Unsolved Murders and Disappearances in Northeast Ohio

by Jane Ann Turzillo

Cold case files litter the desks of authorities all across Northeast Ohio. Louise Wolf and Mabel Foote, Parma teachers, were on their way to school one winter morning when a maniac sprang from the bushes and bludgeoned them to death. When young Melvin Horst went missing on his way home from playing with friends in 1928, many thought he was kidnapped or accidentally killed by a bootlegger's car. Charles Collins's death looked like suicide but was proved otherwise by two preeminent surgeons and has remained a mystery for more than one hundred years. Author Jane Ann Turzillo recounts eight unsolved murders and two chilling disappearances in Northeast Ohio's history.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History

135 pages, Paperback

First published December 7, 2015

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having a fascination with missing persons cases and true crime in general, this was a nice find at the library. An interesting, sad cross-section of cases that will frustrate and stick with you. Recommended for fans of the genre, particularly if you're local.

[Mariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this quick read abut unsolved murders in Northeastern Ohio sad and haunting. I wonder if the events occurred today, they could be solved with modern technology?

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that I began reading at the end of last year and completed this week was one of local and regional interest in the true crime genre of books. Courtesy of The History Press of Arcadia Publishing, our first review of 2020 delves into 'Unsolved Murders and Disappearances in Northeast Ohio' by Jane Ann Turzillo.

'Unsolved Murders and Disappearances in Northeast Ohio' looked into eight unsolved murders and two disappearances. Seeing cases that I've never heard of, including setting the scene for potential motives and why they may or may not have been resolved is fascinating.

The book itself gets into the murders of a chief engineer of a railroad, a pair of school teachers, a dairy farmer, a politician, a patrolman for a police department, a society matron, an unknown woman thought for a time to be a carnival worker, and finally a boy scout leading, Sunday School superintending father of four. 'Unsolved Murders and Disappearances in Northeast Ohio' further gets into the separate disappearances of a toddler and a teenager set about walking somewhere and vanishing.

There was intrigue, power, accusations of illicit dealing and infidelity, and further degrees of naughty behavior in the ten cases examined. The murder of Cleveland councilman William 'Rarin' Bill' Potter along with the disappearance of four-year-old Melvin Horst of Orrville, two days after Christmas, perhaps were the most sensational. My rating of 4-stars on a scale of one-to-five for 'Unsolved Murders and Disappearances in Northeast Ohio' has a something to do with the genre itself. I cannot compare this work with from a writing style or narrative perspective with much else that I have reviewed.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usually, if I am reading true crime, I prefer books contained solved crime. Because this book was about NE Ohio, I chose to read it, thinking I would learn about cases that my parents and grandparents probably read about in the newspaper. I wasn’t disappointed, even though most of them were from my grandparents’ time.
The cases were interesting. It was obvious that the author spent time researching them. There were a few places in the narrative that could have been proofread better, but overall it was a good read. I had only heard of one of the cases.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slender volume of pure fact, this can be a bit dry to digest. I finished the first story and was like "Oh right... unsolved. That's... all I get."

So perhaps not the best pick for a sick-in-bed read, but it does give you the vicarious thrill of detective work, combined with that special, macabre feeling of "I know where this took place."

Yay local histories! Will definitely read more.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a fan of true crime and this book disappointed me. Somehow the author made true crime stories seem flat and dull, without any drama or emotion. It seems like she merely regurgitated newspaper, magazine and other media accounts.
There were little or no theories or speculation in the tales. The author didn't interview police or family members (in the more recent crimes) to go deeper into the stories.

[Joyce Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know by the title that these are unsolved but still unsatisfying to not have closure on these cases. It must have been a challenge to write just the facts and not be able to dig deeper to find out what really happened.

[Paula Corregan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book!

This book detailed the murders and unsolved disappearances of various people who lived in the Northeast part of Ohio. All of the cases mentioned occurred many years ago. I highly recommend this book to other true crime readers.

[Britt Tatakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a interesting read. First story included my hometown with regards to the Ashtabula train disaster. The book sucks you in and you just can’t put it down. Highly recommend if you love true crime and history

[Skye Hurd]

meh

This book was a pretty dull read. Most cases take place in the early 1920s and are cases that stand little to no chance of being solved. It did cover what the title described but was so boring to read.

[Libbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay. A quick read.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just an interesting quick read for Oct.

[Sandy Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found only a couple of these to be interesting. And Steubenville isnt if Northeast Ohio. Im just sayin'.

[Laura Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick short read about real crime in Ohio.

[Nancy Nash Keefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, interesting read, especially if you are from NE Ohio, as I am.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first, I was taken by the fact it was only 10 chapters. Once finished I realized anymore chapters and I would have been in an even bleaker state of mind. Author Jane Ann Turzillo profiles 10 cases from the 20th century. It starts in the early days of the century and moves up to the '60's.

Heartbreaking cases including the disappearance of a child and a brutal double murder of a couple of teachers. The author unfortunately can't offer any hopes these cases will ever be solved especially since almost all the murderers are likely dead.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at some unsolved crimes, including in Stow (where I work), in Northeast Ohio.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of ten true crime cases from the following years: 1877, 1921, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1931, 1937, 1944, 1959, and 1963. Not a total success, but several chapters are fascinating.

[Rhina M. Finley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sad that some of these cold cases were never solved. This was another short read but well researched.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

[Elaine Lautzenheiser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Interesting because these crimes happened in the area in which I now live. Wish it had included more cases.