Sunday, February 28, 2010

" THE PSYCHIC SIDE OF THINGS "

When I first started looking into Amy's' case it was for a college term paper. I had never done a term paper and didn't have a clue as to what to write. I knew that what ever it was I wrote about , had to be something that the instructor had never had a paper on before. The instructor had already mentioned that he wasn't in the mood for papers he had seen a thousand times before ,or the ones that some thought was a good idea of purchasing just to get a grade. He had made himself very clear to me as to what he expected. All I could think of was, what the hell is an over aged college student like myself going to write about? The thought stuck in my mind for several weeks, clear up to the last two weeks of the quarter when the papers were due. The grade from the paper was a quarter of my final grade,I had to make it count! I remember thinking at the time that everyone I had talked with on a daily bases had mentioned or questioned, have they found who killed Amy yet? From that I made the decision to write the paper on her case. It went as follows:

October 27Th,1989 ten year old Amy Renee Mihaljevic was abducted from a Bay Village shopping center, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Reports claim Amy had gotten a phone call from a man. She was going to meet him at the shopping center to purchase a gift for her mother's promotion at work. Amy reportedly did meet a man, however she was never seen alive again. On February 8Th, 1990 the decomposing body of Amy was found in Ashland County, Ohio. In a field close to the road, a jogger spotted her remains. The investigation has gone on for years. Still no one has been apprehended in her murder.
After thousands of leads it seemed to come down to an impassibility that anyone would ever be charged in the hideous murder of 10 year old Amy. To me it just couldn't stop there. Somewhere out there someone knows what happened late in October 1989 to a brown eyed blondish haired child who mistakenly trusted adults. Many people gave me information on Amy. Some were right some were wrong, but they all were willing to catch a murderer. I decided to track the unknown. Going on speculation and newspaper articles this case took me from Monticello, Iowa to New Jersey, back to Little Rock, Arkansas and then to Pennsylvania and back to Ohio. This is what I found.
Let's assume that this was a crime of the occult class people. The pieces would fit like this. Newspaper articles reported that Amy and this man were getting a gift for Amy's mother for her promotion at work. Key words here are-gift-mother-promotion-work. Unmistakably all these things happened. While watching TV one night, unsolved mysteries had a woman who was a police psychic working on a case in Monticello, Iowa. The case was an old homicide. She did however solve the case after many years. I took down the police chiefs name, the city and state thinking maybe she could tell me something. Still I'm pretty unbelieving in this type of thing. I called Monticello, Iowa anyway and spoke with Police chief Walters. I was expecting to hear the person on the other end of the line to say "that was just a made up story for TV viewing". Chief Walters proved me wrong. He told me he couldn't give me a phone number for Dorothy Allison. He did however tell me to contact her chief which was Robert Delitta in Knutley ,New Jersey. He was very helpful and gave me Delitta's number. I called Delitta and explained to him that I was interested in getting the number of Dorothy Allison so I could ask her about a case here. It was a little girl that I never knew, yet wanted the person or persons brought to justice. Chief Delitta told me he didn't give out her number. It was unlisted. Then all of a sudden he said, "I'll make an exception to the rule this time". I was shocked because there are so many people wanting to talk with her. Chief Delitta gave me two numbers and then said " tell her I told you to call". I done exactly that. She needed specific information, like the time and place of birth, time the 911 call came in, when the body was found, and the county and state she was born in. It had to be written down and sent to her with my return address written in red so she could distinguish it from others in the mail. Then I was put on a waiting list. Dorothy told me she was working on a few other cases and she went by the age of the child. These cases were extra besides her regular job with the Knutley Police Department. I sent what information I had, however I didn't have her time of birth. I did have everything else.
