MURDERED: Heather Bogle

[00:00] Hi, Crime Junkies, it's Britt, and I have big news. One of my favorite seasonal shows, CounterClock, is back with a brand new season, and it is wild. Host Delia D'Ambra is digging into the 2008 Lane Bryant murders. I mean, this isn't just a recap. It is a reinvestigation. She's talking to law enforcement, people from the community, even sources who have never spoken publicly until now. And you know I love a show that asks all the questions. Listen to CounterClock Season 8 now, wherever you get your podcasts. [00:31] Hi, Crime Junkies. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers. And I'm Britt. And today, I want to tell you all about a woman whose life in a small Rust Belt town was brutally stolen from her, just as she was working to make positive changes and build a better future for her and her daughter. But what at first seemed like a straightforward murder investigation turned into so much more, [01:01] on the loose. This is the story of Heather Bogle. [01:05] Thank you.

[01:36] On April 9th, 2015, in Clyde, Ohio, which is this itty bitty town about an hour to like an hour and a half west of Cleveland, this woman named Renee McLaughlin gets some odd news. Her granddaughter, Mackenzie, hasn't been picked up from school. Now, usually Mackenzie's mom, Heather, who is Renee's daughter, is the one to pick her up. But today, for whatever reason, Heather never showed up. [02:01] Right away, this strikes Renee as odd. She'd already texted Heather a couple of times really super early in the morning, like once at 2.24 a.m. asking if she was at home and then again at 3.13 a.m. after she didn't get an answer. [02:16] At the time, Renee didn't think it was too weird for Heather not to respond. But now, with no one going to pick up McKenzie from school, it just doesn't sit right. So why was Renee texting Heather so early? Yeah, it's an odd time. It kind of stood out to me, too. But according to Craig Shoup's article for the News Messenger, Heather actually works the night shift doing material handling at the Whirlpool plant there in Clyde. So she was pretty likely to be awake at that hour. [02:46] the night when most of us would be sleeping. Right. And even if Heather wasn't at work, she would probably still be sticking with that schedule just to keep her body in that mode. Right. Right. So now Renee's trying to get a hold of Heather again, really hoping for an answer. She sends Heather a message at 2.33 p.m., basically asking, hey, who is supposed to get Mackenzie from school today? But again, Heather never answers. And all of this is super out of

[03:16] one who knows her knows that she is a super dedicated parent who just finished nursing school in addition to working at the factory and raising her daughter. So she's working really hard to make a better life for her and Mackenzie. She wouldn't just not show up. Even though Heather's plans had hit a little bit of a stumbling block, she had actually recently failed her nursing board exams, even though she graduated school. But she's still determined. Like, that's not setting her [03:46] wouldn't stop her from picking up her daughter and wouldn't stop her from this path that she's on, right? Yeah, yeah. So at some point on that same day, this is April 9th, Renee calls the Sandusky County Sheriff's Department to report Heather missing. The Sheriff's Department, thank goodness, doesn't waste any time starting their search for any sign of where Heather or her car might have wound up. Heather drives this dark green 2003 Oldsmobile Alero and police don't find it in the [04:16] lot at the Whirlpool plant where we expect it to be if she were still at work or if something had happened to her at work. And they don't find it at any of the local bars or even at her ex-boyfriend's house. Now, nothing in the earliest reports that I could find mentioned police checking over at Heather's house, but I have to assume her mom probably did and police did too. If they're checking her ex-boyfriend's house, they had to check her house first. Yeah, like that's the first place you check. [04:40] By the next day, law enforcement takes to local media in nearby Toledo to ask for the public's help. Nick Bade reported for Toledo News Now that Heather was last seen at 6.17 a.m. on the morning of April 9th, when she was clocking out of work at the plant, and that she was wearing jeans, a neon yellow shirt, and black and pink sneakers. So law enforcement knows what she's wearing.

[05:10] in the town of Green Springs, which is about a [redacted address] from Clyde. [05:15] But by 9.20 a.m., [05:18] Heather's phone is dead that day. And then on the evening of Friday, April 10th, this is a little over 24 hours after Heather was first reported missing. Police get a tip from an anonymous 911 caller about a car parked at the Somerton Apartments on Hickory Street, only about a five minute drive away from where Heather worked. [05:48] number, it comes back with a match. So law enforcement go out to check this out. And sure enough, it is Heather's car. [05:57] When police open the trunk, [06:00] That's when they make a horrifying discovery because they're curled up in the fetal position with her hands together is Heather Bogle. According to 48 Hours, she looks like she's been posed this way and she's wearing this big red T-shirt from Walt Disney World with a picture of Mickey Mouse on it. So not the stuff that she was last seen in at work. And the reports don't mention if she has any shorts or pants on underneath this shirt. [06:30] I mean, you said she was wearing a neon yellow shirt when she was last seen. Right. So... [06:35] Obviously, we don't know what happened to her or where her clothes are, but she's in different clothes than when she's last seen alive. Even though police won't know how Heather died until they get the autopsy results back, it's obvious just from looking at her that she has been viciously beaten. And they're no longer looking at a missing persons case. This is clearly a homicide. They're not able to get any forensic evidence from the trunk of Heather's car. There's no blood in there. There's no bullet casings. There's no DNA.

