The next day, Hanlon hopped in a car with a Jefferson County deputy for a briefing on the search for Rachanda. In March of 1996, police would investigate the origins of a partial skull recovered near Crawfordsville, about fifty miles east of where Rachanda had last been seen alive. The following spring, a grand jury heard testimony from 17 witnesses, most of them people who knew the girl and Ackroyd. Linda was getting ready to head to work at Black Butte - near Sisters, about thirty miles east - and asked for some help doing her hair. You could win the lottery four or five times before something like that would happen, Salsbery said. We must have laid 150 miles of string line laying out the grids, Mueller said. "My guess is the prosecution was in a bind in terms of how tough this case was and so I think when the state has cases that are weak, they tend to pursue creative options," Beloof said. The district attorney asked Byron if he supported a plea deal or if he wanted Ackroyd to stand trial. Rachanda Pickle's brother, Byron Pickle, was consulted during the state's negotiations with Ackroyd, Marteeny said. John Ackroyd. Ackroyd is a suspected serial killer: he's doing life right now for a 1978 murder (he was convicted in 1994), and is a suspect in two other women's disappearances besides Rachanda's. After a four-week trial which took place in the latter half of 1993, John Arthur Ackroyd was convicted for Kaye Turner's death and was later given five life sentences without the possibility of parole. John Ackroyd would not appear during any of these hearings, due to some health-related issues that kept him confined to the state penitentiary in Salem. The men drove by Santiam Junction, slowing as they passed the eastern edge of the highway compound where Ackroyds manufactured home backed up to the woods. Michelle Seiber and her sister, Mandy Cook, were friends with Rachanda in elementary school in Sweet Home. Hanlon, whod spent his career practicing law in rural Oregon, knew of Ackroyd from reading a slim three-ring binder stashed in a cardboard box left behind by his predecessor. Rachanda Pickle didn't want to be alone with her stepfather, John Ackroyd. Ackroyd "found" her body eight months later and was under suspicion in her case for many years, but he wasn't convicted in her death until 1994. Linda Monville said she believes her daughter is dead, but shes still not convinced her former husband is responsible. When the dispatcher asked why she hadnt called sooner, Linda said she assumed she had to wait 24 hours to report a missing person. A forensic examination of the sweatpants would later reveal that they likely did not belong to Rachanda. His Stepdaughter Vanished. What He Said Was Disturbing These bones very well could have been Rachanda's, but they also could have belonged to any other young woman that had been killed in the area. She asked if she could sleep over. This search effort would be organized and overseen by the Linn County Sheriff's Office, who were augmented by members of neighboring counties over the next several weeks. But Rachanda grew homesick and came back a few days before her disappearance. A tipster had claimed that Rachanda was still alive, and residing in eastern Linn County. Born on March 15th, 1977, Rachanda Lea Pickle (commonly called "Chandy" by her loved ones) was the second child born to her parents, Steven and Linda, who split up and divorced when the children were quite young. Most nights, the pair could be found at Sharis in Lebanon, where teens and adults gathered to talk on CB radios and drink coffee. Seiber is shown here with her daughter. On the morning of July 10, Rachanda was awake early to help her mother get ready for the day. So, lots of NKOTB, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Martika - you know, all the old school late 80's/early 90's goodness. Brown hair; brown eyes. But at the time, he was just fourteen years old, and couldn't have foreseen what was going to happen just days later. "I think we've come to the conclusion that we're probably not looking for a live individual.". It was even discovered that Rachanda was sometimes afraid to go home after school, taking additional clothes with her every day in case she was able to stay the night at a friend's house. He refused to disclose the location of Rachanda's body and his plea didn't require him to. In interviews, Ackroyd dwelled on how the teen had gotten her period and had begun to develop. You know, he said, both of you sitting there pointing your fingers at me, and I didnt do nothing.. Within weeks, Melissa and Sheila were dead. Although her body never has been found, Pickles stepfather, John Arthur Ackroyd, 63, was charged Wednesday with her murder. A forensic examination of the available evidence proved that's actually what happened, and that Ackroyd - who had little in the way of an imagination - had basically confessed to investigators when he expressed these guesses. She was afraid to go home from school; as a . Despite only being charged with one murder, they were being charged with five different counts; each symbolizing a different possible theory in the case. By his account, Rachanda was gone when he returned a couple of hours later. It wasn't even really a confirmation of him committing the crime, but seemed to be more of a refusal to deny it (if that makes sense). He dropped off Linda at the resort and continued east on Highway 20 to the state maintenance shop in Bend. Their childhood friend, Michelle Seiber, said Rachanda wouldnt have dreamed of leaving behind her brother. While tipsters would report sightings of the missing teen all along the west coast, investigators have been unable to locate Rachanda after more than three decades This fact alone made investigators suspicious, but paired together with all of the other red flags in John Ackroyd's past, put him at the very top of their suspect list. A police photograph shows evidence from the investigation into Kaye Turners murder. John would later pick up Linda from work, and when the two returned home, they discovered that Rachanda was not there waiting for them. Maybe they just walked in, seen an opportunity and grasped at it.. Rachanda and her brother regularly went to school with bruises, and Rachanda told her friends Ackroyd had caused the injuries. Then there are the 1992 murders of Sheila Swanson and Melissa Sanders, teenagers whose bodies were found months after their initial disappearance. She was last seen at her home on July 10, 1990. They continued to believe that Ackroyd was involved in his stepdaughter's disappearance, and began to go through his statements with a fine-toothed comb. Prosecutors stated that information obtained during the investigation into Rachanda Pickle's disappearance had ultimately led to these charges being filed approximately two years later. To him, this gave credence to the notion that she had intentionally run away, and had not been abducted, as originally theorized. Photos of Ackroyd are posted with this case summary. In interviews, Ackroyd dwelled on how the teen had gotten her period and had begun to develop. He wondered aloud if Rachanda had been dumped and buried in the woods or threatened with a knife, tied up and gagged, her body rolled in plastic. He was her stepfather. Missing From: SISTERS, OR. This would lead them to begin to question the statements of her stepfather. Such a move is typically reserved for a national security-related case or oneinvolving sexual assault victims. Linda Monville's response was matter of fact. Russell Barnett, a Portland criminal defense lawyer who represented Ackroyd along with Elizabeth Baker, declined to say why Ackroyd wanted the deal to remain secret. While John had been married to and/or living with Rachanda's mother for approximately six years, he seemed to know very little personal information about the missing girl: he was unable to recall her birthday or other details like that. We think the greatest likely scenario is that she's probably out there not of her own volition and is deceased either by violence or nature. What we're afraid of is that someone came up to the house, found her alone here and took her.". Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Linn County Sheriff's Office mounted extensive search for Rachanda Pickle in 1990 SWEET HOME Rachanda Pickle was wearing a T-shirt, black sweat pants and tennis shoes when the 13-year-old. Vacuum the house. When he returned to the house at approximately 12:45 p.m., Rachanda had vanished. He was arrested a little less than two years later for his involvement in the murder of Kaye Turner, and spent the rest of his shitty, miserable life behind bars. In addition to some bone fragments, police were able to uncover the underpants, running shoes, and wristwatch she had been wearing at the time of her disappearance, in addition to pieces of her sweatshirt (which appeared to have been partially destroyed). 0. McAnulty wondered if an ex-wife might see the events of the distant past in a different light. Another man was also convicted in Turner's death. It was the kind of menial task you might give a rookie detective. Seiber, 41, said Rachanda and her older brother, Byron, came to school with bruises. They would end up attending a family reunion along the Oregon coast, but in the middle of July, Rachanda started to feel a bit homesick. Linda Monville, Rachanda's mother, keeps this photo of Rachanda and Byron on a shelf in her home. She said no and he left. He's too much of a calm man.". Facebook The girl who was good about leaving notes if she headed out to play Nintendo at a neighbors house hadnt left one. He was convicted of a sex crime in Minnesota, served seven months in prison, and moved to California. Former Detective Sgt. Time had fogged her memory, but on one point she was clear: The men ordered her to lie if police asked where they were that morning. However, as recounted by family members, later on, she never ventured too far out into the woods unless she had her big brother Byron with her. Rachanda had one older brother named Byron, who was a little more than a year older than her, and the two would grow up with their mother, Linda, but would remain close to their father, whom they visited regularly. Later that morning, the door to the house opened unexpectedly. Rachanda nicknamed Chandy and her brother, Byron, had gone to live with their biological father, Steve Pickle, in Medford. John's accomplice, Roger Dale Beck, was convicted on almost identical grounds and continues to be housed in the Oregon State Penitentiary. Jim Salsbery was instrumental in the investigation that culminated with Ackroyds conviction