Cleveland, OH

Vanished in the 1950s: What happened to Clara Frost?

Published

2 years ago

February 10, 2024

Vanished in the 1950s: What happened to Clara Frost?

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Three cold cases from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s are now connected in a surprising way.

Wednesday, we first told you how the search for Mary Jane Vangilder, a missing woman in Richland County, led to the identification of a man named Albert Frost in southwest Ohio.

You can watch those stories here.

Albert & Clara Frost

Albert went missing in the early 1960s.

His unidentified skeletal remains were buried in a cemetery in Preble County for more than 50 years.

Det. Adam Turner with Shelby Police discovered his remains when he was searching for a possible match to Mary Jane Vangilder, who went missing in 1945.

After exhuming his body, he worked with Moxxy Forensics to identify his remains using Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG).

They found Albert’s closest DNA relative was his great niece, Tina Barrett.

When the detective reached out to her, he unlocked another mystery.

“Initially, I thought they were talking about my great aunt Clara because until that moment, I did not know that Albert existed. No one talked about it,” Barrett said.

It turns out, there were two missing siblings in the same family.

“But Albert was just presumed to have taken off, and then just not spoken about. You know, that puzzles me to this day, because they did ask about Clara and although Albert had a history of just being gone for a while, he also had a history of always coming back. And no one ever talked about it,” Barrett said.

Clara Frost was Albert’s older sister.

She went by the nickname Inez and was in her early 20s when she went missing about a decade before he did.

The young mother vanished from Cleveland in the 1950s.

The only photo of her the detective could find was from her 10th grade yearbook.

“We searched through ancestry and public databases. And there was very little information about her,” Det. Turner said.

Several family members told Det. Turner that Clara’s mother “sold” her to a man who later became her husband.

They had two kids together, who were just a baby and a toddler when she vanished.

Clara’s disappearance

Clara Frost went missing in the early 1950s.(Shelby Police/WOIO)

Clara’s family thought her disappearance was suspicious.

They told police her husband had been physically abusive to her.

“And no one knew where she was. And I think it was presumed that she was living somewhere else by some people. Others were pretty sure that her husband had killed her,” Barrett said.

Clara’s last known existence shows up in the 1950 census, in Cleveland.

Det. Turner believes she went missing not long after that.

Records show Clara’s husband remarried.

“By about 1952 he had remarried and moved the children to Pennsylvania,” he said.

Det. Turner said based on information from her family, Clara’s husband, who passed away decades ago is now a suspect in this case.

At the time, Clara’s husband told police she had just ran off.

“It was inconsistent with who she was to get up and leave,” Barrett said.

“My family didn’t squeak enough, didn’t complain enough. Maybe they were also afraid of this man. I don’t know. I didn’t meet him. But not enough was done to make sure that her children knew what happened to her,” she said.

Three cold cases connected

The missing persons cases of Mary Jane Vangilder, Albert Frost and Clara Frost are now all... — The missing persons cases of Mary Jane Vangilder, Albert Frost and Clara Frost are now all connected.(Shelby Police/WOIO)

He started with one cold case, but now Det. Turner is working on three.

And he’s not giving up on the cases of Albert and Clara Frost, even though they’re not out of his city.

He is volunteering his own time to work on those cases.

“It’s gonna remain open, you know, until it’s solved until it’s completely done,” he said.

“It’s it’s important because I feel like they’ve essentially like fallen through the cracks, you know, these are people that you know with time and with circumstances, you know, unfortunately kind of been forgotten. And I you know, I wouldn’t want that to happen to me,” Det. Turner said.

Clara’s two children have passed away, but her grandchildren are still waiting for answers.

Right now Clara and Albert’s cases are both being investigated as possible murders.

Meanwhile the family of Mary Jane Vangilder, the missing woman from Shelby who started this all, is still waiting for answers.

We’re told an update in her case will be coming next week, we’ll keep you posted.

If you have any information on any of these cases, call Shelby Police at 419-347-2242 or email Det. Turner at adamturner@shelbycity.oh.gov.

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Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction, pick for Sunday 3/1/26

Published

6 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction, pick for Sunday 3/1/26

Cooper Albers takes you through his preview, prediction and pick for Sunday’s NBA matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets.

Eastern Conference rivals close their regular-season series on Sunday, as the Brooklyn Nets host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center.

The Cavaliers (37–24, 4th East) have dropped back-to-back games without Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, albeit against far superior competition. They’ll aim for the three-game sweep of Brooklyn without Mitchell, while Harden remains questionable.

The Nets (15–44, 14th East) are mired in a brutal seven-game losing streak, including a 112–84 thumping in Cleveland on February 19.

