Four reported missing 11/12/10 Apple Valley OH (1 alive - 3 found dead)

[Babybear]

I have great sympathy for LE individuals who have to go to the scene of something like this---three bodies in a hollow tree.  It must be a dreadful thing to have to go through, like finding partial remains of Zahra Baker in several locations.  I'm very grateful that there are people who will do this for the public.

[Bearlyhere]

Each of the four has lost something precious.  The daughter who is still alive has had her family taken from her, he has also taken her security from her forever.  No one should have to go through her life looking over her shoulders the way this girl will be doing.  God bless all of them, especially the one who lived.  The other 3 are with the Lord, she will be going through hell on earth.  It is just not right.

 

[Nut44x4]

I'm thinking missing found deceased.

Okay...that is what I figured...just wasn't sure.

[New Monkey]

I am thinking it is possible he took care of the women during the day while the children were at school and was waiting for them when they got home. 

I really hope they didn't take the DP off the table, but totally understand if they had to do that.

[New Monkey]

WBNS is reporting that Hoffman's mother visited him in jail Wednesday night.  Maybe that's why he gave up the whereabouts of the bodies. 

[no rose colored glasses]

WBNS is reporting that Hoffman's mother visited him in jail Wednesday night.  Maybe that's why he gave up the whereabouts of the bodies. 

That is what I was thinking. I have to say that I have never heard of three bodies murdered and placed in a hollowed out tree, just can't even comprehend how someone would even come up with that idea. I could be wrong, but without this monster's help, I doubt if anyone would have found the three people in that tree 

[Itaryl Moosee]

WBNS is reporting that Hoffman's mother visited him in jail Wednesday night.  Maybe that's why he gave up the whereabouts of the bodies. 

That is what I was thinking. I have to say that I have never heard of three bodies murdered and placed in a hollowed out tree, just can't even comprehend how someone would even come up with that idea. I could be wrong, but without this monster's help, I doubt if anyone would have found the three people in that tree 

I read yesterday that he himself had hollowed the tree where he placed the bodies. He had experience with trimming trees. Can't find the article now to provide the link, but I believe it was on the Mount Vernon News site.

I again shiver at the thought that if he had gotten away with the crimes, he would've continued to do the same to others in the community in the future.

Great work was done by LE in the area, congratulations to them. They may have been a little lucky, as well... spotting Hoffman near the truck found in the park, and maybe finding the receipt that lead them to his whereabouts.

The teenager will surely have "survivor's syndrome", guilt for having survived while the others didn't. I hope she receives therapy for now and for a long time, since she will need it.

As painful and horrific as it is to have found the three bodies, at least the families will have closure and move forth sooner than if they had to wait years to find out the victims' fate.

I pray for the girl, that she finds her way through life and be happy and successful in all her future endeavors.



p.s.
I wonder what is served in prison at Thanksgiving these days.
Whatever it is, I'm sure that Matthew Hoffman would rather take, instead of glazed turkey, a juicy red squirrel or maybe some rattlesnake... with skin on.

[New Monkey]

New details released:

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/19/story-fredericktown-knox-county-missing-found-tree.html?sid=102

[New Monkey]

Golldarnitall, wouldn't he have to be awfully strong to be able to use a harness to haul the bodies to the hollow of the tree and drop them in? 

[Itaryl Moosee]

Like an animal, he dragged his victims up to a tree and stuffed them in there, including the family dog!!

Cases like this remind me that some of us still have vestiges of our animal ancestors more than others. He's just an animal, no human in him.

I saw pictures of cars and trucks drive very close to where the victims were retrieved, so it's possible that he drove very close to the tree, used harnesses to raise the bodies up to the hollowed tree.

The article yesterday said he hollowed the tree, but the pictures today show a tree that seems that it's been hollow for a very long time.

[New Monkey]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/11/18/Bodies-found-are-3-missing-Ohioans/UPI-84811290126303/

The bodies of Tina Herrmann, 32; her 11-year-old son, Kody Maynard; and family friend Stephanie Sprang, 41, were found dismembered "in a wooded area inside of garbage bags in a hollow tree" near Fredericktown, about 12 miles from where the three disappeared eight days ago, Knox County Sheriff David Barber said.
 

[4 Donks]

They need to take him off suicide watch and encourage him...maybe even supply the means.

[no rose colored glasses]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/11/18/Bodies-found-are-3-missing-Ohioans/UPI-84811290126303/

The bodies of Tina Herrmann, 32; her 11-year-old son, Kody Maynard; and family friend Stephanie Sprang, 41, were found dismembered "in a wooded area inside of garbage bags in a hollow tree" near Fredericktown, about 12 miles from where the three disappeared eight days ago, Knox County Sheriff David Barber said.
 

