Account
Dec 15, 2017
Oct 08, 2018
Patsy
Hudson
70
61
65 inches
67 inches
160 lbs
170 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the summer of 2015, Patsy Hudson, a 61-year-old woman from Mansfield, Ohio, vanished from her home on Spring Street. Known by some as a recluse, Patsy primarily kept to herself, with her main outings being trips to the grocery or dollar store. Her son, a truck driver, and other family members would occasionally stop by her house, but initially, they believed they were just missing her while she was out. It wasn't until months later that the true and troubling nature of her absence would begin to surface. Concern grew when her son visited on Christmas Eve and discovered that her cable and gas services had been disconnected. The family had assumed she was collecting her mail, but it was later revealed that the post office had put a hold on it. This discovery prompted a wider search among relatives and a missing person report filed by her sister on December 22, 2015. The investigation into Patsy's disappearance soon focused on her next-door neighbors, Walter Renz and his girlfriend, Linda Buckner. Patsy was last seen on July 4, 2015, the same day she had a dispute with one of her neighbors concerning her numerous cats. Neighbors reported that Renz and Buckner were seen moving out on that very same day. Authorities launched a nationwide search for the couple, who were eventually apprehended in a Tennessee campground in early February 2016. The arrest was made after investigators tracked the use of Patsy's stolen credit card. Renz was initially charged with receiving stolen property in connection with the use of the card. In the days following the arrests, a grim discovery was made. Human remains, believed to be Patsy's, were found at multiple locations in northern Richland County. The Richland County Prosecutor described the case as one of the worst she had ever encountered, stating that the evidence suggested Patsy had been violently killed and dismembered. In May 2016, DNA evidence confirmed that the remains were indeed those of Patsy Hudson. Walter Renz was subsequently indicted on charges including aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and abuse of a corpse. Linda Buckner also faced charges, including aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, and abuse of a corpse. The case that began as a quiet disappearance of a reclusive woman concluded with the horrifying revelation of a brutal crime that deeply affected the Mansfield community.
Jul 15, 2015
Mansfield
Ohio
Richland County
44902
226
Mansfield City Police Department
Mansfield
Ohio
Richland County
44902
William Bushong
30 North Diamond Street, Ohio
4125221234
Local
Law Enforcement
15-035540
2015-12-22
Mansfield City Police Department
Brown
Green
Green
05/23/2026