in the death of Kaye Jean Turner. He said he came home during a break from work and asked Rachanda if she wanted to go for a ride with him. Her mother left behind a short list of chores. John Ackroyd, a longtime state highway worker, died alone in his prison celllate last year while serving a life sentence in another murder. She wouldn't lie.". While police had always kept John Ackroyd at the top of their suspect list, they never had enough evidence to pursue charges against anyone. She was afraid to go home from school; as a result, she often spent the night at friends' homes. She was a young teenage girl with hopes and dreams, he said. John Ackroyd was her third husband. Before Ackroyd entered their lives, their mother cycled through boyfriends and husbands. A police photo taken inside the Ackroyd home. Police investigating this rumor discovered that the young woman identified by the tipster was actually a relative of Rachanda's, but was not her. During the summer of 1990, when Rachanda was thirteen years old, she and her brother Byron had gone to spend a couple of weeks with their father, Steve, in Medford. She listened to pop stars Debbie Gibson and Wilson Phillips in her bedroom and teased her brother, who was her protector and playground companion. If she had been believed, all of these crimes might have been avoided. This involved search effort would cease their searches after Friday - three days after Rachanda had last been seen alive - but the Linn County Mounted Posse would carry on, and would be joined by employees from the U.S. Forest Service. Rachanda had gone to visit him shortly before her disappearance, and it was initially theorized that she might have gone out to see him. Despite the disappearance of Rachanda Pickle causing massive changes in the lives of those that had known her, her case would remain unshakeable over the next several years. While this plea deal provided some kind of closure in the case, John Arthur Ackroyd was not required to provide any kind of proof in the murder case of Rachanda Pickle. You have permission to edit this article. Her son, Byron, described Ackroyd as a violent man who once beat Rachanda over a broken clock. When he returned to the house at approximately 12:45 p.m., Rachanda had vanished. By now, investigators knew who they were dealing with. While investigating Rachanda's disappearance, detectives turned up evidence linking her stepfather John Arthur Ackroyd to the murder of Kaye Jean Turner, a 35-year-old woman from Eugene who was. The two often went to school with bruises, which they attributed to John's abuse. Early on, police looked into the possibility of Rachanda Pickle running away from home. Maybe it was the girls development, he told police, that drew a predator to the junction. Linda would consider calling the police that evening, but John - citing the mistaken belief that you needed to wait 24 hours to file a missing person's report - told her to wait until the following day. In 1990, Rachanda Pickle lived with her mother, brother and stepfather, John Ackroyd. Also, it was determined that John's accomplice, Roger Dale Beck, had told friends and family about the killing and had threatened them never to tell or they would suffer the same fate. His friends became sick at the sight and left. We just don't want people to forget that she's gone.". A few witnesses would recall having seen her during her multi-mile jog, but their statements were unable to provide the missing piece of this puzzle. Despite no information being published in the disappearance of Rachanda Pickle following the developments from early in 1991 (when the FBI was brought in to develop a suspect profile), the case was still being actively worked on by members of the Linn County Sheriff's Office. Twenty-five years have passed since Rachanda's aunt made those remarks, and they remain just as true. Rachanda was Ackroyd's 13-year-old stepdaughter who vanished in 1990 from the family home at the Santiam Junction highway compound. During the ensuing court case, defense attorneys would argue that John Arthur Ackroyd was slow-witted and mentally deficient, to the point of him being unaware of specific questions asked by investigators. Deceased/Not Found - OR - Rachanda Pickle, 13, Santiam Junction, 10 Linn County Sheriff's Office mounted extensive search for Rachanda Pickle in 1990. The Oregonian/OregonLive filed a motion in February asking that all documents in the case be unsealed. The first time it was almost like he didnt want to be seen and the second time he was flamboyant, snapping pictures and waving, the coworker said. Detective Mike Harmon with the Linn County Sheriff's Office told reporters: "It's difficult to prove that a 13-year-old doesn't exist. After Rachanda disappeared, he and her mother separated, and her mother moved to California and remarried. Rachanda has a scar on her forehead. Three years would pass, in which this case seemed to just fade from the headlines. That winter, Kaye and her husband, Noel, had decided to head up to a cabin in the Camp Sherman area. Details of plea deal in 1990 cold case killing finally revealed She introduced the women to him and they climbed in. The family had lived at the state highway compound for six years. She has double pierced ears and a scar on her forehead. This is about 150 miles southeast