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Karen Louise Bentz:1970, Akron, Ohio

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      Karen Bentz was born on August 1st 1951.    At the age of 15, she had a child that she named Lori. Her parents were pitching in to help raise Lori. The toddler lived with them.    Karen was unable to graduate from Central High School with her 1969 graduating class but she still wore her class ring. In those days if you got pregnant you weren’t usually allowed to come to school. It didn’t matter if you were raped or if the child was the product of consensual sex. The mother of the child always got the shame and blame and the lifelong consequences. No high school graduation. No college. Any career goals were out the window.    Karen Bentz left her parent’s home at 56 Jewett Street to walk four blocks to her apartment. It was Tuesday April 28th, 1970. She had stopped by her parent’s home to pick up a clean work uniform.    Karen worked 4 hours each day at one job at The Red Barn and another 7 hours at ...
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Mollie Pearson:1970, Akron, Ohio

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       Mollie Pearson was born in Sylacauga, Alabama in 1951. That’s a tiny town southeast of Birmingham in central Alabama.    She moved to Akron, Ohio with her family when she was a toddler.     As a teenager she worked summers at John Graf Farms harvesting onions. Many Midwestern kids can probably identify with that. I grew up in a rural area in southern Indiana and did a lot of farm work for extra money. I used to help put up hay and I picked blackberries and sold quarts of berries to neighbors. The 1970’s were pretty bleak economic times and if you could find a way to earn a little money you felt pretty lucky.    Mollie graduated from Central High School in 1970.    She lived with her family at 1884 Second Street in Akron. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Y.C. Pearson. Her siblings included four brothers James Edward, Danny, Ernest, James and a sister named Mrs. Lola Wilson.    On November 24th, 1970,...
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Linda Pagano:1974, Akron/Strongsville, Ohio

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      On September 1st 1974 Linda Pagano was last seen in Akron, Ohio.  She was found in 1975 near Strongsville. That’s northwest of Akron and closer to Cleveland.   But Linda wasn’t identified until 2018. A Reddit websleuth had come across a listing for unidentified skeletal remains and managed to get them tested. DNA was extracted and genetic genealogy techniques linked them back to Linda Marie Pagano’s family.   If you’re thinking about getting involved in a cold case but you don’t know if you should…I think you should. In Linda Pagano’s case; getting involved made all the difference.    Linda Marie “Midge” Pagano was born on April 11th, 1957 to Ann Marie (Romaniello) Pagano and Nicholas Reed Pagano.  Linda in happier times.    In 1974 Linda was looking forward to starting her senior year in high school. She attended Springfield high school in Akron Ohio.   Linda worked at the Tallmadge A...
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