[07:05] I mean, the scene is pretty well tidied up. I actually have a picture of the trunk just to take a look. I don't know that it's what I would expect. I mean, it's definitely tidy. There's no like bloodstains. There's a handful of odd things in the back, like jumper cables, an extra set of shoes, a Walmart bag, an ice scraper. Nothing super out of the usual. Yeah. I mean, it's definitely not like immaculate. To me, it doesn't look like it had been professionally cleaned or anything. But I think it goes to show that I don't think she was put in that trunk alive. Right, right. [07:35] would see a struggle and stuff moved around, but it looks like everything was just sitting there and she was maybe in there with it. Yeah. Now, I know I mentioned that police look for Heather's car at her ex-boyfriend's house before they found her, but it's not her ex-boyfriend who they start looking at right after they find Heather's body and start hunting for her killer. It's actually her ex-girlfriend, this woman named Carmela Badio. In the time since Heather had been missing, [08:05] that they dated for about a year. [08:07] But according to Courtney Oz-Tolfi's reporting in the Sandusky Register, they broke up less than a week before Heather vanished. And it was rough on both of them. What do you mean by rough? Like knock down, drag out, messy breakup. And I mean, the very night before Heather went missing, she and Carmela had a big fight. Their calls and texts from that Wednesday night are pretty nasty. I mean, to the point that threats are being made. Oh, wow.

[08:37] why, I mean, when you have a missing person and this is the thing that they're seeing right before she goes missing, you understand why they're looking at her right away. For sure. [08:45] But after reviewing her phone records and interviewing her several times over the next few days, Detective Sean O'Connell feels confident that he can cross Carmella off his list. And she is no longer considered a suspect at that point. Okay, but what about the ex-boyfriend then? I didn't see him named anywhere in my research. So I don't know that he's even really looked into the same way Carmella is. But ultimately, because he's not mentioned, I assume they ruled him out however deeply they looked into him. [09:15] Now, around the same time that Carmela's being eliminated, though, police get Heather's autopsy results back. And the findings are truly horrific. [09:29] Thank you. [09:30] You guys, we are finally rolling into summer, and I am ditching the sweaters, packing away the coats, but I am still wearing quince. Because quince is quality I wear all year round, in the field, on stage, at the office, quince, quince, quince. Their clothing and accessories are timeless and long-lasting because they focus on high-quality, beautiful everyday essentials, like 100% European linen pants, dresses, and tops with style starting at $32. [10:00] 80% less than similar brands. No lie, I have a silk skirt from a big department store and I have a silk skirt from Quince. And dead serious, my Quince one has held up way better and was way cheaper and machine washable because ain't nobody got time or money for dry cleaning, but I want to look like I do. So elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com slash crimejunkie for free shipping

[10:30] Crime Junkie for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com slash Crime Junkie. [10:37] According to Craig Shoup's piece in the News Messenger, the autopsy reveals that Heather was shot twice in the back and died from the bullets piercing her lungs. She also suffered from blunt trauma with bruises to her face, forehead, eyes, her jaw, and on her arms and her legs. Heather even had defensive wounds on the back of both of her hands, and she also had lacerations on her tongue. [11:06] I... [11:07] do not even want to speculate on how those got there. That sounds so awful. And there's more. I mean, that's not even the end of it. She had ligature marks on her wrists and ankles that suggest she was handcuffed before she died. And she's got what the autopsy report calls curvilinear marks on the left side of her neck. Okay, but what does that mean? I'm not totally sure. This is the first time actually this word has ever come up in a Crime [11:37] me to show you, thank goodness. But I'm thinking that maybe it's like, [11:40] a half moon shape. I mean, that's the only thing I can think of. Right, right. [11:45] The report goes on to say that there's no evidence that Heather was sexually assaulted. But what's really odd is that whoever killed Heather also cut her hair in a really uneven, jagged way. Like think being nine or 10 years old, getting a hold of some scissors and deciding to just like go to town on your hair. Right. OK. Right at the scalp, not even like at the bottom.

[12:15] the way down to the cuticle. We're not talking a manicure. Wait, if they cut her nails down to the cuticles, the nails would be gone, right? Like, do they mean maybe the nail beds? I don't think so. I mean, 48 Hours says cuticles. Again, without photos, I can't say. So I don't know how they did it. But I mean, I think they're like, really, really deep and something that again, I don't know if it was done pre-mortem, post-mortem, something I think would be really painful if she wasn't already deceased. Mm-hmm. [12:43] And the reason for this, I'm thinking, is that whoever cut her nails did it to try and get rid of any DNA evidence underneath that. Like her killer knew the body would be found and actively took steps to cover up this crime, which goes hand in hand with how police didn't really get any forensic evidence from her trunk either. [13:13] knew how to cover up or even not leave behind physical evidence of that? Well, I mean, usually it's more than semen that they're looking for when they're checking if someone has been assaulted. You can be assaulted without there being semen. So I'm wondering if maybe the person who did Heather's autopsy didn't find things. What they normally look for is like vaginal tearing or other physical signs that someone's assaulted. Yeah, like trauma. Yeah. So I would imagine that there [13:43] being found in the Somerton apartments, that's really where investigators turn their focus. Detective Sean, who I mentioned before, is in charge of Heather's case, and he takes to the media with police's theory that Heather may have come to this complex before she died, but he doesn't know why. According to Christina Smith's piece in the News Messenger, within six days of Heather's body being found, police put out a $5,000 reward for information and announce that

