Viable suspects, confessions, but no convictable evidence until a child support law changes.6/3/2021 The case of Stephanie Hummer bothers me because I feel like we have an obligation to look out for people, and even to try to protect young adults who aren’t ready for the threats terrible people in the world present. Stephanie was a 1993 Finneytown, Cincinnati, high school graduate. Stephanie was smart, attending Ohio State University on a full scholarship. She was also an athlete (track star) and described as a happy and kind young woman. The only thing going against her was she was just 18 years old. Stephanie Hummer Ohio State University In early March of 1994, at about 2:30 a.m. Stephanie was walking through an alley close to her dorm to a friend’s place when she disappeared. She was abducted on Pearl Alley, East of Ohio State campus, where she was a freshman. On March 6, 1994, her partially clothed body was discovered face down in field, 4 miles from her dorm. She had been sexually assaulted and bludgeoned in the back of her head. Pearl Alley by Ohio State University People with above average needs for attention can really hamper investigations. A seminary student, Anton Corian, confessed to a friend that he killed Stephanie. Investigators mic the friend and record a conversation in which Anton states again he killed Stephanie. Anton is pulled in for an interrogation. He tells investigators he was “running his mouth to a friend” based on information he pulled off of the news. Anton was familiar with the area as it was an area frequented by prostitutes. DNA testing indicates Anton was not the man who raped and killed Stephanie. (Strike 1 for investigators.) Picture used on Unusual Suspects show on the Investigative channel. Rodney Hastings had a history of assaults by the Ohio State University campus, including a prior conviction for kidnapping and attempted rape. It was discovered Rodney would take a work van and drive along the college stopping women. He’d pretend to be a police officer and pat women down for his gratification. Rodney also picked up prostitutes in the area. Investigators discover Rodney’s former significant other lived in the same apartment complex as Stephanie Hastings. Rodney had been to the apartment complex frequently. This appears to be a solid lead. Rodney quickly requests an attorney. A search of his van finds no traces of Stephanie. A court ordered DNA test indicates Rodney Hastings was not the man who raped Stephanie. (Strike 2 for investigators.) In Youngstown Supermax prison in Ohio, 2 of every 3 inmates is a gang member. (Over 8000 total, with the largest gang being the Heartless Felons) Jermaine Espinoza calls investigators from a nearby prison. Jermaine was an inmate and an assistant GED instructor at the prison. He tells investigators he’s working with an inmate, Franklin Zaiden, who admitted killing Stephanie. Zaiden is incarcerated on a rape charge. Zaiden was a free man, when Stephanie was murdered. He was also attending drug counseling, just down the street from where Stephanie was murdered. Jermaine gives investigators a letter written by Zaiden admitting to the murder. This lead was promising as new DNA testing information indicated the rapist and killer was African American and Zaiden fits the bill. When detectives interview Franklin Zaiden, he admits to writing the letter. He stated Jermaine claimed to have a movie deal, and he wanted Zaiden to write this letter to show he could play the role of the killer. Jermaine was setting Zaiden up, in hope of receiving an early release. DNA testing was performed and Franklin Zaiden is not the man who raped and killed Stephanie. (Strike 3 for investigators.) And the case goes cold for over a decade… A change in child support laws in Ohio solves the case. If a person falls behind in their child support, they can be convicted of a felony. And a person who is convicted of a felony, has to turn in a DNA sample. Jonathan Gravely was a star track and football star from Whetstone High School which was close to the Ohio State campus. In 2006, Gravely is 35 years old and now has a good paying job at a factory. At the time, Gravely was considered a generally good person who had no problems with the law--until he’s arrested for failure to pay child support for one of his children. Jonathan Gravely’s DNA is taken and entered the CODIS system. It matches the DNA of the rapist and killer of Stephanie Hummer. Gravely had never been a suspect in the initial investigation. Investigators say they did thousands of interviews but had no idea he existed. They say the crime was random, that Gravely did not know Stephanie. Jonathan Gravely plead guilty and made this statement: "I have not lived a life of crime, but what I did on that date was inexcusable. I want to apologize to the Hummer family for what I've done." Even smart athletes can be abducted. Gravely claims he picked Stephanie up at a bar, and after they were together, she threatened to tell his partner about their relationship. He claimed he hit her and accidentally killed her. Investigators know this isn’t true. Stephanie didn’t go to a bar. She was walking home from a friend’s party when she was overpowered and abducted. To her credit, at one point she managed to escape and ran quite a distance before he finally ran her down and killed her. Be kind and look out for one another. We are all fortunate either by chance, or by someone looking out for us. We have a lot of young adults graduating. I encourage people to leave parties and bars in groups, and don’t be staring at your cell phone. If you set down a beverage, you don’t pick it up again. Be careful when and where you choose to walk. As a rule of thumb, walks along the water in cities are dangerous at night. I like this Denzel quote. Thanks for listening, Frank Unchained Melody by Allie Sherlock and Cuan Durkin (Righteous Brothers original)
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AuthorFrank F. Weber is a forensic psychologist specializing in homicide and sexual and physical assault cases. He uses his unique understanding of how predator’s think, knowledge of victim trauma, actual court cases, and passion for writing true crime thrillers. His Award Winning books include "Murder Book" (2017) "The I-94 Murders" (2018) "Last Call" (2019) and "Lying Close" (September 2020). Archives
April 2024
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