In the summer of 1989, the community of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was shaken by the horrific death of 9-year-old Renee Waddle. A young female, her life was brutally cut short, leaving a lasting scar on the city. On June 6, 1989, her body was discovered burning along a secluded private road in Roaring Brook Township, a chilling end to a life that had just begun.
The cause of her death was determined to be a traumatic injury to the head from a blunt-force blow.
The investigation into Renee's murder led authorities to a local Scranton business owner named Frank Osellanie. The evidence against him began to mount, including a crucial discovery of one of Renee's earrings inside his garage. This piece of evidence, along with other findings from the investigation, pointed to Osellanie as the perpetrator of this heinous crime. His arrest brought a sense of cautious relief to a community gripped by fear.
Frank Osellanie was subsequently charged with the abduction, rape, and murder of Renee Waddle. During his trial, the prosecution presented a compelling case, and he was ultimately convicted of second and third-degree murder, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and kidnapping. For his crimes against Renee, he was sentenced to a mandatory life sentence, with an additional 20 to 40 years, ensuring he would never be free again. Osellanie was also considered a prime suspect in several other cases, including the murder of 19-year-old Laureen Finn and the disappearances of 22-year-old Joanne Williams and 11-year-old Michele Jolene Lakey, though he was never charged in connection with these cases. He died in prison in 2020.
