Michelle Ann Hoffman:1981, Toledo, Ohio

  


   Michelle Ann Hoffman was born on March 7th, 1962. Her Mother was Fran Hoffman. Her grandmothers were Mrs. Bessie Papuchike and Mrs. Phyllis Ross. Michelle had a half sister whose name in 1981 was Mrs. Linda Dermanelian. 


  Michelle was a secretary for a Veterinarian at the Toledo Zoo for about two years prior to her death. She was living with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ross, at 1282 Glenview Road. Mr. Tom Ross was a homicide detective with the Toledo Police. It was reported that the two were her foster parents as well as her Aunt and Uncle. (Mrs. Ross was the sister of Fran Hoffman.)


 I could not find anything about Michelle’s early life and the reasons why she had become the foster child of her aunt and uncle. But, Michelle was still in contact with her mother. 


 Michelle had visited her Mom, Fran Hoffman, in late August. Her Mom last saw her on August 27th, 1981.


 She was last seen on Tuesday, September 1st, 1981. (This might have been September 2nd because it was after midnight. The newspaper reporting on this in 1981 was inconsistent.) She had breakfast around 3 a.m. with her boyfriend who worked the night shift at a business along the 200 block of South Erie Street. He said that Michelle was going to sleep in his car until he was off work. When he got back to the car after 7 a.m. it was locked and Michelle and her things were gone. 


  Michelle was found on the 17th of September. It was estimated that she had died on the 1st or 2nd of September; shortly after her disappearance. Her body was located “at the rear of Mulberry Park” in a wooded area by a man who was hunting rabbits. He reported the discovery to the police. 


  Mulberry Park is not very far from the 200 block of South Erie Street where Michelle had supposedly been sleeping in the car. 


  Michelle was killed by a blow to the back of the head by a heavy object. It was believed that she was killed where she was found.


   Michelle’s uncle, Detective Tom Ross, was one of the investigators at the scene. He saw from a distance that he recognized her shoes and recused himself from the investigation then. 


  Michelle’s handbag was not found according to newspaper reports at the time. It was not reported if she was sexually assaulted. It was also not reported whether she was fully dressed or not. 


   Michelle was positively identified using dental records. 


   Michelle was buried in Willow Cemetery in Oregon, Ohio. It’s located east of Toledo across the Maumee River. Her family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Miami Children’s Home in Maumee. 


   Not much was reported about Michelle’s murder in 1981 and 1982. Sadly, there were so many young women being murdered then. 


   Michelle was only 19 when she was murdered. 


   What happened here? Did Michelle leave the car willingly? Was robbery the motive? There are so many variables and loose ends. 


  If this was the work of a serial killer; Jerry Leon Johns was potentially nearby and free. He was from Flat Rock, Michigan. Here’s why I think this might be him:


 If Michelle and her boyfriend went to breakfast at a restaurant, perhaps Jerry Leon Johns observed them and followed her. In 1985, he followed a woman, Linda Schacke, after she finished a late night meal in a restaurant. He attempted to abduct her by pretending to be a police officer at first. She wasn’t convinced and continued to her car. He then forced his way in. He strangled her and kicked her to try to be sure she was dead. She very convincingly played dead. Linda Schacke survived and testified against Jerry Leon Johns and put him in prison for the rest of his life. 

 

  Was Jerry Leon Johns in Toledo on September 1st of 1981?  Perhaps. 


  This could have been some random person whose motive was robbery. Michelle Ann Hoffman wouldn’t have had much to steal. Her handbag was described as “leatherette”. It wasn’t an expensive item. 


  If you have more information about the murder of Michelle Ann Hoffman please submit a tip here: 


 https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Hoffman




   Shareable YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/R6-qVLx13Ys?si=BhCe0HuHiI5bO6j3


  


  




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