The Reading

There are moments in my life I cannot explain. Once, a few months after my grandfather passed away, I was walking through the grocery store and I heard him whisper something in my ear. Something important. I could smell his cologne on me almost an hour later. These events are few and far between.

Let me tell you about last night.

I got to the psychic's place at around 5PM. Let's call her Alice, for want of a better name. She took me into her office--a small room with two closed doors--and sat in a chair across from me. I gave her an original "missing" poster from the days before Amy's body was found in Ashland. Alice closed her eyes and traced Amy's photo with her thumb and began to speak.

"I see things in flashes. I'll start hearing things, seeing things. Some things you might know. Some things you might not know yet. That's how it works."

"Amy always used to fiddle with her socks."

"She knew who this person was, who abducted her. I'm getting a van. He was the one who told her to call home. Let me tell you something. She's showing me Lakewood. The sign, Lakewood."

"This might be stupid, but she's also showing me Popeye. She keeps showing me this. Popeye. But it might be chicken. Or it might be something about her eye."

"Write down these states: Wisconsin; Michigan; Nebraska; Ohio."

"Who is Jimmy?" [My family calls me Jimmy. Granted, that's not a stretch.]

"I'm supposed to ask you about a field by a railroad crossing."

"Do you know if she liked to sing to herself?"

"Something with a wooden box. I want to say wooden toolbox. He used to fiddle with her hair. That's when she knew things were starting to happen."

"Veterens Memorial Cemetery. I'm going there with the person who did this. Family of his is buried there."

"She had taken a bath before all this."

"Something with a cat buried in the yard."

"Someone covered up for someone."

"For some reason, he came from behind her. She was facing the door. He came from the back way. He knew her name. She gave me the initials B.J."

"When she woke up she was in a yellow house with white trim with some green on it."

"She stayed by herself. Did she have some kind of school project due?"

"She talks about Jimmy and someone named Jeff, with blondish hair, high forhead. Marks on his forhead. She thought Jeff told her to call Mom. Around a Lakewood sign. Someone named Billy covers."

"Something with a neck-o-lace. Do you know if that's what she was supposed to give her mother?"

"I'm in the van." [At this moment, wind chimes hanging near the back of her office start to chime. There was no breeze. And after it was over, I spent some time examining the chimes. I could find no way that they could be manipulated. Scared the eff out of me.]

"I hear breathing. She was a little afraid. Where is he going? For some reason, panic. He's in a panic. At first, he didn't want to hurt her. But he got nervous. He'll be in big trouble. Big trouble."

"He's familiar with the horses and the barn. He's familiar with her everyday life. And she gave him info that she shouldn't have given."

"Jumping hurdles. She was afraid of learning to jump hurdles. Not quite right with it yet."

"Something about a detective. She's opening his wallet. Front part of his wallet of the guy that took her. She's showing me a badge of some sort. Did he show her a badge?"

"She had a friend named Lauren or Laura. Laura with the pretty eyes. She's mentioning her."

"It looks like a tattoo. Look for the mark on the left side."

"Somebody covered up for something. Something about a funeral home. I'm not too sure. Something like Busch funeral home. It's blurry."

"First of all, her stomach was hurting her. This hurts, the back left side of the head. She did get a blow to the head."

"Do you know Steve?"

"She brought you here. She's holding on to something really tight. It goes with her everywhere. It might be a stuffed animal."

"What is it with 3 o'clock. 3 o'clock. 3 o'clock. 3 o'clock."

"He didn't have much furniture in his home. Not much. I'm walking inside. This man, he stayed to himself."

"Who lives around the border. Border of Mexico? She's showing me that. 'You can't hide from me.' This person wore his hair down because of his high forhead."

"What is it with lemonade?"

"I see thick breading. Something swells up in oil. Like the breading on sweet and sour pork, but not quite. What was put in front of her, she didn't eat."

"I want to tell you something, slowly. She's laying there, she's going. Watching the blood drain out of her. Slowly. He's watching. He didn't know what to do and figures eventually all the blood will drain out and she'll be dead. There's a tube in her neck. He knew how they drain out. He looked into it. Like a tub. Like a draining tube. He was educated somehow in this."

[Was I ever close?]

"She's nodding her head 'yes'. Somewhere you almost tripped. You were close there. She asked that you go back to where you tripped." [Last week, I visited a suspect's house and tripped on the steps because they were covered in ice.]

"Something with a plaid blanket when they were young. He put her in a box. It's in the bottom of the box. He wanted her to be comforted."

"I'm seeing suncatchers."

"Something about a reversable jacket. That plaid blanket--that was the jacket. It was plaid inside and folded, and laid under her. God, the poor kid."

"I'm seeing a 'J' in the license plate."

"He wanted her to be found. He killed her, but he wanted to respect her, too. She's not the only one."