of Portland and about 80 miles northeast of Eugene. The photograph also shows the girls suitcase hadnt been unpacked after a recent trip to see her father. Rachanda Pickles mother and stepfather waited 24 hours to report the girls disappearance to 911. Its rough country and theres lots of brush.. But prosecutors argued that not only had John given contradictory statements to questions he fully understood, but he had also lied about certain details to deflect suspicion from himself. It wasn't until Oregonian reporters began digging into this case - following Ackroyd's death - that details of this plea deal would be released to the world at large. "We asked the brother what his desire was and his desire to take this deal and keep him in prison forever.". Since investigators had not yet uncovered any physical trace of Rachanda, they (along with prosecutors) were prepared to seek a case centered around a "no-body" homicide, which would require proof that the victim was no longer alive. The first time he stared ahead as Corinna Strouse waved hello. Linda, meanwhile, would attempt to defend her husband from accusations that she deemed unfounded, telling reporters that: "John ain't a violent man; he don't even beat the kids. When Rachanda was about seven years old, her mother would remarry. Investigators zeroed in on the encounter, suspecting that harming Rachanda had excited him. In 2010, Linn County sheriff's. Rachanda's mother, Linda Monville, 62, left Oregon 26 years ago and remarried. We still search for her. Could trucks be to blame for killing more pedestrians? It was even alleged that John had been molesting Rachanda, although that remains mostly-unconfirmed years later. The whereabouts of Rachanda Pickle have never been determined, with none of her friends, family members, or acquaintances having seen her after July 10th, 1990. In fact, the only clothing that seemed to be missing was a pair of black sweatpants and a white New Kids on the Block t-shirt she had been wearing a lot recently, so it was theorized that she had been wearing those items when she went missing. He appeared to become sexually aroused when shown a pair of pants that police had found in the woods and initially suspected belonged to Rachanda. Speaking to the Albany Democrat-Herald, in a few words, he stated: John Arthur Ackroyd, Rachanda's stepfather, had been the last person to see her on the morning of July 10th, 1990. Rachanda's photo is shown age-progressed to 41 years. Linn County Sheriffs detectives Mike Harmon, left, and Paul Timm talk about the arrest of John Akroyd on murder charges. Then Rachanda Pickle, Ackroyd's 13-year-old stepdaughter, disappeared. Linda would last see Rachanda when she left for work just after 6:00 AM. "He said, 'I will give a plea but I want the case to stop at this point and it not be announced that I have entered the plea and in return I won't ever try to get out of prison.'". In the case of Kaye Turner, he had guessed that the woman had been shot and stabbed to death. He later told police that when he did return, the front door was partly open, and a pellet gun he owned was propped up against a camper, with a box of pellets nearby. One time, she made a scene when it was time to go. A forensic examination of Turner's clothing revealed that's exactly what had happened, in the exact way described by John Arthur Ackroyd. She spotted two young women she knew. The resolution, in this case, would allow closure for the loved ones of Kaye Turner but was little solace for the friends and family of Rachanda Pickle, who had been missing for approximately four years at the time of sentencing. Making matters even more complicated was Rachanda's father, Steven Pickle, casting doubt on investigators' statements towards the end of July. No, what do you think I am? Ackroyd said, his voice rising in rare agitation. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). John, Rachanda's stepfather, came home during a break from work, at around 9:30 AM. 'The most difficult part is keeping it in people's minds' | KVAL The girl told her mother she didnt want to return home after a visit to her grandparents. Ackroyd stopped. Maybe it was the girls development, he told police, that drew a predator to the junction. He said he came home during a break from work and asked Rachanda if she wanted to go for a ride with him. Despite having a rather low libido, John - as recounted by the great "Ghosts of Highway 20" project, this caused a great deal of stress on his relationship with Linda - had decided to initiate sex with Rachanda's mother on the night of the teenage girl's disappearance. Ghosts of Highway 20 - Portland Mercury The night of RachandaPickles disappearance, John Ackroydinitiated sex with Linda Ackroyd. Bill Hanlon, the district attorney in Jefferson County, wasnt surprised when the call came from a prosecutor in Linn County, where Ackroyd lived. All rights reserved (About Us). He is also a suspect in the deaths of two other young women. His wife, Pam, said the two men were around the trailer for most of the morning, which helped give Ackroyd an alibi. During their digging into this case, they would uncover a plea deal agreed upon by both prosecutors and John Ackroyd, which had been agreed upon back in 2013, after charges had been filed in Rachanda's murder. Investigators were