Oakland County Child Killer

Unidentified Serial Murderer

The Oakland County Child Killer (OCCK) is the chilling moniker for the unknown perpetrator(s) responsible for the brutal killings of at least four children in Oakland County, Michigan, between 1976 and 1977. The victims, ranging in age from 10 to 12, were last seen in the company of a man described as young to middle-aged, with a defined face, sharp nose, and long black hair. Each child was held captive before being tragically murdered, and their deaths ignited what became the largest murder investigation in U.S. history at that time. The case received extensive media coverage, including a notable Peabody Award-winning radio presentation titled Winter's Fear: The Children, the Killer, the Search aired on WXYT in 1977.

Quick Facts

• Other Names: The Babysitter Killer, The Babysitter, The Snow Murderer
• Victims: 4+
• Span of Crimes: February 15, 1976 – March 16, 1977
• Country: United States
• State: Michigan

Forensic DNA testing has indirectly implicated two suspects connected to the case, one of whom has since died, while the other is currently serving a life sentence for sexual offenses against children. A DNA profile of the main suspect was created from samples taken from the victims’ bodies, yet it does not match any known individuals associated with the case, leaving the perpetrator’s identity shrouded in mystery.

Background

Between February 15, 1976, and March 16, 1977, two boys and two girls vanished from their homes in Oakland County, Michigan, just north of Detroit. Each child's body was discovered in public areas within nineteen days of their disappearance. The children were either strangled or shot, with the two boys having been sexually abused. Disturbingly, once the victims were killed, their bodies were left in locations visible from the roadways, a detail that added a sinister layer to the crimes.

Victims

Confirmed

1. Mark Douglas Stebbins (12, Ferndale)

   • Last seen on February 15, 1976, leaving an American Legion Hall. His body was discovered four days later, fully clothed, lying on a pile of wood and dirt in a Southfield office building parking lot. Autopsy results revealed he had been strangled, sexually abused with a foreign object, and bore two lacerations to the left rear of his head. Rope marks on his wrists and ankles indicated he had been bound during his captivity.

2. Jill Robinson (12, Royal Oak)

   • Disappeared on December 22, 1976, after an argument with her mother. Her bicycle was found the next day behind a hobby store, and her body was located along Interstate 75 in Troy on December 26. Jill had been shot in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun. Autopsy reports indicated she had been cared for and fed at least three days before her murder, raising unsettling questions about her final days.

3. Kristine Marie Mihelich (10, Berkley)

   • Reported missing on January 2, 1977, after failing to return from a 7-Eleven store. Her body was found nineteen days later on the side of a rural road in Franklin Village, smothered to death less than 24 hours prior. The body was left in plain sight for nearby homes to see, amplifying the terror felt by the community.

4. Timothy John King (11, Birmingham)

   • Last seen on March 16, 1977, after visiting a pharmacy. His body was found on March 22 in a shallow ditch along Gill Road in Livonia, having been sexually assaulted and suffocated just hours before discovery. Autopsy results revealed he had eaten Kentucky Fried Chicken shortly before his death and had been cleaned and groomed, adding a haunting layer to the circumstances of his final moments.

Suspected

• Donna Serra (17)

  • Missing since September 29, 1972, after hitchhiking to a beach. Her body was discovered weeks later in a creek, strangled and drugged prior to her death.

• Jane Louise "Janey" Allan (13)

  • Went missing on August 8, 1976, last seen hitchhiking. Found dead in a river in Ohio four days later, with her wrists tied. The cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Kimberly Alice "Kim" King (12)

  • Disappeared on September 15, 1979, after sneaking out from a friend's house. Authorities suspect her abduction may be linked to the OCCK.

Disproved

• Judy Ferro (16)

  • Found beaten and strangled on January 1, 1976. The case was closed when a suspect committed suicide, tying him to the crime.

• Cynthia Rae "Cindy" Cadieux (16)

  • Abducted while hitchhiking and found bludgeoned to death shortly after. Two men were convicted for her murder.

• Sheila Srock (14)

  • Rapist and murderer identified and convicted after witnesses saw him during the crime.

