Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"The fact that they didn't see anything is almost just as important as the accounts of what people did see." — Ashley Flowers
"This is the same guy. It had to be." — Ashley Flowers
"She was fully clothed although there were indications that her pants had been down at one time and then pulled back up. It was observed that the pants were unbuttoned and there was grass in her undergarments." — Ashley Flowers
This episode of Crime Junkie delves into the tragic and perplexing 1980 murder of eight-year-old Assina Ducat in Upper Arlington, Ohio. Assina disappeared on her walk home from school, and her body was later discovered in a culvert near her home. The podcast highlights the baffling discovery of her body in an area that was searched extensively by family, friends, and police, raising questions about how she could have been missed. The investigation details the initial crime scene findings, including scattered belongings and footprints, and the subsequent collection of evidence.
The narrative explores witness accounts that emerge following a police bulletin, particularly focusing on sightings of a young man matching a specific description, including one instance of a man carrying a child. The episode draws significant parallels between Assina's murder and a prior attempted abduction of another young girl just weeks earlier, suggesting a potential link between the cases and a possible escalating pattern of behavior. The discussion then broadens to include a third attack, further solidifying the investigators' focus on a suspect fitting a similar profile.
The report examines the evolving theories of the crime, from an abduction and assault in a secluded area to the possibility of an on-impulse murder after abduction in a vehicle. It also introduces two primary persons of interest, "Brad" and "Carl," who were known to police early in the investigation. The complexities of their involvement, including a history of mental illness for one and a conviction for attempted abduction for the other, are discussed, alongside the controversial polygraph results and later forensic insights that suggest potential involvement in both Assina's case and the earlier attack. The episode concludes by noting that despite significant progress through citizen-led initiatives like "The Long Walk Home," Assina Ducat's case, and potentially over a dozen other similar cases in Ohio, remain officially unsolved.