I called LT. Tomkin's in Bay Village to see if he would tell me where Amy was born. He did, and in conversation I asked him if he had ever heard of Dorothy Allison? Again I was shocked when he said " yes, Amy's grandmother had called her in on the case". "It isn't standard practice of my department, but any information would help". I asked him if he would do another composite if I got more information other than what they had? Tomkin's didn't want to do that because the people in that area were still very afraid and he didn't wish to frighten them anymore.
So I thought let's go another direction. What is all this stuff about occult and sacrifice? What am I really dealing with here? Next stop the library. If Dorothy Allison was a for real person, let's check out a few Haunted Ohio books and see what they say. These books seemed to be off the wall to me, however in the back they listed some people ( psychics) and their numbers. In Pennsylvania they had a listing for Karyl Kirkpatrick. I called Karyl that evening. She sounded very nice and she told me many things about the case. Karyl said it was an occult thing. It was done on the biggest celebration of the year, Halloween. That part fit the puzzle. It was that time frame. She said it had something to do with the girls mother. The connection was Amy's mothers' brother. Amy was close to him or a cousin that lived near Amy on her mothers side. Karyl said Amy trusted him. He was thin. fair skinned, brown eyes, 5'10" wide apart eyes, thin nose and a goat like chin, what ever that means. Karyl said the man was like family. This occult group was a very tight group in Ashland County . The building used for their meetings was a two tone gray structure and there is a legitimate business in the front, but it was just a cover. Karyl asked if I knew whether or not Amy's mother burnt candles. Well, she did. Every night till Amy was found a candle was lit in the window. All of a sudden she asked " who is Dana ? " I told her I had no idea. Karyl told me to get an artist to do another composite. "Do you know Steve Hail in Columbus, at B.C.I." I didn't. She told me to call him anyway and ask him to do another composite. I thanked her for her time. Then she told that the man that did this to Amy had a "B" sounding name like "Butch ". The other man in the composite was Puertto Rican and his name is Darrell, and an attorney was involved. When I hung up the first thing that came to mind was she is not real!
The next day I called Steve Hail at B.C.I. in Columbus and explained what I was doing and asked if he had ever heard of Karyl? "Yes", he had. I asked, "is she for real"? Steve said"very much so". " I've worked with her several times". He said "she's not 100% all the time but she's very good at what she does". Steve went on to explain he could only do the composite if LT. Tomkins told him to. Well that's not going to happen.
Again it's time to go another direction, keeping in mind that all this must somehow fit together.
I drove back to where the body was found and spoke with area residents. At first they were a little hesitant about saying much. After a few minutes they opened up. I was told that Amy's mother was in the area two summers before Amy went missing. She was with a man named Bud and his wife. According to this statement, this guy, Bud and Amy's mother were old friends from Hinkley, Ohio. They were at this house because Bud knew the couple that was buying it from someone else, sort of like they were checking it out for them. The woman that sold the house befriended the woman that moved in. The new owners wife became very sick and on her death bed told over and over the day she died " their going to find that Buds boys killed little Amy. She said she knew for a fact. Three hours later she died. The person she told this to was the former owner of the house. There's another possible piece of the puzzle if your into "B" sounding names.
Back at the library I find one most interesting book. This one tells of Halloween, sacrifice, and blood. It tells the body has to be found. It was. And that it must be burnt. After I picked up a copy of the death certificate I again was shocked. Amy's remains were cremated. About 6 to 9 months after Amy was found, her mother got a new job with the State Attorney Generals Office. Now that's some promotion! The deathbed statement was never told to any police official the woman told me, "I decided they never asked and they probably won't believe me anyway".
I keep remembering back and in comparison to the reaction of Susan Smith to Amy's mother they somehow seemed the same at times. All the key words, clear back to the first newspaper articles, are in this child's history.

