On the night of September 13, 1981, Janice Beidleman and her 18-month-old son, Brandon, went missing after visiting relatives in Columbus, Ohio. They were last seen leaving a relative's house on Myrtle Avenue, planning to stop at a grocery store before heading home. The next afternoon, their bodies were discovered in Alum Creek near Agler and Sunbury Roads. Janice was found lying in about a foot of water, while Brandon's body was located around 50 yards downstream.
Their deaths shocked the local community and have remained unsolved for decades.
The investigation revealed that Janice Beidleman had been beaten, raped, and ultimately strangled. Her body bore signs of multiple blows to the head, and she was found unclothed, with her clothing scattered along the creek bank. Brandon, dressed only in a diaper and tennis shoes, had died of suffocation. It was speculated that both victims were killed near where their bodies were found, although no concrete evidence pinpointed the exact location of their deaths. Authorities did not recover any weapons, nor did they identify a clear motive or any suspects during the initial investigation.
The discovery of the bodies followed reports from local residents who heard screams and a baby crying that night. Witnesses also reported seeing a car similar to the Beidlemans’ drive down a wooded ravine toward the creek without its headlights on, further adding to the chilling mystery surrounding their deaths. Janice's husband, who was recently laid off from his job at a local automotive factory, learned of the tragedy through a news report. He rushed to the scene and confirmed the identities of the victims.
Despite initial leads and intensive investigation efforts by Columbus police, including the involvement of homicide detectives, the case went cold. Over the years, the details of the case have been revisited multiple times, but no significant progress has been made in identifying those responsible. Detectives have speculated that more than one individual may have been involved in the murders, but no suspects were ever named, and the case remains one of Columbus' long-standing unsolved homicides.
