Ruth Elaine Guthrie:1963, Tallmadge/Akron, Ohio

   


  Ruth Elaine Guthrie was born on December 1st, 1950 to Edna R. Guthrie and Willis Paul Guthrie. She had an older sister named Jean and a brother named Charles. They lived in the Tallmadge area of Akron at 205 W. Howe Road.

   Her grandmother, Mrs. Nellie Guthrie lived at 1497 Breidling Road. 


A view of the fair. 


  She was last seen on Wednesday, June 12th, 1963 about 5 p.m. walking home from the Midwest Industrial Free Fair. The weather was cool and a little rainy. 


  The Fair was an event in Tallmadge that many different businesses participated in. There were shows of local talent, food vendors and even a beauty contest. Because it was free to attend I imagine that they drew large crowds. I would imagine that people had to pay for food and rides. I can’t imagine it was completely free. Many businesses had booths and showcases of their offerings. If you have ever been to a “home” show or a boat show; that’s the type of thing that this fair was. 


  Ruth’s parents reported her missing and a massive search was launched. 


  You know they were serious about trying to find her if they were willing to pay for the calls. For the younger crowd; that is what “call collect” means. There were many organized searches and even a helicopter was used to try to locate Ruth. Carnival workers were questioned. One article even mentions that known sex offenders were questioned.  I was surprised that they were using the term “sex offenders” in 1963 already. They had named the problem but were years away from a solution like stronger sentences for rape. 


Investigators looking at Ruth’s shoes and clothes. 

   Months went by. I can’t imagine how Ruth’s family and friends felt when school started again. Her parents must have been at their wits end when Summer became Fall. I don’t know how they coped when the Holidays came and went. 1963 became 1964. Winter gradually ended and Spring unfolded across the cities and the countryside of Ohio. 


  Ruth was found the next year east of Akron on May 27th,1964 in Portage County. The spot she was found in was a wooded area.  



  Her hands were reportedly tied in front. Her body was naked from the waist down. Her other clothes were found scattered nearby. 


 I wonder if her clothes are still available for testing. Did investigators clip and save her fingernails?


  She is buried in Tallmadge Cemetery in the Tallmadge neighborhood of Akron. 



  Her case is still unsolved. 


  Exactly 7 days earlier, Thomas Sumerix disappeared very close to Sapharas’ Restaurant.  


Did the killer of Ruth and Thomas have Wednesday evenings off from work? 


   The main suspect I think of here is Gustave A. Sapharas. He lived south of Tallmadge. It makes sense that he would drive up a few blocks to the fair. His first known murder was Karen Bentz in 1970. DNA connected him to her cold case in 2019. He’s serving a life sentence in Ohio for her murder and two others. 


   If you have a tip, please use this link: 

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







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