Kevin Green:1979, Akron, Ohio

    

   In 1979, Kevin Green was 11. He was adored by his mother, Rita and his father Bill. Kevin was born on August 11th, 1968. Kevin attended St. Leo the Great School in Cleveland. The family included two sisters as well and they all lived at 2220 Fairdale Avenue. Kevin’s Dad, Bill, was a truck driver and enjoyed traveling the open road.

  On Friday October 18th, 1979, Kevin had asked his mother if he could ride his bike after school.  She said yes as long as he was home for dinner. The back door slammed and Kevin was off. 

  Kevin rode bikes that afternoon with an 8 year old friend. That friend had to go home when it started to get dark.  Kevin decided to ride just a little longer. 

  When Kevin did not come home as expected, Rita began calling his friends. When no one knew where Kevin was she called the police. Her husband Bill was out working and couldn’t be easily reached. Rita and a neighbor began searching the neighborhood. They ended up searching all night. Periodically they would check back at the house in case Kevin had gone home. Each time they walked into that empty house the fear ratcheted up another notch. 

   Some kids who saw them searching told them about a creepy guy that they sometimes saw down by the Conrail tracks. Rita and her neighbor went down toward the railroad tracks. At about 8 a.m. Rita discovered the body of her son Kevin. 

   Kevin Green had multiple puncture wounds to his body. He had been stabbed seventy seven times, possibly with an ice pick. He also had been beaten. His underpants were found on a bush. His shirt was off. His pants were on but were inside out. He had been sexually assaulted. 

  Who could have done this? Was there someone in the area that was a known threat to children? Yes. And that person was well known to law enforcement and prosecutors. 

  A 7 year old boy was abducted in September of 1974. He was forced to spend the night with his abductor in a weedy area near the Akron Baptist Temple. He was forced to undress in the morning. The man then left with the child’s clothes. The child had to find his way home naked but with minor cuts and bruises. The child denied being sexually assaulted. But, this crime was reported to the police. 

  In November of 1974, a thirteen year old boy was lured into a car by a man who “wanted to know all about the local schools”. The thirteen year old was trying to be helpful and was probably flattered in a way that an adult would ask his opinion. Instead, the man threatened the boy with a knife, took him to a motel and repeatedly raped him. He let the boy go the next morning. The young man was able to describe the suspect and his car in detail. 

   Richard G. Lawler was arrested and was part of a police lineup in 1975. The two victims picked him out. His home at 865 W. Main Street in Kent, Ohio was searched. He had newspaper clippings in his possession about the abduction of the 7 year old. Police had not held him after the lineup and for a while they were unable to find him. He had checked himself into a facility claiming that he had a drinking problem. He was arrested there. 

  

  They also wondered if he was responsible for the abduction and murder of James David Morgan who was found unclothed in a wooded area near Stowe, Ohio in late 1974. His remains were in a skeletal state. Because of a lack of hard evidence tying him to this murder; he was not charged.

   Richard G. Lawler pleaded guilty in 1975 to the kidnapping of the 7 year old and kidnapping and assault of the thirteen year old boy. Most of his more serious charges were then dropped. He was sentenced from 8 to 40 years but first he was sent to Lima, Ohio to a psychiatric facility. He was supposed to begin serving his prison term after his treatment. 

   He did not serve his full sentence. I was unable to find the date of his release. 

   (This is similar to the inexplicable release of Eugene William Gall Jr. in 1977. He was also supposed to serve more time but was released. He later murdered three people in 1977 and 1978.) 

   We do know that in 1979, Richard G. Lawler was back out and free despite his prior crimes. No one considered the risks. Rape was not considered a violent crime by the all male lawmakers. Because they dismissed the issue of rape as a serious threat to women…it also had repercussions where children were concerned. 

   On October 18th, 1979 Lawler abducted, assaulted and killed Kevin Green. It was a torturous death. And if the laws and sentences for rape and abduction had been stricter…Kevin’s murder could have been prevented. 

   Richard G. Lawler was found guilty of the abduction and murder of Kevin Green in 1980. He is still serving a life sentence. 

   Kevin Green was only 11. When his father passed away in 2011; his obituary said that he cared so much about his friends and extended family that he worried often about their safety and well being. He is buried with his son Kevin now. Maybe they both are watching over those loved ones together. 

   Rest in peace, Kevin