troubled by John Ackroyds knowledge of Rachandas bra size. She French-braided her moms hair, then settled on the couch to watch cartoons in her pajamas. Yet even in those types of cases, the terms of a plea agreement aren't generally secret. Ackroyd was charged in Rachanda's murder in April 2013. John had also been one of the last people to see her alive, and - if you recall from the introduction - had led police to her partial remains eight months later (which he claims he discovered through mere happenstance). He was painting the tailgate. Despite that, however, reporters with Oregon Live and the Oregonian have uncovered information that points to a long reign of terror for this one man, which extended far beyond his two known crimes. Rachanda was last seen watching television at her family's residence on the Santiam Pass in Sweet Home, Oregon at 10:00 a.m. on July 10, 1990. Searches would also be conducted in the area on occasion but were primarily limited to recertification time that local officials needed to continue operating as part of the state's search-and-rescue apparatus. He said he came home during a break from work and asked Rachanda if she wanted to go for a ride with him. By early 1992, investigators were closing in on Ackroyd. The investigation into Rachanda Pickle's disappearance would continue years later, with police having little evidence to operate with. When she was 12, Ackroyd tattooed his initials on her arm. This skull would be sent off for analysis in May of 1996, but months would pass before it was announced that scientists from Pennsylvania State University had been unable to extract DNA from the partial pieces of bone. However, he would transfer away from the Santiam Junction location - where he had worked and lived for more than a decade - to a state highway shop near Corvallis. When the couple pulled into the compound that evening, Rachanda wasnt hanging around outside like she had the day before. Ackroyd had actually been one of the few witnesses who claimed to have seen Kaye Turner jogging on the morning of Christmas Eve, on what would have been mile four of a planned six-mile jog. The DA knew Ackroyd had changed his story and admitted he had talked to Kaye the morning he encountered her on a run. Missing person Rachanda Lea Pickle missingpersonpsychic.com He would be charged with two counts of aggravated murder and three counts of murder, accused of conspiring to kidnap, rape, and murder Kaye Jean Turner nearly two decades prior. Officials with the Linn County Sheriff's Office would continue to routinely check in on the case over the next several months; typically, whenever they received reports of sightings of Rachanda. Ackroyd, 67,. To some, she seemed lost, almost invisible. On that date, Ackroyd had asked, through his attorneys, for an expedited trial date because of some lingering health concerns. An adult would have a database trail associated with credit cards, utility bills, driver's licenses and property transactions. Over the next few years, investigators would continue to receive reports of potential sightings from the area, including a rather high-profile sighting from August of 1999. In fall 2013, according to the unsealed court records, Ackroyd agreed not to seek parole and to decline release even if he became eligible in exchange for his no contest plea in his stepdaughter's death. John would tell investigators, loved ones anyone interested, really, that he didn't know what had happened to the missing girl. They would also spend hours going through the Ackroyd home, taking photographs and looking for any evidence that pointed to a struggle having taken place inside. Rachanda Pickle - The Charley Project Blog This seemed to leave the case in an unusual spot moving forward since the victim's body had never been found, and now the only suspect had died without the case going to trial. Despite the case officially being "solved", the loved ones of Rachanda are left with just as many unanswered questions today as they had back in 1990. He was drawn to Melissa and Sheila, making a point to chat them up. Updated 10 times since October 12, 2004. Santiam murder suspect arrested - McKenzie River Reflections In August of 1979, a man that lived in the region - named John Arthur Ackroyd - came forward with information. John Arthur Ackroyd would remain one of investigators' top suspects in this case, and as a result, would be questioned several times alongside a friend of his (whom police considered a potential accomplice). Years later, his ex-wife told police Beck and John Ackroyd told her to lie to police about their whereabouts the morning of Kaye's disappearance. Brown hair, brown eyes. In 1992, Ackroyd was sentenced to five life terms in prison for the unrelated murder of Kaye Jean Turner, who was abducted and murdered in 1978. They continued to live together, though, raising Linda's two kids, Rachanda and her older brother, Byron. Sadly, searches of the area would be unable to come up with any answers; whatever had happened to Kaye Turner, she seemed to have disappeared into thin air. He wasn't required to provide the location of Rachanda's remains or anything like that; nor, it's believed, any specific details of the crime itself.
Ogaden Population In Kenya,
Bill Simonson Biography,
Mobile Homes For Sale In Pa Must Be Moved,
Articles R