Ohio
Podcaster, law enforcement taking new look at decades old central Ohio cold case
MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A true crime podcaster from Florida is investigating a central Ohio homicide alongside local law enforcement and the victim’s family, with the goal of closing the decades-old case.
John “Bernie” Burnside, 32, was found dead in his Marysville home on Dec. 11, 1993, just 10 hours after reporting a break-in to police. Burnside had cerebral palsy, a condition affecting one’s movement and muscle coordination. His death was originally ruled a suicide but was later determined to be a homicide.
“The manner of death that he was found, it didn’t make sense to me to rule it a suicide,” said Podcast Host and Investigator Melissa Sandberg. “So I just had a lot of questions about the whole thing.”
-
John Burnside (Photo Courtesy/Paula Troyer) -
John Burnside (Photo Courtesy/Paula Troyer)
Sandberg said she became interested in the case after seeing a post on social media – now, she’s decided to take an in-depth look at the man’s death, bringing listeners along with her in her new podcast “Dog with a Bone.”
“I’m [was looking] for a case that has not received a lot of attention or coverage,” Sandberg said. “I found a Facebook page called, ‘Who killed John Burnside’ and there were only 22 people in that group, 22. And I was shocked. And I was like, who is fighting for justice for Bernie?”
Episodes detailing an investigation into the Burnside case will mark the first season of her podcast, but this will not be her first time investigating a homicide. Sandberg has been investigating cold cases for more than three years, recently as part of a group called “Safe Haven,” sponsored by American Military University. With that group, Sandberg helped investigate the 2008 murder of Judith “Judy” Petty out of Parkersburg, West Virginia, bringing new leads to the investigation.
“I’ve always had a passion for trying to help and bring justice to cold cases and still having the victims be heard and finding justice for the family,” she said.
After Sandberg began to look into the case and reach out to different law enforcement agencies, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation decided to review the case. The podcaster will be providing the information she finds to the BCI’s Cold Case Unit, which said it’s now in the “early stages” of looking into the homicide along with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office and Marysville Police Department.
“I’m so excited and honored that the BCI is taking another look at this case,” Sandberg said. “They actually had it back in [early 1990s]. … They did take a look at it, but nothing since then has happened.”
Sandberg works in the healthcare industry and investigates cold cases on the side. She spends money out of her own pocket to fly to the places where victims lived, to talk with their family, friends and law enforcement. On Thursday, she flew to Ohio to work on Burnside’s case.
“This is free,” Sandberg said. “I don’t charge the family. I don’t look to raise any donations or funds. This is me doing this because I have a passion to do this.”
Sandberg is part of a larger trend of civilians taking on the role of detective to help solve crimes. She said those like herself, who are not law enforcement but investigate crimes, can have unique advantages to breaking a case open.
“In the Judy Petty case, we were able to bring new leads, new information that law enforcement had never heard before,” Sandberg said. “By utilizing different platforms, it is drawing in more information. And not everybody wants to talk to a police officer at first, right? When you’re dealing with a crime, you might be dealing with people who have done crimes themselves, and have had experiences with law enforcement, and so there’s more of a comfort level talking to somebody like me who isn’t law enforcement.”
The main goal of her investigative podcast is to lend a hand to law enforcement by bringing in new leads and information. She plans to release more seasons on different cold cases in the future.
Weekly episodes on the Burnside case will be released on platforms that stream podcasts, such as Apple and Spotify. Sandberg said the first episodes will be released in the near future – updates can be found on the podcast’s Facebook page.
Anyone who has information on the homicide of John Burnside may message Sandberg through the podcast’s Facebook, as well as contact the Ohio BCI’s tip line at 800-282-3784.
The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 8, 2026, results for each game:
Powerball
Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m.
03-24-34-43-49, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 3-8-1
Evening: 7-3-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 4-7-1-1
Evening: 5-1-9-7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 5-0-0-4-7
Evening: 8-3-5-8-6
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Rolling Cash 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.
04-08-18-33-37
Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Classic Lotto
Drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, at approximately 7:05 p.m.
21-27-29-31-40-42, Kicker: 1-0-7-4-2-6
Check Classic Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 11:15 p.m.
20-25-40-50-55, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.
Ohio State coach Jake Diebler updates roster, summer plans: Part 2
Ohio State men’s hoops coach Jake Diebler discusses the 2026-27 roster, transfer portal additions and more in the first part of this June 1 interview.
