Oakland County Child Killings

[Mijada]

This story was never featured on UM but seeing a special about it on the E! channel a few days ago really got me thinking about it. The few people from Michigan who post here may be familiar with this case. I was only about 3 years old when this happened so I don't remember it at all but my mom remembers it well. In the mid 1970's 4 preteen kids were abducted, held for several days, and then murdered and their bodies dumped along the road in different areas in Oakland County (about 20 miles north of Detroit). There have been several suspects over the years and the case is still ongoing but so far the killer has never been found. As far as I know this got very little, if any national attention at the time. I think it would have been a great story for UM.

http://serialchic.crimespider.com/OaklandCountyMI.html

[nohwheregirl]

I just saw this featured on E! as well. Horrifying case. I had never heard of it before.

[mphs95]

I'm from Mt. Pleasant, and I've heard of this case. I read somewhere in the Free Press that the man they thought did it died in 1981, I think. I'm glad they have new leads. The killer shouldn't get off so easy w/ death. He should sit in prison and suffer bc they don't like child killers in prison.

Chelle

[ZanzibarBlue]

For what it's worth:

The following is from a blog sponsored by James Renner of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, concerning a recent arrest that may lead to a resolution of the Oakland Cty MI Child Murders.

Monday, December 11, 2006
More on Ted Lamborgine

The Oakland County Prosecutor is now calling Lamborgine the most promising suspect in the murders of four Michigan children between 1976 and 1977. Looks like he was involved in a child porn ring with multiple creeps. Question is, did Lamborgine continue his spree after he moved to Ohio in the late 70's? Predators like this rarely "turn off". And Parma Heights, where Lamborgine lived until his arrest last week, is not too far from Bay Village or North Olmsted. He worked at the Ford factory in Brook Park. Does anyone have a contact there?
Here's some video of Lamborgine from local affliate Fox 8, though his face is mostly obscured: http://www.myfoxcleveland.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=1740022&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
-James

posted by James Renner | 12:23 PM | 0 comments

Friday, December 08, 2006
Arrest in Parma Heights...related to Amy's case?

In today's Plain Dealer Metro section, there is a small news brief concerning a Parma Heights man named Ted Lamborgine. Here's the link: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1165572247326570.xml&coll=2

Lamborgine was arrested in Parma Heights on Wednesday, charged with assaulting 8 children in Michigan where he lived prior to moving to Cleveland in the late 70's. On the surface, it sounds like your typical sexual deviant arrest, right? Well, there's a little more to Lamborgine's story.

Authorities in Oakland County, Michigan suspect Lamborgine to have been an active participant in a child porn ring in that area in the 70's. It looks as if these charges stem from that investigation. What hasn't been reported in our area, is that authorities believe a member of this child porn ring is also responsible for the deaths of at least 4 children, and that Lamborgine may be their man.

The unsolved homicides are known as the "Oakland County Murders". Between February 1976 and March 1977, four children were abducted and murdered in Oakland, a county located in southeastern Michigan, known for its auto manufacting facilities. The children were: Mark Stebbins, age 12; Jill Robinson, age 12; Kristine Mihelich, age 10; Timothy King, age 11. Here are some facts about these cases, according to Mike Martindale, a reporter with the Detroit News: All four were alone and abducted from business areas. None of the kidnappings were reported by witnesses, leading to speculation the children went willingly with their abductors. All were held in captivity from 3 to 19 days. All appeared well-fed and very clean, as if bathed before their deaths. All were left along roadsides where they could easily be found. Three of the victims were smothered, one was killed by a shotgun blast. For more info, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_County_Child_Killer

Sound kind of familiar? Yeah, I thought so, too.

While researching Amy's book, I came across the Oakland County murders and noted their similarity to Amy's case. A couple cold case bloggers began circulating a rumor, at first unsubstantiated, that Lamborgine was a prime suspect in the Oakland County murders, and that a pedofile arrested in Michigan was providing police with clues that could link Lamborgine to the child porn ring, if not the murders themselves.

I attempted to track down Lamborgine. I knew he was working at a nearby Ford factory, but didn't know what shift or which particular plant. I asked Mike Lewis, my private investigator friend, to find an address for me. Unfortunately, that address took me to a gated trailer park and the woman living at that address said that Lamborgine had moved out shortly before I arrived. I was never able to ever question him about Amy. Now, I regret not trying a little harder.

Today, I spoke with a law enforcement offical in Oakland County who said that he has not found anything directly linking Lamborgine to Amy's murder, but get this: the detective then told me, "But I'm questioning another man next week, that may have information about Amy. It's a long shot, so don't hold your breath. But it's possible." My guess is it's another member of this child porn ring, but at this point I have no further answers.

Many people have told me they "knew a guy who knew a guy" who watched a child porn video that showed Amy at a private club in Ashland. I have always taken this rumor with a grain of salt, but in light of this information, who knows? At the very least, it seems another bad man is off the streets.

I have passed along this info to Bay Village detectives, urging them to take another look at Lamborgine while this issue it hot. I'll keep you posted.
-James

[nohwheregirl]

Thanks, Zanzibar. I just hope that the lead pans out. BTW, the "Amy" mentioned in the second post is Amy Mihaljevic (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=180760&highlight=Mihaljevic).

[wiseguy182]

This was several years before my time, so I haven't heard of it but thank you for posting that Mijada.

P.S. I couldn't access that link, it might have expired or something.