[14:13] of interest. Between the reward money, the shocking nature of Heather's death, and Clyde's close-knit small-town gossip mill, the investigation is horrible. [14:23] all over the local news throughout the area. And as a result, police are getting tips coming in. [14:29] One tip leads them out to an abandoned building on County Road [redacted address] 113 that falls within the range of Heather's last cell phone ping, which again was out near Green Springs. [14:42] Police bring a cadaver dog in the hopes that maybe they'll be able to pick up the scent of blood or help them locate some kind of forensic clue. I mean, again, I think they're looking for the place that she died, right? We know it wasn't the trunk. Yeah. And police are hoping that the cadaver dog will be able to smell things that were missing from the. [15:00] the trunk or whatever, hair fibers, anything. [15:03] But unfortunately, the dogs turn up nothing. [15:08] Now, the article that I read about this in, which again was another one of Craig Shoup's pieces, mentions something really interesting. [15:16] They say that police also brought a cadaver dog to an apartment in the Somerton complex where her car was found. Wait, like a specific unit? Yeah. In the piece doesn't say what specific unit, but it's clear that they didn't go searching every single one. It sounds like they just went to a single one. And if they think that she may have gone there on her own initially, like she would have to have some connection to someone who lives there, right? Yeah. I mean, that's what it's seeming like, right?

[15:46] police specify that this is actually the second time that they've searched this same apartment and that they didn't find anything the first time around. So now they were coming back with the dog. So they're like zeroing in on someone there. [16:01] But at the time, they aren't telling anyone who lives there or even what led them to search there or bring the dogs there. But once they do for this second search, the dog signals on the front door. And here's where it gets more interesting, because even though the dog smells something on this apartment door, indicating that human remains might have been there, are there, whatever. [16:31] being harmed in this apartment. [16:33] They did find some marijuana and some, quote, boxes of evidence, but they won't elaborate beyond that. [16:41] These searches are front page news in Sandusky County, and the whole community really rallies around Heather's family and especially her daughter, Mackenzie, who's now facing a life without her mom. Heather's co-workers at Whirlpool organized vigils. They set up fundraising, all while hoping and praying that the searches will lead to a break in the case and finally bring a killer to justice. [17:04] As the investigation carries on towards the one month mark, police seem to be making some real progress. They're narrowing down their list of possible people of interest, ruling them out one by one through interviews, through their investigation. And they're confident that their big break is on the way.

[17:23] On May 8th, almost a month to the day of when Heather First was reported missing, the Sandusky County Sheriff joined forces with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification to search a house in Fremont, Ohio, about 15 minutes west of Clyde. [17:53] So they do make this information public and they go into a bit more detail about what they're doing there. This house is a rental with two people staying there as tenants. And one of them is this woman named Kiana Boer, who, by the way, up until recently, used to live in the Somerton apartments in Clyde. Wait, so was it her apartment that they were searching initially? You betcha. [18:23] a major person of interest at this point. Now, not an official suspect yet, but she's been interviewed multiple times and police have taken samples of her DNA. Again, police make all of this public like, hey, we're making progress. We're going to get Heather's murder solved. [18:40] The lead investigator on the case, remember Detective Sean, he has a gut feeling that they're on the right track with Kiana. And the more he interacts with her, the stronger the feeling gets. There's just something about her behavior that does not sit right with him. Like how she doesn't seem willing to talk to the police. Just this general vibe she gives off, you know.

[19:10] Heather's body. What do you mean by she may have had a Mickey Mouse shirt? Like I may have a Mickey Mouse shirt, to be completely honest. It's a little vague, but according to 48 Hours, Kiana was allegedly seen wearing a similar type shirt. It doesn't get any more information than that. Like, you know, all my questions, when was she seen wearing the shirt? What exactly did it look like? Do they have receipts of this shirt? Does she no longer have it anymore? Yeah. So I agree with you. [19:40] piece of clothing like this at some point in her life. [19:43] That's it. So not super strong evidence. [19:45] Beyond just the shirt, though, Kiana's social media activity raises even more red flags for police. She went on Facebook on April 9th, the day Heather disappeared, and she made this really weird post about how she can't believe what happened. And then in another post the same day, she's talking about how a person can be charged with murder, plead insanity, and only serve eight to ten years. [20:15] possible vague shirt connection and how much she doesn't want to help the investigation, police and especially Detective Sean are convinced that Kiana's hiding something. For her part, Kiana claims that she's being unfairly targeted and even hires an attorney while the investigation continues. But she still hasn't been officially named a suspect yet. No, she is still just a person of interest.