OMG not only dismembered but put in a hole up high in a tree. For some reason I was picturing the hole in the tree was at the bottom of the tree.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/19/story-mount-vernon-knox-county-missing-family-mourns.html?sid=102
Family, Community Mourns Knox County Tragedy
Friday,  November 19, 2010 6:05 PM
WBNS-10TV
HOWARD, Ohio — Family and friends of Tina Herrmann, her son Kody Maynard, and family friend Stephanie Sprang said they have been overwhelmed by an outpouring of community support.

A memorial has been growing at Herrmann's home, the scene of the crime, with balloons, teddy bears and flowers, 10TV's Jason Frazer reported on Friday.

The bodies of Tina Herrmann, 32; her son, Kody Maynard, 11; and family friend Stephanie Sprang, 41, were found Thursday afternoon in a wooded area of the Kokosing Wildlife Preserve.

The Licking County coroner was performing autopsies on Friday to determine how the three were killed, while investigators worked to build a case against the only suspect in the slayings, Matthew Hoffman.

Hoffman, 30, has not been charged with murder, but was being held on $1 million bond, accused of kidnapping Herrmann's daughter, Sarah Maynard.

Sarah Maynard, 13, was found alive on Sunday, bound and gagged, inside Hoffman's Mount Vernon home.

Sprang's eldest son, Michael Kupiec, said nothing could have prepared him for the discovery of his mother's body stuffed inside a hollow tree.

"It was just a shock," Kupiec said. "I was speechless that day. I was searching and searching and come to find out we weren't even looking in the right spots."

Herrmann's boyfriend, Greg Borders, said he is overwhelmed by the support.
It's been amazing, honestly, everybody has been involved in the search just showing that they care about us and thinking about us our family and everything that has happened, it has been amazing," Borders said.

Borders said it is hard to walk in the home he shared with Herrmann and her two children after investigators said the three died there.

"I just hope they pray for Sarah and not remember how Tina, Stephanie and Kody, how things ended with them, but how they lived their lives," Borders said.

Kupiec said while he is not angry with Hoffman, he wants to see him brought to justice.

"Our family and Tina's family, we're all thankful and appreciate everything. And we show our support for the gratitude for all of the support we have out here," Kupiec said. "We're not saying it's a closure until we know who did it. We know who did it but we want to know the specifics."

The search began on Nov. 12 after Valerie Haythorn called to tell sheriff's deputies what she found inside Herrmann's Apple Valley home.

Haythorn, Herrmann's friend and boss, was worried after she missed two days of work at a Mount Vernon Dairy Queen, 10TV's Andy Hirsch reported.

She went to Herrmann's home and climbed through a back window to check on her friend. She said from the amount of blood she found inside, she knew deep down that she would never see her friend again.

"From what I saw, we still had a lot of hope and faith and we prayed every day, but I had to reconcile myself with the fact that she was gone," Haythorn said. "We have closure and I know now that she's not suffering because, if she were alive and she were suffering that would be worse."

Cards and other donations for the family will be accepted at the Dairy Queen where Herrmann worked. The staff will donate $1 from every sale of a Blizzard on Saturday to the family, Hirsch reported.

Knox County Sheriff David Barber said Hoffman revealed information that led investigators to the remains of three missing people.

Neither Barber, nor Knox County Prosecutor John C. Thatcher, would say whether Hoffman confessed to the slayings, 10 Investigates' Paul Aker reported.

Ohio State University law Professor Doug Berman said there probably was not time to hammer out a formalized deal in this case, but it is likely prosecutors used the threat of the death penalty to pressure Hoffman.

"Certainly there might have been conversations that said, "Look, it's going to be harder for us prosecutors -- to have any sympathy for your client if it turns out he's done these things and we're spending weeks and months still searching for the bodies," Berman said.

Thatcher said Friday that because this is an ongoing case, he could not comment on any statements Hoffman may have made.

Hoffman is scheduled to be in court on Tuesday.

Watch 10TV News HD and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.

   
WTF is wrong with people?

[cw618]

WTH are all the insane,crazy bad guys trying to out do each other
like its some contest or something, do they think, chit i can top  that
crime, and i bet i can get away with it.
i think that is what hoffman thought, no one would ever find these
people, and would keep on  killing , except they found the girl, and
stopped him in his tracks
thank you LE

[SuzieQ]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/11/18/Bodies-found-are-3-missing-Ohioans/UPI-84811290126303/

The bodies of Tina Herrmann, 32; her 11-year-old son, Kody Maynard; and family friend Stephanie Sprang, 41, were found dismembered "in a wooded area inside of garbage bags in a hollow tree" near Fredericktown, about 12 miles from where the three disappeared eight days ago, Knox County Sheriff David Barber said.
 

New Monkey, where in that article do you see that they were dismembered?   If it was there, they must have taken it out.

[New Monkey]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/11/18/Bodies-found-are-3-missing-Ohioans/UPI-84811290126303/

The bodies of Tina Herrmann, 32; her 11-year-old son, Kody Maynard; and family friend Stephanie Sprang, 41, were found dismembered "in a wooded area inside of garbage bags in a hollow tree" near Fredericktown, about 12 miles from where the three disappeared eight days ago, Knox County Sheriff David Barber said.
 