I turned in my paper and received a grade of good +25 and passed the class. That instructor was a retired cop, I'll always remember him telling the class that day of when he met his partner when he first went on the force, does the name Serpico sound familiar?
Do I believe everything that these psychics said, No.
Do I think Margaret was into occult, No
Do I believe Amy was a sacrifice, No
Do I believe the killer is from the Ruggles area, Most definitely!
Do I believe the deathbed statement, could be.

Anyone wanting to talk about their psychic experiences in regards to Amy's case post here. Refer back to James site for his experience's. Lets compare notes.

29 comments:

Laura said...

What do you mean by "deathbed statement"?

I saw Margaret Mihaljevic many times before and after Amy's death. She and Amy were very close. Margaret was absolutely devastated by Amy's disappearance and murder. Trust me, she was no Susan Smith. Margaret had her troubles but she was a good person and doting mama. After Amy's death she became a victim's advocate and that accounted for her change in careers. As I'm sure you know, it didn't last long, and she eventually became a newspaper delivery person which is quite a step backward.

Liz Russ said...

What if the psychic were right. What if when she said, it was on the mothers side like brother or cousin it could have ment that because Amy knew of the possibility of a divorce she transferred her mother/daughter instinct to Ruth. Remember Ruth was the one at the time Amy went missing was teaching Amy how to cook and even cut her hair.That would mean the psychic was talking about Ruth's brother or cousin. So then,tell me, Who is the guy that looks alot like Ruth in the picture? And where did these people come from? Better yet where did the guy go to and was his name Darrell?

Liz Russ said...

Laura:

When I wrote this paper it was way before I had any real information on what Margaret was like. I didn't write it intending to make her look bad at all.After many years of going over all the things I had found out about the family your absolutly right about Margaret. I hope no one will be offended by the way the story was written many years ago. That was not my intent.

Liz Russ said...

Laura:

Deathbed statement is when just before a person dies they wish to clear their conscious. They tell everything they know that they have kept seceret during the last hours of their life.Deathbed statements can determine the outcome of a case in a court of law because they are the truth of the matter as I understand it.

Judi said...

If the "deathbed statement" was not made known to the police, then I am assuming that Bud (close to Butch) was never questioned or investigated. Whatever happened to him? He wasn't a relative, but if he and Margaret were such close friends from their youth, he might have seemed like a relative to Amy.
As far as deathbed statements are concerned, I know a relative who on her deathbed told another relative a family secret. The latter thought she was delirious. I happen to know it was true.

Judi said...

I want to clarify my previous post. I am not saying "Bud" committed the crime. Did he have children? If the new owner made that statement, it seems like Bud might have known that, too. He might have told her, and she kept it hidden all those years. Was Bud related to the Matlocks or someone in LE?

Curious said...

Liz,

Interesting concept, tranference, it could apply here in a non-textbook sort of way. I've got to say, the moment I heard this case on TV, I've always thought someone in this family or close to it, has something to do with it. Now here we are 20 years later, and we have Ruth and a lot of questions regarding her.

What is the full story of Bud and his family? Why did Pat Stokes tell Renner the FBI doesn't want her to talk about it?

Hearsay, in the case of a death is admissable in a court of law in certain instances. This is a newer regulation.

BTW, a property search for the house on 126 only goes back to 95, go figure...

Liz Russ said...

To All:

Bud is the nick name for Al and Doyle Matlocks uncle, who lived in the house as far as I know.Now does that change the story? I don't believe he was questioned, he moved. From what I can find on him, he lives somewhere on the lake in Lorain. I don't know why Pat Stokes was told not to talk by FBI, I was thinking it was her grown children that told her not to say anymore. Pat does have something of an interesting tale that I'll share later.

esora said...

Did you find a Margaret and Bud connection in Hinkley? I thought Margaret was from Wisconsin, then when she married Mark they moved to Arkansas, and then came to Ohio a few years before Amy died.

Anonymous said...

Is Margaret's mother still alive? Has anyone spoken to her since Margaret passed away. Just talk talk talk with her as she may know something without even knowing she knows.

Anonymous said...

Amy's mother died some years ago.

Anonymous said...

Whoops, sorry, you meant Margaret's mother. I don't know about that.

Liz Russ said...

To All:

I don't have a clue as to why Margaret would know Bud, maybe she worked the same place he did at one time.Maybe she worked in a resturant and he came in alot, again I don't know, wish I did.

As to margaret's mother I don't know if she is still living. When I spoke to Dale, Margaret's brother awhile back she wasn't in good health.

Mark and Margaret both were from Wisconsin.

Maybe it was his idea to say Margaret was getting a promotion from work, that he at some point did work with her and told the guy that called her to use that as a ruse to get Amy.Unless he was the guy that took Amy. Just a thought.

In another conversation with the same psychic she said that Margaret didn't realize this person was dangerous.Some how or other this person is from Margarets past. I believe this to be a true statement because when I talked to Dale he had told me that the FBI was looking back a year into Margarets life, for a boyfriend. Dale said he thought they didn't know what they were doing because Margaret didn't have a boyfriend. Dale said that Margaret was going out dancing as she loved to dance and the guy the FBI were referring to was him. I don't think so.

esora said...

I think it is interesting that many people from the New London area, keep saying they knew Margaret. That she visited the area, or that she and Bud knew each other.

2 thoughts keep crossing my mind.

1. What are the odds of Amy's body being dumped near/next to the house of someone Margaret knows?

2. On the other hand, if you know Margaret, why dump the body so close to your home (or a relative's home)to aid the police in a possible connection?

Liz Russ said...