[20:41] And in late May of 2015, police name another person of interest in Heather's murder. [20:48] According to another one of Craig Shoup's pieces for the News Herald, this man's name is Omar Satchel. He's 34 years old. He's got a criminal record for home invasion and weapons charges. And now he's currently in jail in Sandusky County on theft charges for having a weapon while on probation and for having a warrant out for his arrest up in Michigan. [21:12] And what's interesting is that a quick glance at his visitor logs show a name that investigators are very familiar with. And seeing it there with this new person of interest raises their suspicions even higher. [21:29] you [21:31] This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. For some, summer is their favorite season. Travel picks up, kids are out of school, and adventure is in the focus. For others, juggling it all can lead to overwhelm and counting down the minutes until the kids are back in school. And many worry that they're wasting the days of sunshine. Having someone with you to listen, to understand, to support can make all the difference. BetterHelp makes it easy to get started with quality, fully licensed therapists in the U.S. who follow a strict code of conduct. In fact, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform [22:01] million people globally. Their therapist match commitment does the initial matching work so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences. And if you aren't happy with your match, you can switch to a different therapist at any time. It works. BetterHelp has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for a live session based on over 1.7 million client reviews. You don't have to say yes to everything this summer. Find support in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com slash crimejunkie. That's better

[22:31] At some point after his most recent arrest, Kiana Boer came to visit Omar in prison. Now, I got in this weird like chicken or egg situation because what I couldn't figure out, what police don't specify, is if they got to Omar through Kiana going to visit him or if he was already someone that they were looking into. And then they saw a connection to this other person of interest and they were like, oh, something has to be going on here. [23:01] Either way, to them, that's proof that two of the people who are now high on law enforcement's list know each other and have some kind of connection. OK, but with each other, what's their connection to Heather or even just one of their connections to her? Because I'm kind of lost about how either of these people became people of interest at all. Yet initially, police don't give a reason to the public for the rest of the summer. So I think everyone was kind of confused about how these two work or at least one of them were connected to Heather. [23:31] As time goes on and more and more information about Heather's death becomes public, the connection starts to become better known. [23:38] You see, in June, police reveal that the results of Heather's toxicology test came back positive for marijuana. And then in August, Detective Sean announces that the weapon Omar's in trouble for might have been the gun that killed Heather Bogle. It's this .380 Cobra small caliber type weapon that belonged to Omar's fiance, Margaret. And since the gun was registered to Margaret, police now know it's like make and model. There's just one problem.

[24:08] find the gun to prove it. And they also haven't found out where Heather was actually murdered at this point. [24:15] As Craig Shoup reported, though, that doesn't stop Detective Sean and the Sandusky County Sheriff's Department from naming Omar and Kiana as their prime suspects in Heather's death on September 12th, a little over five months after she was killed. [24:30] Since they're still building their case and Omar is already in jail, law enforcement holds off on arresting Kiana for some reason. But they think that they may know what Heather's connection to Omar was and what she was doing at the Somerton Apartments that night. So like I just told you, the toxicology report came back showing Heather had used marijuana at some point. [25:00] to buy some pot. And you had said earlier that the police did seize marijuana from Kiana's apartment during one of those really early searches. Yeah, so that's the only thing we know for sure that they got from her apartment, since police have never disclosed what other evidence they took. [25:16] Detective Sean is pretty vocal with his suspicions that Omar in particular is involved in the drug trade. And he basically alleges that Omar could have been selling prescription pills. I mean, even crack cocaine and heroin in Sandusky County before he was arrested. So I think what they're alleging is that because Heather had pot in her system and we know that Kiana knew Omar, Omar is alleged to have sold drugs.

[25:46] from Kiana, who knew Omar, or directly from Omar, who we know could have been there because he knew Kiana. That's, like, basically the whole thing that they're putting forward. And we know that marijuana was in the apartment, so, like, there's this big, like, string board in my mind connecting all these things right now. But it seems a little bit... [26:00] Eh. [26:01] The investigation continues all through the fall of 2015 into the winter with no additional arrests being made. Detective Sean puts out a call to the public asking for tips about Omar's alleged drug business, in particular, asking for information about these multiple cell phones that he thinks Omar uses. Like if he can get those numbers, then maybe he can get the records. Maybe he can trace the pings. [26:31] In December of that year, Omar breaks his silence to the news messenger from prison. And he, like Kiana, denies ever even meeting Heather or having anything to do with her death. And he says that he and Kiana are being targeted, even alleging that Detective Sean told him, quote, I know it's not you. [26:53] but I'll make it you. End quote. [26:56] He says that he feels that part of the reason they're being targeted is due to them both being African-American in an overwhelmingly white town like Clyde. He admits that, yes, he has made mistakes in his life, including substance use, but he's adamant that he is not a murderer. Omar goes on to lay out his alibi for the days surrounding Heather's murder.