New Monkey, where in that article do you see that they were dismembered?   If it was there, they must have taken it out.

Sorry, I've been out tonight.  The dismembered part was there earlier.  I'm 100% on that.  No way would I have added that word in myself.

[Terri]

Good evening all,

I had been looking for this thread since day one, I must not know how to search correctly. 

I live in Ohio, just a few counties over,, same county as Sarah's father, my family still lives in the Newark, Mt. Vernon area.  I have never seen anything hit so many people so hard in all my life.   To say this community is in shock is an understatement.  Tears, pain, anger, and rage....emotions are running the gambit.  Many people literally felt as if they had been kicked in the stomach when the bodies were found...we all knew but....

We have all followed this case closely and been active in the online forums in town.  I have not read they were dismembered.  I could have missed it, there has been so much pain.

The way I understand it, not only was the man quite strong and adept at working in the trees, he worked out at an area gym. 

As for the people wondering how in the world he decided to hide the bodies in the tree, a few people voiced the theory before the bodies were found.  They felt it was common sense given the situation...strange,  I would have never thought of it.

There are just so many unanswered questions...LE has held daily press conferences, they have been so wonderful through out all of this.  The way they spoke most think they knew from day one...they just could not disclose all the info.

The one question I really have is how did they know Sarah was in his home?  Someone had to have known something and informed. But again, this investigation has been so tight lipped.  And I guess that's good.  Given that Sarah and other family members are hearing all of this, they deserve privacy.  LE has been so professional and caring for the family.  These are small town officers and they have been incredible.  They also gave full credit to every agencythat came in to help.    I have been so impressed.

I'm rambling...I know.  I have been trying to process this.  This has totally taken any sense of safety I have ever had.  These people did not know him, they did not do anything wrong, they were not involved in anything illicit,  they were not even in the wrong place at the wrong time.  They were just small town people going about their daily lives. 

Thank you for letting me vent. 



Terri

[MuffyBee]

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/19/story-fredericktown-knox-county-missing-found-tree.html?sid=102
New Details Released On Discovery Of Bodies
November 19, 2010

Stephanie Sprang, Tina Herrmann and Kody Maynard.

FREDERICKTOWN, Ohio — Investigators continued to piece together the case against Matthew Hoffman on Friday as more information was released about where the bodies of two women and a boy were recovered.


The bodies of Tina Herrmann, 32; her son, Kody Maynard, 11; and family friend Stephanie Sprang, 41, were found Thursday afternoon in a wooded area of the Kokosing Wildlife Preserve, 10TV's Tino Ramos reported.

The Licking County coroner was performing autopsies on Friday to determine how the three were killed.

Knox County Sheriff David Barber said that investigators went to the site, located near Fredericktown, based on information they received from Hoffman.

Neither Barber nor Knox County prosecutor John C. Thatcher would say whether Hoffman, 30, confessed to the crime.

The bodies were found inside a hollow tree that was nearly one mile into the woods. Investigators said the area is so densely wooded that they believe Hoffman dragged the bodies to the tree.

Detectives believe that Hoffman, an experienced tree trimmer, used harnesses to haul the bodies up to a hole at the top of the tree and dropped them down to the base, Ramos reported.
The bodies were found lodged near the bottom of the tree and investigators had to cut a hole to remove them, Ramos reported.

Herrmann's dog was found stuffed in the tree, 10TV News reported.

Hoffman has not been charged with murder, but was being held on $1 million bond, accused of kidnapping Herrmann's daughter, Sarah Maynard.

Sarah Maynard, 13, was found alive on Sunday, bound and gagged, inside Hoffman's Mount Vernon home.

Hoffman's mother told 10TV News on Thursday that she visited her son in jail for the first time on Wednesday night, and that the visit may have played a part in his decision to reveal the location of the bodies.

She said that her son told her that he was "relieved" when authorities raided his home because "Sarah would be able to go home."

Thatcher said additional charges are expected to be filed in the coming weeks, after autopsies are done and the investigation is complete.

The tree where the bodies were found was cut down on Friday afternoon.

Watch 10TV News HD and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.

[Terri]

Just another thought...I was past digusted with Nancy Grace.  I could not even watch ten minutes of her bull chite reporting on this case.  She took half info and twisted it to be sensationalism.  I do not even recall what she was saying exactly, I  just knew she was so far off with her yelling and ranting, that I had to turn the channel.

It makes me sick that any members of the family might have seen or heard her craziness.   I had lost all respect for her long ago, but now that I see fist hand how she twisted the local info that everyone was given, there is no reason to watch her ever again.  It is not justice when family members hear her rants on half truths.  They have enough to contend with. 

I can honestly say, if Nancy Grace had logged onto wbns or nbc4 online forums she would have known more facts than the drama she played.  While there was speculation on the forums, there were also friends and people in the community able to give out some info as well as voice the truth about the victims. 

The families deserved so much more than for their pain to be fodder for her sensationalism. 
MOO

Terri