Investigation

Following the discovery of Kristine Mihelich's body, authorities noted alarming similarities to the cases of Stebbins and Robinson, leading to public warnings about a potential serial killer. The Michigan State Police formed a task force, uniting law enforcement from thirteen communities to delve into the investigation.

When Timothy King went missing, a witness reported seeing him with a man in a blue AMC Gremlin outside the pharmacy he visited. A composite sketch of this suspect was released, leading investigators to question every owner of that car model in Oakland County. The profile of the suspected kidnapper described him as a white male aged 25 to 35 with shaggy hair and sideburns, suggesting he had a background that allowed him to appear trustworthy to children.

The task force sifted through over 18,000 tips, leading to numerous arrests on unrelated charges and the discovery of a child pornography ring operating out of North Fox Island. Despite these efforts, the investigation faced stagnation and was disbanded in December 1978, with the case transferred to State Police.

Suspects and Persons of Interest

A few weeks after Timothy's murder, a psychiatrist involved with the task force received an anonymous letter from someone claiming to be a sadomasochistic slave of the killer. The writer, identified as "Allen," detailed their chilling connection to the crimes, expressing remorse and fear. His instructions to the psychiatrist included a bizarre request to publish a coded message in the local newspaper, but ultimately, "Allen" vanished without a trace.

Archibald Edward Sloan, a known child molester, was implicated when hair samples from his car matched those found on the victims, although they did not belong to him. Witnesses also claimed to have seen Timothy abducted by two men, one of whom bore a striking resemblance to notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who had been in Michigan during the time of the killings. However, Gacy's DNA did not match any found at the crime scenes.

In 2006, police arrested Ted Lamborgine, a retired auto worker with connections to a sex ring in Detroit. He became the prime suspect after a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against him by Mark Stebbins' family, alleging he abducted and held Mark captive before murdering him. Lamborgine, however, has never been formally charged in connection to the murders.

Interest in the case was reignited when Barry King, Timothy's father, pushed for information on Chris Busch, the son of a General Motors executive who had been in police custody for suspected child pornography shortly before Timothy's disappearance. Following Busch's suicide in 1978, incriminating evidence was found in his apartment, yet ultimately, DNA testing in 2012 exonerated him, with authorities believing the true killer to still be alive.

Resumed Investigation and New Evidence

In 2012, the King family obtained police reports revealing new information, including DNA tests of new suspects and details surrounding the bloodstained ligature found in Busch's apartment. The family’s research culminated in a documentary titled Decades of Deceit, which criticized law enforcement's handling of the case and generated funds for child abuse prevention.

DNA testing in 2012 linked hair found in Sloan's car to the victims, although it did not match Sloan himself, suggesting someone else used his vehicle.

Later Developments / 2012 Case Reopening

In 2013, an anonymous tip pointed investigators to a blue AMC Gremlin buried in a field in Grand Blanc, prompting further examination due to its connection to Timothy King’s last sighting.

"Jeff Gannon"

In 2005, a man known only as "Jeff" surfaced, claiming to have insights regarding the case stemming from an acquaintance he had in 1977. He provided investigators with peculiar details, including references to "Allen's" letter, but ultimately was dismissed due to a lack of new evidence. In 2012, Jeff alleged he had identified the murderer but refused to disclose the name without seeing critical police evidence first.

In February 2019, a documentary aired, shedding new light on the suspect Arch Edward Sloan, who had failed a polygraph test when previously interviewed by the task force. New DNA technology had identified hair matching that of the victims found in Sloan's vehicle.

See Also

• List of homicides in Michigan
• List of fugitives from justice who disappeared
• List of serial killers in the United States

Sources

• Martindale, Mike (August 24, 2007). "New DNA evidence surfaces in Oakland child killings". The Detroit News.
• "DNA results revive 36-year-old Oakland County Child Killer case". mlive. July 18, 2012.
• Keppell, Robert (1995). The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer. New York: Pocket Books.
• McIntyre, Tommy (1988). Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: The Search for a Child Killer. Detroit: Wayne State University Press.
• Various articles and reports from local Michigan news sources covering the case over the years.

For a more in-depth exploration, feel free to check out the original Wikipedia article here.