Bay Village and FBI law enforcement officials, along with writer James Renner, have teamed up with Clear Channel Communications and Lamar Advertising to put up billboards around Ohio seeking information about the kidnapping and murder of Amy Mihaljevic 20 years ago. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Police hope signs help solve Amy case
By Jeff Gallatin
Bay Village
Published Nov. 4, 2009

After 20 years, law enforcement officials and a writer determined to solve the kidnapping and murder of a young Bay Village girl have made their plea for help bigger and bolder all around Ohio.

Bay Village Police and the FBI, in conjunction with Clear Channel Communications outdoor division for the Cleveland market, have set up seven billboards on major roadways around Northeast Ohio seeking information and offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the solving of the Amy Mihaljevic case. In addition, writer James Renner, who has written numerous articles and a book about the case, purchased two additional billboards from Clear Channel. He has also gotten several other billboards from Lamar Advertising placed all over Ohio.

Workers put up the billboards last week as part of the 20th anniversary of Mihaljevic’s kidnapping. When the 10-year-old Mihaljevic disappeared on her way home from school Oct. 27, 1989, it led to a massive search involving thousands of law enforcement officers and volunteers determined to find the outgoing young girl. When her body was found months later in a field in Ashland County, efforts to find her killer continued, with thousands of leads being followed up by law enforcement officers and followed with close scrutiny by millions of people around the nation. Now, 20 years later, the case remains unsolved, but efforts to solve the kidnapping and murder continue unabated.

Detective Lt. Mark Spaetzel of the Bay Village Police Department said since the billboards went up, additional leads have come in.

“We’ve gotten about 15 leads since then,” he said. “The leads don’t really indicate specifically whether the billboards prompted them, but they certainly do get people’s attention when you look at them.”

Spaetzel said the type of leads received recently vary.

“Some of it is old information, but other leads are new and are being checked out,” he said. “We still follow up leads all the time.”

Spaetzel cited a 45-minute interview he did with someone on the case the previous week.

“It’s not something we’re going to let go of until we get the case solved,” he said. “We got the billboards from Clear Channel because of its partnership with the FBI to put up information for the Bureau. I’m sure they’ll help us out as well.”

Scott Wilson, an agent in the FBI Cleveland office, said Clear Channel has provided strong assistance to the FBI with the billboard program, which advertises information about fugitives and different cases.

“It’s something we appreciate them doing,” he said. “There are a lot of good ways to gather information, and this is one which has been successful.”

Wilson said the FBI remains committed to solving the case as well.

“We’ll continue to work with the Bay Village Police Department and give them whatever assistance they need from us,” he said. “We have an agent who continues to work on the case, and we have other resources as well.”

David Yale, vice president of public affairs for Clear Channel’s Cleveland outdoor market, said the company posts the billboards as a public service.

“It’s something we believe in doing and that the FBI has told us is successful,” he said. “This is a case with a high profile, so we’re glad to help out.’

Renner said he has already gotten additional contacts on his Web site and about the case since the billboards went up.

“It’s something I work on everyday,” he said. “The billboards have a high visibility. I’ve already heard from someone who saw it while driving down the highway. I’m sure we’ll get useful information from this.’

Renner said he appreciate both Clear Channel and Lamar helping out.

“I wanted to do something with the 20th anniversary being this year,” he said. “It’s just going to take the right person coming forward. After 20 years, I believe the killer has had to talk about it somewhere.”

Spaetzel said there has been a high number of tips, interviews and contacts.

“We’re talking over 20,000 right now,” Spaetzel said. “That’s a huge amount of information.”

Spaetzel said there’s a good possibility police have at least come across the killer somehow.

“We’ve investigated thousands of leads and talked to many people,” Spaetzel said. “There’s a good chance that we’ve at least come in contact with the killer. We just need that one clue or piece of information that puts the case together and we can get the arrest.”

When that day comes, Spaetzel said he’ll be making a lot of contacts himself, but said the first phone call will be to Mihaljevic’s father, Mark.

“We stay in touch and talk,” he said. “when it comes, he’ll be the first.”