[27:26] And I looked at the hotel's location on Google Maps, and it looks like it's just north of Fremont, about 20 minutes away from Clyde, where Heather lived. Omar says that he spent April 10th at a trio of local bars in Fremont and then got back to the hotel at 1130 p.m. that night. So can any of this be verified by police? So here's what I read in that same article. [27:56] ruling out the possibility that Omar moved around during that time frame. So I don't know, like, I kind of like side eye that because reading between the lines a little bit, it sounds like the thought process is the alibi is good, but not good enough or like doesn't fit enough. And so if it doesn't fit enough, like, give me some proof, right? Like, yeah. And like what we talked about this in a recent case where like, how many like boxes does an alibi have to check to be good enough [28:26] Obviously, if you have more people verifying it and corroborating it, fantastic. But what's like the lowest bar? Why isn't this good enough? And I think potentially this could be why he's so intent on looking for these other cell phones and getting those numbers and tracking those pings. Because I'm sure that the phones that he did have probably, you know, again, I'm totally guessing, probably corroborate Omar's story. And he is where he says he is.

[28:56] phones. And I don't know where the line is. Like, I appreciate the thoroughness, but we're starting to venture into a territory of like, are you being thorough? Are you trying to prove something that like a theory that you have, even when the evidence you have isn't fitting it? Yeah. And I think of like, how can I prove that I'm home all day with my son who's doing virtual learning? Mm hmm. [29:17] When it's just me and my son here, my phone hasn't moved, but there's no one else. Would that be good enough to clear me from a crime? I don't know. From now on, I think you need to be seen in those Zoom calls. [29:28] Over the next few months, the investigation keeps going with Detective Sean leading the way. [29:33] Craig Shoup, who's still keeping an eye on this case for the News Herald, reports in February of 2016 that Kiana gets arrested for theft and using an elderly woman's credit card to buy pizza and gas. Even though she's still never been charged with anything to do with Heather Bogle's murder, Detective Sean is thrilled to have her off the streets. [30:03] capable of. Um, I'm sorry. At least in my mind, there is a gigantic difference between credit card fraud for pizza and fuel and committing this brutal murder like Heather's. Like, unless Kiana's actually being charged with that murder, it just seems like a really irresponsible thing for any law enforcement to say. Yeah, it's hard to say exactly where Sean's getting his

[30:33] to feel kind of personal, right? And also, too, if I was him, I'd be afraid of getting sued over statements like that. I mean, that's pretty bold if you're not going to arrest someone. Yeah, yeah. I mean, [30:43] We use the word alleged and allegedly all the time for a reason. And so do law enforcement, or they're supposed to at least. Yeah. But time goes on. Sean's mind doesn't change. And the first anniversary of Heather's death comes and goes. After one year and two suspects, police have no arrests, no charges filed, and none of the breakthroughs Heather's family and the public have hoped and prayed for. [31:13] sentenced to three years in prison on the weapons charges. But again, this has nothing to do with Heather's death and the gun that they believe could be, maybe might be linked to Heather's case is still missing. [31:25] But then, on April 19, 2016, a year and nine days after Heather's body was found, Detective Sean announces a third suspect in the murder. [31:38] A man named Karee Jeffrey, also known as Manny, [31:43] K. Ree is 26 years old, and according to Detective Sean in another News Messenger piece, K. Ree knows Omar Satchel from their time as friends up in Detroit, Michigan, and came to Fremont after him. [31:57] Sean also says that he has evidence to connect K.R.E. with Heather's death, but he won't say exactly what the evidence is. For his part, K.R.E.'s like, listen, Omar and I have drinks together sometime, but we are not like BFFs or anything. Just like Kiana and Omar, he says, I've never met Heather Bogle in my entire life, and I do not have anything to do with her murder.

[32:22] So obviously, at this point, there is a ton of he said, she said, he said, they said all around this investigation. I mean, both sides, the suspects and law enforcement are saying about what we'd expect. Right. But just when it seems like things are going to keep running as usual, new revelations emerge and they turn the entire investigation upside down. [32:49] For decades, some cold cases have been reduced to files in a cabinet, but not anymore. I'm Ashley Flowers, and me and my team on the deck have been traveling across the country to report on these forgotten cases. And in some instances, it's resulted in these cases being solved after decades. [33:09] Join me every Wednesday as we revive these stories one card at a time. Listen to the deck now, wherever you get your podcasts. [33:19] On Friday, June 24th, 2016, Detective Sean O'Connell is placed on administrative leave from the Sandusky County Sheriff's Office. What? Yeah, according to Matt Westerhold's reporting in the Sandusky Register, Sean's under investigation for alleged workplace misconduct. And he's not allowed at the Sheriff's Office without specific authorization from the Sheriff or unless he's got business there as a private citizen. [33:49] The same article shines a light on the pretty serious issues going on behind the scenes at the Sandusky Sheriff's office, not just around Sean, but higher up the chain of command as well, all the way up to the sheriff himself. It turns out that the relationship between Sean and Sheriff Kyle Overmeyer has been disintegrating over the past year before Sean was put on leave.

