Dean Runkle
Connection to Amy: Several former students claim Runkle volunteered at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, where Amy often visited.
Connection to the crime scene: He lived in New London, about two miles from where Amy's body was found and jogged around the neighborhood daily. His aunt lived less than a mile from where they found Amy's body.
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Many of the other girls from N.O. visited the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, like Amy. Some remember signing a logbook, there, that asked for the names, address, and phone number.
Similar crimes: Wrote "love letters" to Dan Nash, at one point giving the boy thousands of dollars. Was investigated by an Amherst superintendent for touching girls.
Other points of interest: A girl in Runkle's class, whom Runkle disliked, received a phone call that warned she would "end up just like Amy Mihaljevic." A key witness to the abduction identified Runkle in a lineup of 30 photos. Runkle drove a gold-colored Grand Prix or Grand Am, in 1989, which fits the description of the vehicle Amy may have been kept in. Runkle disappeared from 1987-1989, telling people he was dying of a rare disease, before coming home and getting a job in Amherst in 1989. A man attempting to abduct a woman in Vermilion in 1984, told her that he was "a friend of Dean Runkle's." Other girls who knew Runkle got phone calls. Kept a skeleton in the closet in his classroom and told students it was a woman who he stabbed to death. Refused to get his teaching license updated when they started requiring fingerprints.
Where is he now? Managing a Wendy's in Key West, Florida.
Kenneth Robert Stanton
Connection to Amy: unknown
Connection to the crime scene: Was a traveling salesman in Ohio.
Connection to the other girls from North Olmsted: unknown
Similar crimes: Was a serial molester of young girls in the southern U.S. before fleeing to Ohio, in the summer of 1989, a few months before Amy disappeared. Very similar M.O. to Amy's killer; would find out when girls were home alone and gain their trust before entering their home.
Other points of interest: Looks like composite sketch.
Where is he now? After an episode of Unsolved Mysteries featured his crimes in 1990, he fled Moraine, Ohio, and was nabbed by police a few days later. Is currently in a Georgia prison facility.
Dr. Gregory Kapela
Connection to Amy: Kapela's daughter rook riding lessons at Holly Hill Farms, where Amy also took lessons.
Connection to the crime scene: Unknown.
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Coached girls soccer at North Olmsted, some of them were on his team or rival teams. Was also a dentist in North Olmsted.
Similar crimes: Wrote letters to an eleven-year-old girl on his soccer team who resembled Amy. He called her at home and asked if he could be her boyfriend.
Other points of interest: Would take girls' team to Canada and sleep in the same hotel room as some of his young players. Said he was coaching soccer the night Amy was abducted but other coaches say he often was not there on Fridays.
Where is he now?: Retired, living in Las Vegas.
Math Teacher
Connection to Amy: Connected to Amy through his sister.
Connection to the crime scene: Unknown.
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Had some of them in his class.
Similar crimes: Unknown.
Other points of interest: Lied when asked if he had been questioned by police or FBI. Transferred student contact information to index cards he could take home.
Shawn Tabellion a.k.a Shawn Dusky
Connection to Amy: Was Board of Elections worker, possibly servicing machines in Bay Village at time of abduction. Was involved in local horse stables.
Connection to the crime scene: Unknown.
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Some knew him from Senoj Stables, where he was kicked out after "tickling" young girls, there.
Similar crimes: Raped a 12-year-old girl in Washington State, in 1983.
Where is he now?: Frequently homeless, going through sex-change, possibly living in Parma.
Dr. Frank Vokoun
Connection to Amy: Was dentist in Bay Village.
Connection to the crime scene: Unknown.
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Unknown.
Similar crimes: Would "hit" on young female patients.
Other points of interest: Fled country shortly after Amy's abduction, asked relatives to update him on the case. Beat his wife.
Where is he now? Costa Rica.
Robert Jones
Connection to Amy: Showed up at Amy's memorial service and handed Amy's mom $1,000.
Connection to the crime scene: Unknown.
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Unknown
Similar crimes: In 1989, he tried to procure an underage girl from a prostitute. The house he owned in 1989 was destroyed in a fire that was ruled as arson. Neighbor girl claimed he would stand in window, naked. Cleveland police tracked him for weeks, as he parked by schools and watched girls go to class. They got a search warrant for his home, but, after it was handed over to the FBI, it was never served. He cut his hair after the composite sketch was shown on TV.
Where is he now? Working for the Catholic church.
Vern Hartenburg
Connection to Amy: Had access to the Nature Center as Director of the Metroparks. Had himself committed to a mental health facility 10 days after Amy's abduction, in 1989.
Connection to the crime scene: ?
Connection to other girls from North Olmsted: Nature Center
Similar crimes: exposed himself to another man in the Metroparks, in 2011; attempted to assault this author in the same Metroparks, in 1991.
Where is he now? living in a gated Christian community on the west side.