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.
When’s Ohio’s 2026 primary election? Date, candidates, changes to know
See which candidates are conditionally qualified for Ohio’s 2026 primary ballot and key election deadlines.
Ohio’s primary election season has begun – Election Day is May 5. Ohio’s candidates are vying for spots on the ballot for the November midterm elections.
That’s nothing new, but Ohio made significant changes to mail-in voting that voters need to know about.
What has changed with Ohio’s mail-in ballots?
Voting through a mail-in ballot? There are some changes voters should know.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, Senate Bill 293 requires absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls to be counted, with an exception for military and overseas voters.
Any mail-in or absentee ballots must now be received before or on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. in order to be counted. There is no longer a 4-day grace period after Election Day.
The primary election is May 5, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
So, when should you send your mail-in ballot in Ohio? The sooner the better. The U.S. Postal Service does not necessarily postmark your mail the day it is received unless you specifically request it. So, you ballot may not make it to a postal processing center until the day after you drop it in a mailbox.
When does Ohio early voting start? Key dates for early, absentee, mail-in votes
The primary election will be held May 5, 2026, according to this year’s voting schedule.
Early in‑person voting began on April 7, including the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also began on April 7.
On Election Day, May 5, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by 7:30 p.m., per the voting schedule.
Ohio voter registration deadlines for 2026 elections
Ohioans must register or update their voter registration no later than 30 days before an election. The registration deadline for the May 5 primary was April 6, 2026.
Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines in 2026:
- April 6, 2026, for the May 5, 2026, primary and special election
- October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026, general election
If you register or update your information after the deadline, the changes will apply for the next election.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mrs. Mary Lucille Young, 74, of Youngstown, departed this life on Friday, April 10, 2026 at her residence where God welcomed her home.
Mary, affectionately known as “Mary Lou” and “Tang”, was born March 8, 1952 in Youngstown, a daughter of Lawrence and Ada Mae Alexander Hamilton Young.
She was a proud 1971 graduate of South High School.
Mary was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
She attended Louis Weinberger Hill Beauty School, and was accepted as a model with Barbizon Modeling Agency.
Mary worked and retired from Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
She enjoyed looking her best, dancing, shopping, casinos and decorating her home. Mary was strong, bold and took no mess. She was loved by many people.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her pride and joy, two daughters, Adalatesha Bright and Richlynn Bright; two sons, Ja-Juan Young and Dr. Ty-Juan Bright all of Youngstown; five grandchildren; two sisters, Cynthia (Floyd) Davis, Janet (Steve) Gardner both of Youngstown; and a host of family and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lamar Young; three brothers, Isaiah, Edward, Lorenzo Young.
Private services were held at the L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille Young, please visit our floral store.
The NWSL is once again expanding, this time the league is heading to Ohio where Columbus NWSL 2028 will take the field. Of course, Columbus NWSL 2028 is a placeholder for now and the the new team will unveil its name, crest, and uniform to build an identity around as it approaches its first season.
News of the club was announced yesterday, though this has been in the works for some time, in a press conference. Team owners, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards, spoke about what they hope the club will bring to Columbus and women’s soccer more broadly.
“Our family is thrilled to help bring an NWSL team to Columbus and further invest in Ohio, with the honor of bringing the 18th team into the league,” said Haslam Sports Group Managing Partner Whitney Haslam Johnson. “We believe in the power of women’s sports and are humbled to be part of the number one women’s soccer league in the world.”
Nationwide insurance has been a corporate partner in both NWSL and MLS for years and now joins an ownership group deepening those ties. “Today’s announcement is about inspiring young athletes across Central Ohio, elevating women’s professional sports and reminding the world that Columbus is a first-class sports city,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide Chief Executive Officer. “As Nationwide marks 100 years, this is a powerful way to celebrate our milestone with the community that has been our home from the very beginning.”
The Edwards family has deep roots in the Columbus soccer scene with Dr. Pete Edwards serving as team doctor for the Crew in 1996 and the family joining the team’s ownership in 2019 during the Save The Crew effort. “Columbus is very important to our family. For over 30 years, we’ve supported the Columbus Crew and MLS. We’ve seen how a men’s professional soccer team has brought people together and created a positive impact in our community. It’s truly special to now welcome an NWSL club and the incredible women athletes who will also uplift our city on and off the pitch,” said Dr. Christine Edwards. “We’re very excited to partner with Haslam Sports Group and Nationwide for NWSL Columbus 2028, and we can’t wait to share even more memorable moments with fans, especially during the Club’s first game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.”
The NWSL has continued its expansion with the announcement and the team will join Atlanta in its inaugural season in two years.
-
Maryland46 seconds agoVirginia, Pennsylvania breweries dominate World Beer Cup; MD medals
-
Michigan7 minutes agoLSU big man Jalen Reed commits to Michigan | UM Hoops.com
-
Massachusetts13 minutes agoMassachusetts tops U.S. in AI job loss risk, Tufts report says
-
Minnesota19 minutes agoMinnesota woman detained by ICE needs emergency surgery for tennis ball-sized ovarian cyst, lawmakers say
-
Mississippi25 minutes agoJackson council reviews water authority as Horhn offers few details on plan
-
Missouri31 minutes agoMissouri Senate rejects increase to school funding despite shortfall in state payments
-
Montana37 minutes agoMontana Class AA girls track and field leaders ahead of Optimist Invite
-
Nebraska43 minutes agoToday in History – April 23: Cottonwood named Nebraska’s state tree