[34:19] led him to filing a report with the county prosecutor alleging that the sheriff didn't properly dispose of prescription medication turned over to the police. And now, less than a year after making these pretty serious allegations against his boss, Sean's on administrative leave facing these allegations of his own. So there's definitely some bad blood between Sean and the sheriff. Definitely. Over the next couple of months, the sheriff's office keeps taking these hits, [34:49] ability. [34:50] And on August 19th, Craig Shoup reports for the News Messenger that an outside investigative body has found that Sean released confidential information related to the Heather Bogle case, violating department policy and maybe Ohio state law in the process. Less than a week later, on August 24th, Sheriff Kyle Overmeyer is charged with 43 separate criminal counts, including 38 felonies. Oh, my God. [35:20] A good chunk of these charges are related to Kyle's substance use issues around prescription medication like hydrocodone, Oxycontin, Percocet, and the things that he did to obtain those drugs. [35:32] That September, Sean ultimately resigns from the department. And three months later in December, now former Sheriff Kyle is sentenced to four years in prison after losing reelection. [35:44] the audacity to run for office again with like over 40 charges like just hanging over your head I don't even know how that was allowed because to me that's like totally bananas like maybe maybe you shouldn't be like in the middle of being charged with like felonies if you're gonna run for sheriff campaigning what do I know what do I know

[36:06] So like I said, Sean resigns, but he's put under investigation himself on charges that he misled public officials and tampered with, destroyed and concealed evidence all in Heather's case. Oh, wow. Meanwhile, Heather's family has watched all of this. I mean, they're watching how this investigation into their loved one's murder has been weighed down in this department's mess for almost two years. [36:36] from Sean, decides to do some actual police work. One of the first things that the new Sandusky County Sheriff does after taking office in January of 2017 is announce that there are no suspects. [36:52] Kiana, Omar, and Keri are off the hook. The new lead investigator, Major Nick Kostopoulos, is basically starting over from square one. Over the next few months, he conducts over 50 interviews. And then on June 1st, 2017, over two years after Heather's death, he makes a stunning statement. [37:14] announcement. They have arrested a man whose name never once entered the investigation under Sean O'Connell. [37:24] Who? [37:25] According to the news messenger, his name is Daniel Myers, and he was a co-worker of Heather's on that third shift at the Whirlpool plant. [37:35] Apparently, you're never going to believe this. His DNA was found on Heather's cuticles. What? Yes. And police got to his camper and trailer with evidence from her cell phone. And get this, Sean O'Connell was.

[37:53] knew about this dude no yeah records show that he got an email tip that pointed to daniel as a possible suspect literally [38:02] two days after Heather's body was found and he never followed up on it. Oh, awesome. I hate that. Yeah, this makes me so freaking mad. Seriously. Oh, my God. You see what this new and factually based investigation under the new investigator found was that at 630 a.m., less than 15 minutes [38:32] from the plant where they worked. They believe she went there upset and looking for comfort after failing her nursing exams and that Daniel likely came on to her at some point. They believe that when she turned him down, he turned violent. To make it even worse, he did his best to blend in after the murder. He donated $125 to the GoFundMe set up for Heather's [39:02] Here, I'm going to have you read it for everyone. [39:06] The message said, quote, [39:08] Heather, you are such an amazing person. Although we've only known one another for such a short time, I've came to appreciate our talks about our kids. [39:16] I am distraught that there will be no more of your smile at work. You will always be in my thoughts. Your daughter will always be in my prayers.

[39:23] God bless you, little missy, end quote. [39:25] I bet you'll always be in your thoughts. What? You psycho. Oh, my God. [39:29] God. Now, once news of Daniel's arrest breaks, the floodgates open. Female colleagues at Whirlpool come forward and say Daniel made them un- [39:39] comfortable. And one older woman who was a trainer at the plant actually tells police that she would tell her younger female employees that she was training to stay away from this guy. Which, like, shout out to that lady for trusting her gut and looking out for others. Yeah, but [39:56] Also, where's HR when you need them? Like, I have no idea if they reported their concerns, but what a nightmare to have to tell all of your female employees, walk around eggshells around this guy because he's a total creep. You know, did they not report it because they didn't know if they believed, if they didn't want to get fired? Like, they're relying on these jobs. And it's so unfair to put that responsibility on multiple different female employees versus, I don't know, just getting rid of the creep in the first place. Exactly. [40:26] think this goes back to like a more fundamental issue. I don't care if no one reported it. If everyone knew that this guy was a creep, what the heck? Yeah, like, I mean, yeah, my ear is on fire right now. We can keep going. Yeah. Well, it only gets worse from there. After he's arrested and charged with Heather's murder, 10 women come forward to police and accuse Daniel of rape and assault. Every little thing they learn about this man paints a darker and darker picture of a

[40:56] hiding in plain sight. And there are people who firmly believe that Heather isn't his first victim. [41:04] In 2009, Daniel's former girlfriend, a woman named Leanne Sluder, died from a gunshot wound to her chest. The gun was right there. It's this .22 caliber rifle. And so at the time, the Sandusky County sheriffs ruled she died by suicide. But Leanne's family always believed Daniel killed her. [41:27] According to 48 Hours, the investigation was botched. I mean, like, police didn't even test Daniel's hands for gunshot residue. Just like a big mess that we've seen the department is certainly capable of. And now, with everything about Heather's murder and the Sandusky County Sheriff's Department's whole mess out in the open, a lot of people start to wonder if Leanne's death wasn't a suicide at all. [41:50] I mean, based on everything you've told me about Daniel so far, what a creepy was and how he went to such great lengths to clean up Heather after he killed her. You know, I really wouldn't be surprised if he did have other victims like he fits that sort of profile. I agree. And he's fit it for decades because according to police reports obtained by Craig Shoup and reported in multiple newspapers around the USA Today network, he is a monster. [42:20] And they tell a similar story of a violent, sexually deviant man with tendencies toward non-consensual bondage, humiliation, and ultimate control.