Westerville North’s Tony Cornett III has steadily built up a strong list of college offers. Since the start of May, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard has added ones from Akron, Bowling Green and Toledo as summer camp season has gotten underway.
Now with offers from 10 schools, including one from every Mid-American Conference school in Ohio, Cornett said the mission isn’t complete because it’s never complete.
“I feel like it’s more fuel for me,” he said of the recent offers from the Zips, Falcons and Rockets. “None of the offers I’ve gotten, I’m satisfied with. It won’t be a single offer that will make me fully satisfied because it’s like, why would I be satisfied with that offer? The job’s never finished.”
It’s an attitude that has helped Cornett and the Warriors reach the Ohio Division II title game in each of the past two years, winning the championship in 2025 and falling in overtime in 2026. In this year’s five-point loss to Massillon Washington, Cornett had 15 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four turnovers in 35 minutes.
On June 5, he was on the main court inside the Jerome Schottenstein Center as Westerville North participated in Ohio State’s team camp for the second consecutive day. The Warriors opened the day with a blowout win against Massillon Jackson with multiple members of the Ohio State coaching staff keeping an eye on the game.
The Buckeyes have not offered, but they continue to show interest.
“They definitely fit high on my radar for me, personally,” he said. “I’m pretty sure they like how I play. I hope so. We talk every now and then. I’m supposed to come for a visit this month.”
Toledo and Akron are also scheduled to host Cornett on visits in June, he said. While he played in his first of three games June 5, Cornett was watched by Ohio State assistants Dave Dickerson, Mike Wells, Jamall Walker and Brian Walsh, recruiting coordinator Terence Dials and program assistant William Buford.
They saw several highlight plays, including one on which Cornett blocked a shot, gathered the ball, pushed it up the floor to an open teammate, sprinted toward the basket and took a lob thrown back to him for a dunk.
“A play like that, that’s multiple winning plays, all-in-one plays,” he said. “It made it even better that the lob came from my brother (Tyson), so that was special. He’s got to throw that one up.”
Cornett said he looks at rosters when he thinks about where he might play collegiately.
“What program could I fit in the most?” he said. “What program recruits players that are more like me and have my game style, like tall, versatile, strong, bigger guards? Also, looking at a program that develops players, too. The development is the big thing for me. If they can develop someone who plays like me, that’s something I definitely look for.”
247Sports.com ranks Cornett as a three-star prospect. He’s the No. 112 national prospect, the No. 19 shooting guard and No. 7 player in Ohio, and this season Cornett said he has to be ready to step into more of a leadership role on a team he said features only two returners with varsity experience.
Cornett said he’s working to improve his jumper and get stronger.
“I have to keep improving and getting stronger and bigger,” he said. “I’m working on my shot. Always working on my shot. That’s my No. 1 priority right now, because I have to be able to hit the open shot. Also, getting downhill, using my body, elevating over smaller defenders.”
Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
WARREN TWP., Ohio (WKBN) — Nearly 1,400 people in Warren were without power Sunday evening after a vehicle crashed into a utility pole.
People in the affected area were without power for about three hours until it was restored around 11:30 p.m.
Police told our crew on scene that a Toyota had driven into a utility pole on Mahoning Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Officers said two people left the vehicle and left the scene on foot.
Impact from the crash caused power lines to spark about 100 yards away, just within the City of Warren. The sparking powerlines lit surrounding bushes on fire, and crews worked to quickly put out the flames.
Part of Mahoning Avenue is closed off at this time.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Dominic O’Brien contributed to this report.
-
Movie Reviews11 minutes ago‘Office Romance’ movie review: Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein fail to prop up this confused, dreary rom-com
-
World19 minutes ago
A government-commissioned study found drinking risks. US guidelines didn’t feature its findings
-
Lifestyle59 minutes ago‘Office Romance’ stars J.Lo as a CEO with a bad case of Brett Goldstein : Pop Culture Happy Hour
-
Technology1 hour agoApple dials down Liquid Glass, and the Mac looks way better for it
-
World1 hour agoUS adversaries China, North Korea strengthening ties as Xi, Kim set to begin talks
-
Politics1 hour agoTrump’s SAVE America Act shows signs of life in the Senate despite Republican revolt
-
Health1 hour agoWoman with advanced Alzheimer’s regained speech and memories after taking magic mushrooms
-
Sports1 hour agoKnicks guard nearly wipes out Michael Bloomberg diving for loose ball during NBA Finals Game 3