"Can you look up Popeye, Popeye with the chicken? Hushpuppies. The bread that blows up. That's hushpuppies. She ate hushpuppies."

"I'm seeing inside this man's closet. He likes socks with sandals, isn't that hookey?"

"What did she have her initials on?"

"I'm seeing on 'LM'"

"A changed name?"

"This guy knew the place he put her. Did he work there? Soemthing about a bridge. He wants to forget what he's done. It was only supposed to be a kidnapping. But he panicked."

"Who is Jeff? Is that the man who doesn't want to do the thing?"

"He had this planned."

"He seemed to be a more mechanic type, the guy with the van."

"The road bends."

"This guy burned some things, too. Like part of her clothing. She's showing me part of her hair is missing."

"She flashed October 8 in front of me."

"One more thing. Watch out for the blue jay. It's a sign."

And then it was over. I've been thinking about this, trying to find meaning. In places, I can. Mostly, it's as much a mystery as the rest of the case. But those chimes going off--I can't begin to explain that. Thought I'd share it with you, in case any of this means something to you.
-James Renner

Down the Rabbit Hole

I hear a lot from people who ask me if I've ever contacted a psychic about Amy's case. The answer is no. I specifically avoided contacting a psychic during the course of my research into this case. The police officers and FBI agents I spoke to recommended I not go that route because it would damage the book's credibility. And, I think that was the appropriate thing to do.

Since the book has been published, I have been contacted by --what seems to me, anyway--every would-be psychic in the Midwest. I did meet with one in November because she worked closely with Margaret (Amy's mother) following the abduction. But that was not for a "reading". It was just to share information.

Tonight, however, I'm going to give it a try. A psychic who lives in Medina has asked to meet with me. She's been quite persistent, so I'm going to hear her out. I'll post the results of this "reading" by the end of the week. I'm always up for trying new things. Hopefully it's not a waste of time.

New Tip: Rumor or New Suspect?

This tip came in earlier in the week: "The police are looking at a suspect who lives in Bay Village. He's an accountant. A well-to-do accountant who works in Cleveland."

Normally, I wouldn't post vague rumors like this--I'm flooded with them--but this one came from a law enforcement official.

Anyone know who this accountant is?
-James Renner

Appearances in Ashland

For those living in the Ashland area--or those looking for an excuse to take a short road trip--I will be speaking about the case at the Ashland Public Library on March 8th at 7PM. There will be a short video presentation, as well, if all goes as planned. I'll stay and answer questions until you're done or they kick us out.

Also, I will be signing books at the Little Professor Book Center in Ashland (right by the new Justice Center) on March 10th at 2PM.

See you there!
-James

New Fox 8 Interview Tonight

Check out Fox 8 News tonight at 6 and 10PM for an exclusive interview with one of the other women who may have been contacted by Amy's abductor in 1989. It was very brave of this woman to step forward and tell her story. Hopefully it generates some new leads.

I understand there's also some new info being shared by Det. Spaetzel of the Bay Village police.

***Update: For those who missed it, Lou Maglio's interview with "Julia" revealed that a man was calling other girls in Bay Village in the weeks leading up to Amy's abduction. He may have been driving a light gray or off-white utility van with a cell phone antenna attached to the back.

Also, some sharp-eyed viewers pointed out a close-up of files inside the Bay Village police station that seemed to be the autopsy report which I've been attempting to gain access to. It's nice to know the Ashland County coroner at least shared it with police.

Finally, Det. Spaetzel mentioned that several men have been asked to come to the station to give DNA samples. So far, only one has refused. At this time, I do not know who this is. I've been told that Mr. Harvey has provided a DNA sample. So, this mystery man is probably not him.

Here's a link to the Video.

-James Renner

17 Years Ago, Today

17 years ago, the body of Amy Mihaljevic was discovered by a jogger named Janet Seabold in a wheat field on County Road 1181 in Ashland County, around 7:30AM. Her killer still remains at large.

What's interesting is Amy's body was most likely dumped there the night before, although she had been dead for some time. It appears she was killed a couple days after her abduction on October 27, 1989, but her body was kept somewhere relatively cool, but away from the elements. Like a fishing cabin or a hunting lodge. So, why did her killer move the body?

Is there something that happens every year at this time that would cause this person to get more attention? Or maybe this week is when the cabin starts to get used by other people again. I don't know. I'm sure there was a reason in this person's mind for moving her body today. Any thoughts?

Also, The Ashland Times-Gazette has a great article about the case--and the book--on the front page of their paper today. It's written by Irv Oslin, who is quite a character himself. You can read it here: http://www.times-gazette.com/news/article/1577942

The Ashland County coroner and prosecutor take a couple below-the-belt shots at me. Sounds like they're scared of that mandamus writ coming down the pike.

Check back soon. I've been contacted by another girl who may have received a call from Amy's abductor a few weeks before Amy's abduction. She has some interesting things to say which I'd like to share with you.

-James Renner