[42:32] Multiple partners describe being raped and battered over the course of their relationships with Daniel. I mean, really brutal, awful stuff. [42:42] The damage he caused before going to jail extends even further because this article shows Daniel's own daughter was interviewed by police and told them how it warped her own life. She describes really heartbreaking generational trauma because since she saw her dad being so abusive to women, that was her norm, you know, and she wound up in physically abusive relationships as a result of that trauma. [43:12] of love and relationships on what they saw as a child at home. And they have no control over how dysfunctional that may be. [43:20] Yeah. I mean, according to his daughter, whose name's redacted, by the way, when she was growing up, she witnessed Daniel's need for total control firsthand. In the reports, she says she grew up so afraid of her dad that she would purposely wet the bed because she was too scared to get up and walk past his bedroom to the bathroom. Oh, my God. [43:40] As far as Daniel's relationships, she talks about one incident where he battered an ex-girlfriend for removing her nail polish because in his mind, it made her less feminine, which he found totally unacceptable. And in another instance, she says Daniel actually ripped a woman's nails off for not wearing nail polish.

[44:10] because she, quote, looks like a boy. Oh, so him cutting off Heather's hair is actually right in line with him having these violently misogynistic ideas about how women are supposed to look. Cutting her hair was probably this major insult in his mind, taking away her womanhood, her femininity, and really, truly devaluing her as a person in his mind. Right. The Sandusky County prosecutor mentioned at Daniel's sentencing that it might have been part of the plan to cover up [44:40] evidence like removing her hair but based on what we know about this guy and what a creepy is i mean i think you're right i think that again i don't i don't know what dna maybe he didn't want i don't know i think cutting off hair produces more dna than anything else and i think it was more like trying to cut her down like how dare this woman turn me down she's not even like what i consider almost like the twist of the knife type thing oh god yeah [45:01] Daniel spends the next couple of years in jail while his case winds its way through the courts. Now, he initially pleads not guilty, but before the case can finally go to trial, Daniel has a change of heart. And on February 13th of 2019, instead of facing the death penalty, he pleads guilty to the murder of Heather Bogle and is sentenced to life in prison with zero possibility of parole. [45:25] In the summer of 2020, 48 Hours does an episode on Heather's story with more insight into how bad the original investigation was. They talk to Kiana Boer, and she tells a really damning story. She details Sean O'Connell's behavior towards her, Omar, and Keri, when beyond just like a dogged investigation, it was sink and tunnel vision. And he tried to bend the facts to fit the crime, even as the evidence took him in different directions. Yeah.

[45:54] As a result of Sean's actions, Kiana tells 48 Hours that she lost her job, her home. She got death threats against both her and her family. And she actually had to pull her son out of school due to the harassment that he was suffering. Furthermore, she alleges that Sean and the Sandusky County sheriffs went out of their way to make her life worse. Kiana claims that police made sure to get rid of her family photos when they searched her apartment [46:24] in the nursing home where she was working with their guns out as if she was like this violent criminal. And to add insult to injury, she says Sean never once asked her if she had an alibi before. [46:36] for the night of Heather's murder. [46:39] She also gives some background about just where his animosity probably came from. You see, Sean O'Connell has dealt with Kiana before, back when he was involved in getting her child's father locked up on a mandatory 10 years in prison for a drug charge. So it turns out that is the very same incidence that she referenced in the Facebook post that Sean claimed read like a confession. [47:09] wonder she didn't really seem super gung-ho to talk to law enforcement back at the very start of this investigation. Totally. Now, Sean actually pled guilty in 2018 to, one, just one of the felony charges against him, the one where he omitted the tiny detail about Kiana Omar and Keri being cleared by DNA evidence, and he was sentenced to two years in state prison. He served his time,

[47:39] in July of 2020. Oh my God. [47:41] Of course, paying his debt assigned to him by society doesn't erase what Sean did or the damage that he caused. Omar Satchel is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges, but Kiana Boer has spent years trying to rebuild her life and her reputation, while Heather Bogle's family suffered through years of an unnecessary prolonged murder investigation. [48:05] Everything about these people and the way their stories intersected is a reminder to stay vigilant, not just against predators hiding in plain sight, but against corruption where it might not be expected or where it is expected but shouldn't be. Stay informed. [48:23] Stay curious and of course, stay alive. [48:27] if you guys want to check out the source material for this episode you can find all of that on our website crimejunkiepodcast.com and be sure to follow us on instagram at crime junkie podcast we actually have next week scheduled off so we won't be back with our [48:57] in anyways. And if you're in the mood for a story, stick around for Prupet of the Month. [49:04] Music.

