Oakland County Child Killer

Serial Killer

Oakland County Child Killer: A Detailed Account of the 1976-1977 Crimes

Overview

Between 1976 and 1977, the Oakland County area in Michigan was terrorized by a series of child abductions and murders. The perpetrator, dubbed the Oakland County Child Killer (OCCK), is believed to be responsible for the deaths of at least four children. These heinous crimes not only shook the local community but also led to one of the largest murder investigations in U.S. history at the time.

Confirmed Victims

• Mark Douglas Stebbins
  • Age: 12
  • Disappearance: February 15, 1976, from Ferndale after leaving an American Legion Hall.
  • Body Discovered: February 19, 1976, in the parking lot of an office building in Southfield.
  • Details: Mark was found wearing the same clothes he had on when he disappeared. He had been sexually assaulted with a foreign object and strangled. Rope marks on his wrists and ankles indicated he had been bound during his captivity. Additionally, he had two lacerations on the left rear of his head.
• Jill Robinson
  • Age: 12
  • Disappearance: December 22, 1976, from Royal Oak after an argument with her mother.
  • Body Discovered: December 26, 1976, alongside Interstate 75 in Troy, within view of the Troy police station.
  • Details: Jill was found fully clothed, wearing the backpack she had taken with her. She had been shot in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun. Autopsy reports revealed she had been fed and cared for at least three days before her death.
• Kristine Marie Mihelich
  • Age: 10
  • Disappearance: January 2, 1977, from Berkley after failing to return home from a 7-Eleven store on 12 Mile Road at Oakshire.
  • Body Discovered: January 21, 1977, on the side of a rural road in Franklin Village.
  • Details: Kristine was found fully clothed and had been smothered to death less than 24 hours before her body was discovered. Her body lay within view of nearby homes.
• Timothy John King
  • Age: 11
  • Disappearance: March 16, 1977, from Birmingham after going to a pharmacy.
  • Body Discovered: March 22, 1977, in a shallow ditch alongside Gill Road in Livonia.
  • Details: Timothy had been sexually assaulted with a foreign object and suffocated approximately six hours before his body was found. Autopsy results revealed he had eaten his favorite food, Kentucky Fried Chicken, shortly before his death and that he was cleaned and groomed prior to his suffocation.

Investigation and Suspects

The abductions and murders of these children led to an extensive investigation, with authorities from multiple jurisdictions collaborating to find the perpetrator. Despite numerous leads and suspects over the years, the case remains unsolved. Key suspects included known pedophiles and individuals with criminal records in the area during that time. Notably:

• Christopher Busch: A convicted pedophile who allegedly committed suicide in 1978. Some evidence suggested a possible connection to the murders, but no conclusive proof has been established.
• Archibald Edward Sloan: A child molester whose vehicle contained hair samples matching those found on the victims. However, the hairs did not match Sloan himself, leaving his exact involvement uncertain.

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Confirmed Victims: (4)

Mark Stebbins Age: (12), Date of Death: 1976-02-15

    ...View 3 additional victims
Suspected Victims:

Donna Serra Age: (17), Date of Death: 1972-09-29

Jane Louise Janey Allen Age: (13), Date of Death: 1976-08-08

Kimberly Alice Kim King Age: (12), Date of Death: 1979-09-15

Oakland County Child Killer - Wikipedia

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