Judith Straub, an 18-year-old white female from Sterling, Ohio, was murdered on August 7, 1977, in Norton, Ohio. Her body was discovered alongside that of her boyfriend, William "Billy" Lavaco, a 21-year-old male, in Silver Creek Metro park on August 8, 1977.
The young couple had been dating for eight months when the tragic incident occurred. Straub's car was found in the parking lot of Silver Creek Metro park, with her purse and shoes still inside. Concerned family members gathered at the location the following day as Norton police, assisted by a National Guard helicopter, conducted a search through the high weeds.
During the search, authorities discovered the bodies of Judith Straub and Billy Lavaco lying on the ground. Both victims had been shot at point-blank range with a 20-gauge shotgun. The brutal nature of the crime shocked the local community and left investigators searching for answers.
The case remained unsolved for over three decades until a breakthrough came in 2010. Edward Wayne Edwards, a 76-year-old man with a history of criminal activity, confessed to the murders of Judith Straub and Billy Lavaco. Edwards, who had once been on the FBI's Most Wanted list, admitted to shooting the young couple and leaving their bodies in the Akron, Ohio park.
Edwards' confession came as part of a larger revelation of his criminal past. He had been arrested in July 2009 after DNA evidence connected him to another double homicide in Wisconsin. Following his arrest, Edwards began confessing to multiple murders, including those of Straub and Lavaco.
In June 2010, Edwards pleaded guilty to the murders of Judith Straub and Billy Lavaco. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life terms for these crimes. The conviction brought a measure of closure to the families of the victims and the community that had been haunted by the unsolved case for so many years.
The story of Judith Straub's murder took an even more chilling turn when it was revealed that Edwards had a habit of revisiting the scenes of his crimes. His daughter, April Balascio, recalled an incident from her childhood when Edwards took her to Silver Creek Metro park, the very location where he had murdered Straub and Lavaco. Balascio, who was eight years old at the time, remembered her father pointing to a specific spot on the ground, which she later realized was likely the exact location where he had left the bodies of his victims.
The case of Judith Straub's murder serves as a stark reminder of the long-lasting impact of unsolved crimes and the importance of continued investigation into cold cases. It also highlights the advances in forensic technology, particularly DNA analysis, which played a crucial role in ultimately bringing Edward Wayne Edwards to justice for this and other heinous crimes he committed throughout his life.