[49:21] Thank you. [49:22] you [49:23] you [49:23] *music* [49:27] Crime Junkie is an AudioChuck production. So... [49:31] What do you think, Chuck?' [49:32] Do you approve? [49:41] - Okay, so Ashley, I have double good news. - I love good news for Prep of the Month. - Yeah, so after some very, very sad Prep of the Month segments, one, like last month, I talked about Lucy who had moved out, and Lucy's mom, Olivia, is part of our team here, Audio Check, and was super gracious in letting us tell all of you guys about her journey with Lucy. [50:03] And this past weekend, she adopted the sweetest little lab mix puppy named Finn. And I mean, I'm speaking for myself, Ashley, but I think we're all kind of obsessed with him. Yeah, like, he's just amazing. And yeah, just thrilled for Olivia. But that's his story. It's brand new, like literally a couple days old when I'm telling you this. But that's not what I'm going to tell you about today. I'm going to tell you about Angel, the Alaskan dog. [50:33] Malamute. [50:34] So this story comes to us from our listener, Paige, who wrote in about how she met her very best friend, Angel. [50:42] Paige is a grad student at the University of Washington and [50:47] really far away from her family and kind of usual support system back on the East Coast. So even though she's always wanted, you know, a dog of her own, she knew like a grad student across the country wasn't really...

[50:59] like in a place to get a brand new little puppy like Olivia just did. But also she's one of us and has a huge soft spot for senior pups. And like you, Ashley, a good howly kind of wolfy breed. [51:14] And again, she knew she wasn't ready for a dog quite yet, but she decided I'll just go to the Washington Alaskan. I know you're laughing already. The Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League. [51:29] dogs and get my fix that way but i was just like i honestly can be a great thing for people but the dogs need a chance to play i thought she was just gonna say i'm gonna go look and that's where it always goes downhill but if she was like gonna volunteer i get it but this is almost worse because you're like you know like heavily interacting with the dogs and then going home falling in love falling in love and then going home to no dogs yeah [51:51] So. [51:51] She goes there. [51:53] And it just makes her want a dog even more. So she puts in an application with the Adoption League specifically for a senior dog and waits for a match. [52:03] And? Then a little over two months later, they had a volunteer reach out and say, hey, there's this dog I think would be great for you. But she's not actually here. She's three hours away. You see, the dog's former owner had passed away. And even though... [52:21] The other pets had been rehomed to a family friend. Angel, this particular dog, was eight years old and wasn't really taking kindly to the family friend's husband. So they needed to adopt her to someone else.

[52:34] someone like our listener, Paige. So Paige immediately hops in the car with her friend, drives through the treacherous, snowy Washington State January to get to Angel. And when she gets there, this dog is so sweet, but super, super shy. And by the time they get home, Angel's even shaking when Paige tries to put on the new harness and the new collar. Yeah. [52:58] Like, I mean, think about it. This sweetheart had lived... [53:01] all eight years of her life with her human who was just suddenly gone. And now she's somewhere new with people she doesn't know. But Paige said over time, she got a lot better. And she's even gotten over her fear of men for the most part, which I think is a huge thing for dogs when they have like any sort of concern or heightened anxiety around like a specific look of a person [53:31] And... [53:32] The biggest struggle that Angel has had has been separation anxiety, which, I mean, again, she lost her first human. Right. I can totally see why. I get it. [53:40] And in their first year together, Angel would actually howl and howl and howl when Paige was at work, which the other people in the apartment building weren't huge fans of. So Paige actually started taking Angel to work with her. And one that helped socialize Angel even more. But also Angel basically became the emotional support dog for Paige's entire team, which I just love. Same.

[54:10] you guys, I'm sorry. It's just the truth. There's no getting around it. But one of my favorite parts about this is remember, Paige is a grad student at University of Washington. [54:18] whose mascot is a Husky. Oh, I love this. So when Paige would be walking Angel around campus, everyone thought that Angel was like the official mascot of the school. That is so cool. Which I think is just... [54:38] hilarious and perfect and [54:40] Like, what a life Angel lives. Like, she, people think she's a celebrity. And she's like, I'm just a really anxious dog having the time of my life right now. I think we need to start a position to make her the official mascot of the school. [54:55] So Paige said that Angel has truly blossomed into this super happy, goofy, social girl who loves squeaky toys and really has come into her own in her senior years. [55:10] lucky that she gets to experience these years of Angel's life as Angel's mom. And again, this is a happy story, you guys. I was so excited to see pictures of Angel. We're going to post them on our website. And Paige also wanted to make sure that we definitely pointed you guys to the Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League as our organization to shout out in today's segment. It's where she got her [55:34] dog pics in the early days, and also the people who pointed her to Angel and the place that brought the two of them together. So I'll be linking that on our website, of course, pictures of Angel, and maybe even a picture of our newest edition at Audio Check, Finn.

[56:04] chameleon. Every Thursday, host Josh Dean deep dives into a scam so bizarre it will leave you wondering, how did they get away with that? [56:11] It is truly one of my favorite podcasts right now, and I've been listening for years. I think you'll love it, too. [56:17] Listen to Chameleon wherever you get your podcasts.