Linda Pagano:1974, Akron/Strongsville, Ohio

  


  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&W root beer stand. That’s located on the north east side of Akron. It became TJ’s drive in later years.


  On September 1st Linda, or “Midge” as she was called by her family and friends, came home late from a concert. This outraged her stepfather and they argued. He threw her out of the house. 


  Where did she go after that? Did she try to find a phone booth and call a friend? Did she simply start walking toward a friend’s house? Who did she encounter that night? 


   Her body was found near Strongsville by children playing near the Rocky River on February 5th,1975. She had only been missing for about six months but she went unidentified until 2018. She was known as Strongsville Jane Doe until the efforts of a researcher led to her remains being identified. 

 

  Linda had been shot in the head. She was only 17. 


  Her murder was not an isolated incident in the Akron/Cleveland area in the early 1970’s.  Far from it.  


  I will be writing about more of these cases. Maybe a pattern will emerge. 


  Rest In Peace, Linda


  Linda Pagano’s murder is still unsolved. If you have any information that might help investigators please submit a tip here: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Doe-2019


  

  


  



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Laurie Jo Lopez and Gerald E. Bunche III: 1975, Gary

Image
    On the evening of April 6th, 1975, two teenagers went on a date. The eighteen year olds were Laurie and Gerald. They borrowed Laurie’s Mom’s car.  It should have been a fun night out. But, the two teens never made it home.    Laurie Jo Lopez graduated from Kankakee Valley High. She lived southeast of Gary, Indiana at 10 Windsor Drive, outside of Demotte, Indiana.    Gerald Ellsworth Bunche III was born on January 3rd 1957. He went to Lew Wallace High in Gary and lived at 1145 Whitcomb Street. He was the son of Erdell and Gerald Bunche Jr.  He was an active highschool kid. He played basketball and was pretty good.    Laurie Lopez was the daughter of Frank Lopez. Her mother’s name is not known to me. (Her mother is not listed on her death certificate and I was unable to find any information about Laurie’s Mom or possible siblings.) Laurie’s stepfather was Sgt. James E. Rodriguez.    I usually am ab...
Read more

Donna Marie Lanier: 1984: North Liberty, Indiana

Image
   Donna Marie Husband was born on March 11th, 1956 in South Bend, Indiana. She was the daughter of Eloise and Joseph Husband. She grew up in South Bend and married a man named Lanier. (I was unable to find his full name.)    She was 28 in 1984.  Her life had been a difficult one. Her mother had been killed in the years before.  The man suspected of that crime was later murdered as well. Donna and her children lost everything but their lives in a fire in 1979. Still, she kept going.     Donna had four children. Three were still living at home in 1984. It is not easy to make a living as a single mother.  If your kids get sick you have to be home with them. They never get sick all at the same time. Children have school breaks and snow days but most jobs do not. It’s impossible to find a workplace that will be flexible like that. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. If you have ever been poor then you know.  ...
Read more