Laurel Mitchell disappeared in August 1975, and was discovered drowned in a river 17 miles from her residence
Two 67-year-old males in Indiana have been arrested for the homicide of a 17-year-old church camp employee who was killed virtually 50 years in the past whereas strolling residence from work.
Laurel Mitchell’s kinfolk raised the alarm on August 6, 1975 after she disappeared following her shift at Epworth Forest Church camp, 40 miles north west of Fort Wayne.
Her physique was discovered the next day in a river, 17 miles from her residence.
Some native residents claimed they heard a voice saying ‘let’s get her’, and the slamming of a automobile door, however Captain Kevin Smith spent a long time looking for her killer, with out having the ability to make any arrests.
On Tuesday, nonetheless, Smith instructed a press convention that two native males had been arrested the day past and charged along with her homicide.
Considered one of them, Fred Bandy Jr., had served time in jail for little one molestation.
In 2001, he pleaded responsible to little one solicitation and contributing to the delinquency of a minor; in 2016, he pleaded responsible to 2 counts of kid molestation and served almost six years.
His childhood pal who was additionally arrested for the homicide, John Wayne Lehman, doesn’t seem to have a felony report.
Fred Bandy Jr (left) and John Wayne Lehman (proper), each 67, have been each arrested on Monday
An post-mortem report beforehand acknowledged that she ‘confirmed indicators that she had fought for her life.’
‘This case is a end result of a a long time lengthy investigation,’ stated Smith on Tuesday.
‘And science lastly gave us the solutions we would have liked.
‘Taking part in a big position in costs being filed was the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division. We merely couldn’t have solved this case with out them.’
Smith despatched {the teenager}’s garments for a brand new DNA evaluation in 2019, and fashionable know-how gave a extra complete image.
Three suspects have been eradicated as potentialities, paperwork stated, consideration shifted to Bandy.
They’re believed to have used genealogical databases to trace him down, and he voluntarily gave a DNA pattern earlier than Christmas.
The cheek swab confirmed that he’s ’13 billion (13,000,000) occasions extra more likely to be the contributor of the DNA in Laurel J. Mitchell’s clothes than another unknown individual,’ stated charging paperwork obtained by Regulation and Crime.
Investigators concluded that Lehman and Bandy took Bandy’s Oldsmobile and, ‘with premeditated malice’, snatched her from the street and took her to the ‘Mallard Roost public entry web site’ in Noble County.
They stated the pair dragged her from the car, and ‘intentionally drowned’ her.
Captain Kevin Smith introduced the arrests, almost 50 years after the younger woman was killed
The pair got here on police radar in 2013, when a girl, Ranae Sexton, got here ahead and stated that Lehman — after a date and a celebration when she was 16 in 1975 — admitted to her that he and his pal Bandy dedicated a criminal offense.
A 12 months later, in July 2014, Invoice McDonald – recognized as a highschool sophomore on the time of the homicide – instructed police that Bandy additionally confessed to the crime whereas at a celebration.
Paperwork alleged that Bandy additionally revealed Lehman’s alleged involvement.
Sarah Knisley, Mitchell’s sister, praised Smith for his dogged dedication to unravel the case.
She instructed The New York Occasions that Smith carried round ‘huge books’ that detailed the names and addresses of everybody the authorities had interviewed over time.
‘There have been over 1,000 names in there,’ she stated.
She stated she was unhappy their dad and mom weren’t alive to see the arrests.
‘I simply all the time questioned, you understand, how would have turned out,’ Knisley stated of her sister.
‘She missed promenade, she missed commencement, she missed getting married, and having youngsters and a all that stuff.
‘It was simply such a waste and I did not have anyone to share all of that with. Anybody to get info, to assist me develop up.’