Karen Miller:1974, Beavercreek, Ohio

    

   On the evening of October 24th, 1974, Karen Miller was worried. A man was loitering around the Foto Fair. She was getting the creeps. Karen was a 17 year old high school junior in Beavercreek, Ohio. (Beavercreek is southeast of Dayton.) She called her Mom to come and drive her home. 

   Karen’s mother drove over to the photo processing booth in the parking lot of the shopping center in Beavercreek, Ohio. She and Karen headed home at about 8:43. 

  As they drove into their own driveway and started in the house, Karen was called over to a car that had pulled up. Karen’s mother thought nothing of it and headed in. She thought the car belonged to a friend and Karen would be right in. 

   Except Karen did not come in. Her mother looked out and Karen and the car were gone. (A neighbor would later describe it as an old, dented white car.) She got into her own car and began driving around looking for Karen. 

   Her husband arrived home from work around 10 p.m. They called the police. 

   Karen’s body was found the next day, discarded by the side of the road only about two miles from her home. She was nude and had been shot with a .38 caliber weapon in the head and neck. Her clothes were not found at the scene. 

  Neighbors and others had seen a guy hanging around the Foto Fair. A sketch was developed and a description of his car was taken. 

  Kenneth Ray Barker of 3105 Wayne Avenue, Dayton, Ohio was arrested on January 3rd,1975. A sketch of the man seen hanging around the photo processing booth matched the then bearded Kenneth Ray Barker. His car was a close match to the one last seen near Karen. Hair samples were taken and those were a close match to hairs found on Karen. A search of Barker’s home and car turned up a .38 caliber derringer. 

  He confessed under questioning. He even pointed out where he had dumped her body. He gave other details as well. He later plead innocent and tried to retract his confession. His confession was ultimately deemed admissable. 

  

  He was found guilty and sentenced to life. His wife divorced him while he was in prison. He tried to file a lawsuit in the 1980’s when his mother would not submit to a search before visiting him. She wasn’t allowed to visit after this. This lawsuit was unsuccessful. Barker was up for parole in late 1994. His parole was denied in January of 1995. He died in prison in, I believe, in 2008. (The Ohio incarcerated searchable database says “Released:Death” but does not give a date. I found an entry on Ancestry that lists 2008 as a date of death.) 

   He lived, in 1975, at 3105 Wayne Ave. There are at least two unsolved murders near there. (His parents lived on Gebhart in 1973 when his upcoming marriage was announced. That is close to 3105 Wayne also.)

   On June 27th, 1972, Maggie Mae Keys was murdered in an alley behind 10 Henry Street. At the time of the murder it was reported that sexual assault and robbery appeared not to be motives. But, I believe that Mrs. Keys was dragged into that alley.  I think sexual assault was the motive. She was stabbed multiple times. One wound was to her thigh and it severed her femoral artery. She died of blood loss. 

  On the morning of January 3rd, 1975, Cindy Rader, was dragged into a vacant home as she walked to work. She was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death inside 20 Pulaski Street. 

  That same day, Kenneth Ray Barker was arrested for the October 1974 rape and murder of Karen Miller. If he did also kill Cindy Rader…it is a terrible tragedy that he wasn’t arrested a day earlier. 

  Given the brazenness and riskiness of the abduction of Karen Miller in 1974; I would say he had abducted, murdered and raped other women and girls before and after. 

  Karen Miller was working and saving up to marry her high school sweetheart. She was looking forward to finishing high school and starting her adult life. She should have been able to live that life. 

   Rest in peace, Karen.