 00:26:15,340 --> 00:26:16,340 it and left. 411 00:26:16,340 --> 00:26:20,580 It takes a little bit more time to do that unfurling to get her out. 412 00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:26,660 And then, kind of similarly with the community, how they were shocked that her body was there 413 00:26:26,660 --> 00:26:28,980 because nobody had seen it. 414 00:26:28,980 --> 00:26:36,260 That's something that's very odd to me too, that for 100 days, give or take, Amy's body 415 00:26:36,260 --> 00:26:39,740 was there 300 yards from someone's house. 416 00:26:39,740 --> 00:26:45,020 The farmer, he was interviewed on local TV news and he's like, I've been hearing about 417 00:26:45,020 --> 00:26:49,740 this for three months and there she is 300 yards from my house, from my front door. 418 00:26:49,740 --> 00:26:52,500 And it's just like, how did you not notice? 419 00:26:52,500 --> 00:26:54,700 How did nobody see her? 420 00:26:54,700 --> 00:26:59,500 That's what I was talking about. 421 00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:05,260 My mind was like, I don't know. 422 00:27:05,260 --> 00:27:07,300 There's something odd there. 423 00:27:07,300 --> 00:27:10,540 Like I need more, I need more clear, I need more access. 424 00:27:10,540 --> 00:27:11,540 You know what I'm saying? 425 00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:12,780 But yeah, that's it for me. 426 00:27:12,780 --> 00:27:17,540 Thank you for bringing this case to our podcast. 427 00:27:17,540 --> 00:27:18,540 Yeah. 428 00:27:18,540 --> 00:27:25,380 The FBI and police investigating this case are very hopeful that it will be solved. 429 00:27:25,380 --> 00:27:30,220 And they do believe that it will be solved through DNA advances. 430 00:27:30,220 --> 00:27:32,900 And you know, as of 2021, they were working on this case. 431 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:36,580 So it is something that remains pretty active for them. 432 00:27:36,580 --> 00:27:38,660 It's really important to this community. 433 00:27:38,660 --> 00:27:45,620 I think it's really a beautiful testament to the community that they're not forgetting 434 00:27:45,620 --> 00:27:47,020 about Amy. 435 00:27:47,020 --> 00:27:53,860 And I think that's beautiful that Amy is still an active member in their community through 436 00:27:53,860 --> 00:27:56,820 a lot of different ways. 437 00:27:56,820 --> 00:27:59,080 And that, you know, that keeps her alive. 438 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,660 And I'm really hopeful that this case will be solved. 439 00:28:02,660 --> 00:28:04,560 It feels like they have everything they need. 440 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:05,820 They just need the person. 441 00:28:05,820 --> 00:28:11,380 Yeah, this is one of the few times where I feel a little bit of optimism towards there 442 00:28:11,380 --> 00:28:19,140 being an answer that is as close to justice as it can be in this case. 443 00:28:19,140 --> 00:28:25,820 And yet to comment on the community, the resilience of the community as a whole, and also that 444 00:28:25,820 --> 00:28:32,500 community knowing that, like them still like going and like keeping her name and image 445 00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:34,920 out there and her story. 446 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:42,100 If that person is in the community, like together, they've like also, I don't know if this is 447 00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:43,100 true for them. 448 00:28:43,100 --> 00:28:48,500 But like, if that person is in the community, that's got to be pretty scary to see it like 449 00:28:48,500 --> 00:28:52,260 every day that these people are like, we will never let this go. 450 00:28:52,260 --> 00:28:53,260 I love that. 451 00:28:53,260 --> 00:28:56,980 I love that for the community and the people who live there. 452 00:28:56,980 --> 00:29:02,900 It's clear that they love this family and like love this girl and care about each other. 453 00:29:02,900 --> 00:29:05,260 Yeah, I totally agree. 454 00:29:05,260 --> 00:29:10,300 And if that person is still in the area, like the FBI thought that he would be, you know, 455 00:29:10,300 --> 00:29:12,740 after the abduction that he would still be in the area. 456 00:29:12,740 --> 00:29:16,620 I hope he's scared and I hope he's uncomfortable. 457 00:29:16,620 --> 00:29:20,380 And I hope he doesn't really feel like a part of the community. 458 00:29:20,380 --> 00:29:25,220 But again, if you know anything about the abduction or murder of Amy Mihaljevic in October 459 00:29:25,220 --> 00:29:36,820 of 1989, you are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or 1-800-225-5324. 460 00:29:36,820 --> 00:29:41,120 While we have you just for a few more minutes before you move on to your next podcast or 461 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:45,340 whatever you want to listen to after this, if you could just leave us a quick rate and 462 00:29:45,340 --> 00:29:50,440 review if you're in Apple podcasts, it's so helpful for others to find our podcast and 463 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:55,700 to get these cold cases and missing people cases out to more and more people. 464 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:57,620 If you've already done it, thank you so much. 465 00:29:57,620 --> 00:29:58,700 I appreciate you. 466 00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:00,780 I think of you often, truly I do. 467 00:30:00,780 --> 00:30:05,060 Every person that's commented or written as a review, I think about you and hope you're 468 00:30:05,060 --> 00:30:06,380 having a great day all the time. 469 00:30:06,380 --> 00:30:11,700 So if you want that energy coming towards you on a frequent basis, just go ahead and 470 00:30:11,700 --> 00:30:12,920 write a review. 471 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:18,340 If you don't have Apple podcasts, you can go to our website www.coldandmissing. 472 00:30:18,340 --> 00:30:22,240 You can review us there and we also have transcripts on our website. 473 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:27,000 So if you or someone you love is hard of hearing, they can follow along with the cases there. 474 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,740 If you're not already, please follow us on Instagram. 475 00:30:29,740 --> 00:30:36,020 We post updates about the podcast in our stories and on our timeline. 476 00:30:36,020 --> 00:30:41,740 And we also this week will be posting pictures of Amy, the composite sketch of the suspect 477 00:30:41,740 --> 00:30:46,100 created by the FBI, and also that curtain and blanket that were found near her body 478 00:30:46,100 --> 00:30:49,340 since those seem to be important pieces in this case. 479 00:30:49,340 --> 00:30:52,900 We will be posting pictures of all of that throughout the week, so please check us out 480 00:30:52,900 --> 00:30:54,220 there. 481 00:30:54,220 --> 00:30:56,740 And that's all I have. 482 00:30:56,740 --> 00:30:59,500 Thank you again so much for listening to Cold and Missing. 483 00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:00,900 I'm your host Allie. 484 00:31:00,900 --> 00:31:02,620 And I'm your co-host Eli. 485 00:31:02,620 --> 00:31:04,500 Have a great week and stay safe, y'all. 486 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:18,020 Stay safe, y'all.