Here’s a look at the Injury Report:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Out: Donovan Mitchell (Groin), Max Strus (Foot), Dean Wade (Ankle)
Questionable: James Harden (Thumb), Keon Ellis (Finger)

Brooklyn Nets

Out: Egor Demin (Heel), Drake Powell (G-League Assignment)
Questionable: Nic Claxton (Thumb)

Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Cleveland enters as a hefty 11.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Brooklyn sits as a +410 underdog. The game’s total is set at 222.5 points.

Cavaliers vs. Nets Preview

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

The Cavaliers went all in at the NBA trade deadline, sending Darius Garland to Los Angeles for superstar guard James Harden. The gamble seemingly paid off, as the former MVP has fit seamlessly into the lineup alongside Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland went 6–1 after Harden’s debut, its lone loss coming against the defending champs in Oklahoma City.

But the momentum quickly stalled when both Harden and Mitchell hit the sidelines to nurse injuries. Cleveland has dropped back-to-back games in the star duo’s absence against Milwaukee and Detroit. And while Harden is listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest with a thumb fracture in his non-shooting hand, Mitchell remains out with a groin strain.

The Cavs are just 2–4 without Mitchell this season. If Harden stays out, they’ll likely keep relying on their accomplished frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Cleveland also features a solid veteran backup point guard in Dennis Schroder, along with a reliable sharpshooter in Sam Merrill.

Brooklyn Nets Preview

Brooklyn has won five games in 2026. Five.

Were any of these wins particularly impressive? Hardly. They beat a Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets, the spiraling Chicago Bulls twice, the lowly Washington Wizards, and the tanking Utah Jazz.

The Nets rank dead last on both ends of the floor since January 1, disappointing even by their standards. They’ve lost seven games in a row, punctuated by a 37-point walloping in Boston on Friday night.

Michael Porter Jr. will continue trying to carry an increasingly strained offense without rookie standout Egor Demin. Brooklyn will also lean on its burgeoning frontcourt, comprising Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton (questionable).

Cavaliers vs. Nets Pick, Best Bet

Keep an eye on the injury report for this one. If Harden remains sidelined, Cleveland may lack the offensive firepower to pull away. But if the former MVP suits up, expect him and the Cavs to carve up Brooklyn’s porous defense and comfortably cover the 11.5-point spread.

Best Bet: Cleveland Cavaliers -11.5 (-110)

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Cleveland, OH

14-year-old girl shot on Cleveland’s East Side

Published

18 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

14-year-old girl shot on Cleveland’s East Side

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A 14-year-old girl is in critical condition after being shot at a home Friday.

Police said around 7:15 p.m., officers from the Fifth District got a call for someone shot in the 1400 block of Lakeview Road.

When officers got on scene, a 14-year-old girl was found suffering from a gunshot wound.

Cleveland EMS took her to a nearby hospital, where she is listed in critical condition

A gun was recovered at the scene.

The incident remains under active investigation.

Police said additional information will be released as it becomes available.

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Cleveland, OH

Sokolowski’s University Inn co-owner dies

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Sokolowski’s University Inn co-owner dies

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Former co-owner of the legendary Cleveland restaurant Sokolowski’s University Inn has died.

Michael Sokolowski(WOIO)

65-year-old Michael Sokolowski passed away on Tuesday, according to his obituary.

Established in Tremont in 1923, Sokolowski’s University Inn was Cleveland’s oldest family-owned and operated restaurant. It was a recipient of the prestigious James Beard “American Classics” Award in 2014. It closed it doors for good in 2020.

Read Obit below

MICHAEL PAUL SOKOLOWSKI, age 65; passed away peacefully on February 24, 2026. Beloved husband of Patricia (nee McCue); loving father of George McDougall (Erika) and Sara; grandfather of Nicole and Emerson; Son of the late Bernard Sr. and Marion (nee Szwejkowski); dear brother of Bernard Jr. (Mary) and Mary Lou Balbier (Ronald); loving brother-in-law, uncle and dear friend of many. Mike was the co-owner of Sokolowski’s University Inn, a Cleveland landmark restaurant since 1923 and a James Beard Award winner. He played baseball and football for Cleveland Central Catholic and graduated from Otterbein University. Michael was a member of the Greater Cleveland Umpire Association, officiating many Cleveland Indians Fantasy Camps. He loved cooking and taught classes at the Polaris Career Center for their community culinary arts program. Mike loved music, attending many concerts, and playing drums in bands and for his parish church masses. Former President of the Cleveland Society of Poles and a member of the Knights of Columbus Trinity Council. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Cleveland Central Catholic High School, 6550 Baxter Ave., Cleveland, OH 44105.

Mass of Christian burial at St. John Cantius Catholic Church, 906 College Ave, Cleveland, Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 12 noon. Interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Family and friends received at the church, Saturday from 10 a.m.-12 noon.

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