Thomas Sumerix:1963, Akron




 Thomas Sumerix disappeared on Wednesday June 5th, 1963 after buying a pair of grey suede shoes at Arlington Plaza. 


 He had a picnic the next day. He had plans that summer to take typing class in summer school. He thought it would give him a leg up academically in high school. 


 Arlington Plaza is a block north from a known hangout of a budding serial killer in 1963 at S. Arlington and Waterloo. Gus Sapharas’ family owned a restaurant there for several decades.

 


  Thomas Sumerix’ home was south of Arlington Plaza. He would have been walking past the restaurant. The restaurant and the shopping center are on the same side of the street. He would have been walking right past Sapharas Restaurant. What’s the likelihood that his killer was NOT the serial killer who spent most of his days at that restaurant?


  Gus Sapharas had graduated from East High School in June of 1962. He was working in his family’s restaurant then. In 1965, he entered the Army and by November he was at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina. In May of 1969 he was back in Akron and viciously beat his date when she refused to have sex with him. He faced charges for that crime. I don’t know if he served any jail time. He was definitely free in April 1970 because we know he abducted and murdered Karen Bentz. In October 1975 he similarly murdered Loretta Davis. Those two murders were not solved until 2019. He went to jail in 1977 for a vicious 1976 rape. Ohio freed him in 1990. In 1991 he killed Bonita Parker. Her murder was connected to him in 2018 through DNA.  He nearly killed another woman in 1991 and served a little less than 8 years for that brutal rape and attempted murder. 


  He’s currently serving out the rest of his life sentence in Ohio. 


  But, his known victims are women. Why would he abduct Thomas? Yes, his known victims are female. But, he was young in 1963. He was still figuring this out. I think Thomas was his second victim. I think he wanted to test out abducting and murdering a victim. 


  Seven days after he abducted and murdered Thomas Sumerix, Ruth Elaine Guthrie disappeared from Tallmadge, just a few blocks north of the Sapharas family home.  


  I believe that in 1962, he also killed Marion Brubaker.  I think she was his first. It was an impulsive thing to do. He ambushed her in the park as she was heading home from the library. He raped and strangled her. 


  Maybe he thought he’d never do it again. 


  But, I think he offered Thomas a ride in 1963. He may have even known him from around the neighborhood. I think the impulse struck and he decided to see if he could kill again. He had an opportunity. He strangled Thomas just to see if he could. 


  Seven days later he went to the fair in Tallmadge. I think he wanted to find another opportunity. He saw Ruth Guthrie.  It was a gloomy day. She was wearing white pants and a white sweatshirt. She carried a purple handbag. He saw her on the sidewalk and realized he had another opportunity. 

 

  Was Wednesday evening his regular evening off from the family Restaurant? 


  He drove east of town to dump her body. Maybe he was already thinking about not leaving victims in the same area. He was thinking they need to be spaced out a bit. He drove eastward out of Tallmadge into the country. He took a right and saw an orchard. Since he’d only made one turn he could easily find his way back. 


  Neither Thomas nor Ruth were found quickly. Both were found in 1964 and were in skeletal condition. But, if there’s anything to test… they should compare it to Sapharas’ DNA. 


  Marion Brubaker, Thomas Sumerix and Ruth Guthrie’s cases are still unsolved. If you have a tip please call the Akron Police Department or submit a tip to the link below. Only Ruth Guthrie’s case is on the Ohio Cold Case site: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Guthrie




  


  




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