Ohio

Hundreds of homicides in Ohio remain unsolved; AG focuses on these cold cases

Published

1 year ago

January 1, 2025

Hundreds of homicides in Ohio remain unsolved; AG focuses on these cold cases

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -The mystery of who killed Debra Miller more than 40 years ago in Mansfield has now been solved thanks to old-fashioned police work and DNA technology.

The announcement from police Monday was a reminder there are still hundreds of other unsolved cases across Ohio.

19 Investigates spoke to the attorney general on what cold cases the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is working on.

Case closed

Mansfield Police say they now know the identity of Debra Miller’s killer, the man who brutally beat the 18-year-old to death in her apartment back in 1981 and evaded police for decades.

DNA evidence led detectives to Debra’s neighbor, James Vanest, 68 years old.

He died in standoff with police last month.

You can read more about how police solved the case here.

Mansfield Police Chief Jason Bammann celebrated the big case solve.

But he’s already focusing on the next unsolved cases he has in his department.

“I would love to close every case, I would love to give every family the closure that they so deserve, but you know we take it one case at a time,” he said.

Mansfield police solve cold case homicide from 1981(Source: Mansfield police)

Hundreds of unsolved cases

19 Investigates got a copy of the Ohio Attorney General’s cold case database, which shows there are more than 2,000 unsolved homicides across the state.

“Even one unsolved murder case is a problem, it’s a tragedy. The people who loved that person don’t know what happened or how it happened or why it happened,” Attorney General Dave Yost said.

Attorney General Yost said it’s a fact some of these cases will never be solved, because they’re so old and the killers have passed away.

He said BCI’s Cold Case Unit is focusing on supporting local law enforcement in cases that happened over the last 40 years.

“We’ve got still an opportunity to get to a place of justice for those cases, not that the older cases don’t matter, but the ones I’m really excited about are the cases where new science can turn up a new lead. Where DNA advances will maybe able to bring information out of the old evidence that was collected in 1985 or something and lead us to the perpetrator,” he said.

Just one new lead could be enough to bring the families of these victims answers.

If you know anything about a cold case out there, give police a call.

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Ohio

Ohio Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Midday winning numbers for June 22, 2026

Published

7 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 22, 2026, results for each game:

Powerball

Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m.

17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2

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: 3-0-7

Evening: 1-5-2

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: 8-8-0-9

Evening: 8-4-4-7

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: 9-0-3-1-2

Evening: 7-9-6-0-7

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.

10-16-19-23-35

Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Classic Lotto

Drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

13-16-28-35-41-44, Kicker: 7-6-2-8-1-3

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.

07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05

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.

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Ohio

Ohio won’t vote on banning data centers this fall

Published

17 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Press Room

Ohio won’t vote on banning data centers this fall

Ohioans won’t be voting on whether to ban data centers on the November ballot.

Conserve Ohio, the group working to block most data centers, announced that it would not submit the more than 413,000 signatures needed to make the fall ballot by the July 1 deadline.

But the data center opponents aren’t giving up on a constitutional amendment. They are now targeting the 2027 ballot.

“We want to make it clear: we will not be stopping. Construction won’t be stopping, so signature gathering and community action will not be stopping,” according to a Conserve Ohio statement.

The group’s decision comes after Ohio lawmakers failed to pass legislation to rein in data centers before a months-long break. Lawmakers disagreed on whether to reduce tax breaks for data centers or eliminate them entirely.

The debate over data centers in Ohio has created strange political bedfellows. Environmentalists and rural voters often oppose them, while business groups and labor unions are backing them.

State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@gannett.com or @jbalmert on X.

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Ohio

Central Ohio lakes offer strong fishing for summer anglers

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Press Room

Central Ohio lakes offer strong fishing for summer anglers

Jane Imbody
| Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

Anglers can find strong opportunities for bass, crappie and catfish across central Ohio lakes this summer, according to a community announcement from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.

The agency highlighted several reservoirs and lakes where fish populations remain robust and accessible, while also noting the relatively low cost of fishing in the state and the availability of free fishing promotions.

Ohio residents can purchase a one-year fishing license for $25, while youth younger than 16 do not need a license. The state also offers designated Free Fishing Days during which residents can fish without purchasing a license, though size and daily limits still apply.

Lakes across region offer diverse fishing opportunities

Central Ohio’s waterways, including reservoirs, inland lakes and streams, support a range of species such as hybrid-striped bass, crappie, black bass and catfish, according to the announcement.

Griggs Reservoir in Franklin County stands out for hybrid-striped bass, which are known for aggressive strikes and strong fights. Anglers often find success watching for birds diving on baitfish near the surface, which can signal feeding schools below. Fish exceeding 20 inches are regularly caught at the reservoir. Effective techniques include using swimbaits, rattle traps and topwater lures. The daily catch limit for hybrid-striped bass is 30 fish, with no more than four exceeding 15 inches.

Crappie fishing remains strong at Deer Creek Lake, spanning Fayette and Pickaway counties. Fisheries surveys conducted in fall 2025 identified numerous large fish. Anglers are encouraged to target submerged brush or trees, or to troll small crankbaits to cover more water.

Buckeye Lake, which touches Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties, also offers consistent crappie fishing. The lake contains both white and black crappie, with strong habitat areas such as submerged woody cover around Cranberry Bog. Public access is available through multiple boat ramps and shoreline sites.

The daily limit at both Deer Creek and Buckeye Lake is 30 crappie with a minimum length requirement of 9 inches.

Bass and catfish destinations draw anglers

Alum Creek Lake in Delaware County continues to produce largemouth and smallmouth bass in high numbers and sizes, according to the announcement. Tournament catches with five-fish totals nearing 20 pounds have been recorded.

Largemouth bass are commonly found near weed beds in shallow water, typically between 3 and 10 feet deep. Smallmouth bass are more often located near rocky areas and offshore points. The reservoir has a daily limit of five bass with a minimum length of 12 inches.

Hoover Reservoir, located in Delaware and Franklin counties, remains a key location for catfish anglers, according to the community announcement. Blue catfish stocked in 2011 have grown significantly, with some approaching 50 pounds. Anglers targeting these fish often use cut bait, especially in the northern portion of the reservoir during warmer months. The daily limit allows one blue catfish measuring at least 35 inches, with no limit on smaller fish.

The reservoir also features multiple boat launches and restrictions on motor horsepower, capped at 10 horsepower for outboard motors.

Resources and recognition programs available

The Division of Wildlife offers tools such as lake maps, fishing tips and forecasts to assist anglers, according to the announcement. These resources can be accessed through the HuntFish OH mobile app or on the agency’s website at wildohio.gov.

The agency also promotes its Fish Ohio program, which recognizes anglers who catch trophy-sized fish across 26 species. Qualifying participants receive a commemorative pin for their first entry and can earn a Master Angler pin by catching four different qualifying species within a year.

This year’s commemorative pin features a channel catfish.

This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

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