Esora:


The only people that knew Margaret was in that area was Pat and Joann.Pat won't talk about it anymore and Joann died so you can't ask her anything. Joann was the one that said Buds boy done it,reffing to the man living in the log house.Pat remembers seeing Margaret at Joanns house years before Amy was killed. Seems it wasn't known that Margaret knew those people.

They'er three different sets of people who claim the people in the log house done it, that don't each other.
Ann a resident of new London(crime rant).
Joann of Ruggles(died).
Bill Hayes by Nova.
There has been many people comment that the people in the log house were the ones that killed Amy.

esora said...

Liz,

Then who said Margaret and Bud were "old friends from Hinkley"?

Ok then 2 people have placed Margaret in the New London area. And at least one of these people have placed her with Bud, who's cabin Amy was found relatively close to, correct?

I still find it interesting Amy was found near the home of someone, a person claimed Margret knew. (Not saying Bud did it).

Margaret at the time Amy was kidnapped worked at the Trading Times (is that correct?), where was that located?

Liz Russ said...

Esora:

Pat Stokes said that Joann had told her. This was before Joann got sick.

That's exactly why the FBI is out there looking for Al Matlock. Yes, your correct.

Yes, Margaret worked at Trading Times. The question I have is , was she working at a desk all the time or was she on the road?

I really don't know where the main office for the Trading Times was located. I'm assuming that it had to be close to Bay,in one of the burbs.

Curious said...

I'm think the tradin times was located in Westlake. I doubt Margaret's job required traveling, as it would have been walk ins or fax, phone in type of things. I could be wrong on both counts though.

Liz Russ said...

Curious:

Most of the time the people from Trading Times would go to the place and take pictures every few days. I know one person that did met one of the people that done this.

I think your right about it being in Westlake.

Curious said...

Anyone have any information regarding Ruth??

Anonymous said...

Tradin' Times was in Rocky River.

Liz Russ said...

To All:

No word on Ruth yet,isn't that odd. Is she in hiding now that James has uncoverd her? Surely you would think people from Bay would want to help in disclosing what they know about her.What was her job? Where did she live? We know James was told by Ruth that she was a friend of Margarets.If that were true why hasn't she come forward just to answer these few questions?I don't believe Ruth had anything to do with what happened to Amy,so why the secrecy?

Anonymous:

Thanks for your correction,Rocky River it is.

Curious said...

Liz,

I think I got it, check your mail...

esora said...

I have been thinking. How did the person that contacted her, get her NOT to tell who he was? Assuming what Amy told her friends was correct a present for her Mom. If the person was already known to her, then when she told her friends about getting the present, why not say his name? And if the person was unknown to her before, but somehow befriended her, why not say the name he gave her (obviously not his real name most likely)?

Liz Russ said...

Curious:

That is real interesting.still looking for more info.I'm going to check that with another source.


Esora:

He may not have told her any name, but if he did I'm assuming it was fake. No one knows. He made it sound to her like he knew her mom, he worked with her they were friends, so that made it ok in her eyes.

Judi said...

He probably didn't tell her his name. I think she told her friends that she was meeting a friend she hadn't met yet. If she already knew him, she probably would have recognized his voice and volunteered his name. When she saw him, she may have recognized him from somewhere because he was probably watching her for some time. She might have felt it was all right to leave with him because he seemed familiar. If amy was really seen in the New London area the day after her abduction, I wonder how she was threatened to keep her from running away.

Judi said...

I tried to post this a few minutes ago, but it didn't post. I'm trying again. The caller probably didn't tell his name. Amy told her friends that she was meeting a friend that she hadn't met yet. If she already knew him, she probably would have recognized his voice and volunteered his name. When she saw him, she may have recognized him from somewhere if he had been watching her for a time. She may have thought it was all right to leave with him since he seemed somewhat familiar. I thought I had read that Amy was seen in the Ashland area the day after her abduction. If that was truly Amy, how did they threaten her to not run away?

Liz Russ said...

Judi:

I think that Amy may have been drugged. She probably was scared to death and didn't know which way to run or maybe thought he might hit her or catch her if she did run.It's really hard to tell.The man that thought he saw her was certain, when he heard of her death he cried because he tried to tell New London police and they wouldn't listen to him.

Liz Russ said...

To All:

I remember it was a year after Amy was found when Mr. Sabo took his life, does anyone have a date?