He was one year away from getting his pension when he decided to stop teaching and move into a homeless shelter in Key West.
I always assumed this was because it was about the same time the FBI started asking around about him (2003). But, something else was happening for Runkle at that same time. Due to a strange timing issue, in order to continue teaching, he was told he had to renew his license through the state of Ohio. No big deal, usually. But, if you look at his personnel file or talk to the principal out there in Amherst, Runkle was livid about having to renew his license for that last year.
My wife is a teacher. She recently had to renew her license. Funny thing about those licenses. Beginning about ten years ago, when a teacher renews their license they must re-submit their fingerprints for a background check.
It would have been the first time Runkle had to submit fingerprints since he began teaching again in 1989, a month before Amy was murdered.
Was he worried that his fingerprints might give him away?

