Reviewer: Richard Allinson | November 2013, A gross miscarriage of justice that sent an innocent Ohio man to death row is anatomized by a journalist who covered the trial in 1984. On October 4, 1982, 18-year-old Annette Cooper Johnston, a Hocking College student and her 19-year-old fianc, Todd Schultz were reported missing in West Logan, Ohio. continued. The occasion was the conviction of Dale N. Johnston. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. To subscribe, simply click Join Now. Ten days later, they both turn up dead. kids were, or who the person was who was with the kids, and he We thought, Would you like to receive our daily news? He was a good kid with a great sense Signup today! In 1982, a gruesome double murder took place in Logan, a mined-out Appalachian coal town in southern Ohio. based on a physical attraction at that point.They were typical All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Even before the bodies were recovered, the lead police investigator targeted Annettes stepfather, Dale Johnston, as the murderer. Keep it Clean. have been 44 this year and Cooper-Johnston would have been 43. changing after that. In 2008 two other men were indicted for the murders of Todd and Annette. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. problem with certain types of evidence is that it deteriorates Instead of causing trouble, McKnight says hes trying to be a positive influence on the younger inmates at the prison who still have their whole lives ahead of them. They think Dale Johnston murdered Todd and Report an error or add more information about this case. He seemed to pride himself on beating the system and with some good reason. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism They dont need to go out and do the same stuff, hang out with the same people they hung around with. Tell past, and described him as 19-year-old Todd Schultz, her Kenneth Linscott, 52, died at Hocking County Valley Community Hospital early Monday morning. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Signup today! it would either seal the case or acquit him.They could do When McKnight pleaded guilty to the crimes in December 2008, he declined to tell the court and the victims families what happened that night. Like my grandfather always said, I always just pissed in the wind, he said. Create a password that only you will remember. We won't share it with anyone else. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. racist or sexually-oriented language. However, an FBI report which prosecutors withheld from the defense concluded that the foot cast definitely did not match the defendants boots. From there, McKnight and Linscott mutilated their bodies, cut off their limbs, and buried them in shallow graves in a cornfield alongside the river. Be Nice. I had an uncle when I was growing up who always told me I was never going to amount to nothing, and I guess hes right.. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The crucial changes in the witnesss story occurred after police hypnotized and then questioned him. Schultz said, He always said he wanted to get out of prison so he Don't Threaten. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Dont worry Im not getting out, McKnight said. abuse).Sandra said the Saturday after theyd disappeared, Johnston Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Richard Allinson is the former editor and publisher of Criminal Justice Press. McKnight is already in the state prison system on unrelated convictions. "The Bad Son" Premieres Wednesday, November 19 at 9/8c I probably wont even make it, but I mean, you know, Ive been in and out of prison most of my life, and just like my attorney told The Columbus Dispatch, Ill end up dying in here.. The website is updated daily, frequently with exonerations that occurred in the past. teenagers Annette Cooper-Johnston and Todd Schultz. aggravated murder and sentenced to die in Ohios electric chair. Case of 1982 Annette Cooper and Todd Schultz murders. daylight hours.Schultz younger brother, Erich, said, Its not LOGAN, Ohio - Two suspects in the grisly 1982 dismemberment slayings of a young Hocking County couple were ordered held on $1 million bond each today. Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas Gerken set the bonds this morning as Chester W. McKnight, 50, and Kenneth Linscott, 47, were arraigned on aggravated murder charges. Be Proactive. Resend Activation Email. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. accounts, the history behind an article. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Choose wisely! that is degrading to another person. experiencing. Please reset your password. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Subscribe to our email list and learn about upcoming reviews and news. sometimes, Beal said. could find the murderer. Although Linscott originally faced three charges of aggravated murder, each of which carried death-penalty specifications for his involvement, he pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor of abusing a corpse in June 2009. This place just aint where to be. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. He spent seven years in prison, five on Ohios death row, before his conviction was overturned. The Ohio supreme court heard arguments Wednesday in Johnstons latest attempt to win a wrongful imprisonment suit against the state. To use this feature, use a newer browser. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. like them, Greg said.Even if the story is often exaggerated with a Since Linscott had been in custody since September 2008 and had served more than six months in jail, he was subsequently released. Todd Schultz's father, Donald, mother, Sandy, and brothers, Eric and Greg, were in the courtroom for the arraignment. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140743046/margaret-annette-cooper. And its time to put it all to rest. We won't share it with anyone else. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. of serious questions about their death, and I believe I have the Learn more about merges. Some justices seemed skeptical of the states efforts to fight Johnston, given the judges 2012 ruling in his favor. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. was suppressed when a court ruled it was obtained during an mother.The morning of the fifth, when they hadnt come home the McKnight, who wasnt wearing restraints, told The Logan Daily that he spends his time walking the track at the prison for exercise, helps the visually impaired in their day-to-day activities by working as an aid, and reads a lot. decision of three judges, North said, but you have to look at the For the most accurate data, please search on the Detailed View page. An appeals court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial, but a judge refused to allow the hypnotised witness testimony and other evidence and the case was dismissed. McKnight speaks about infamous Logan murders. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The limbs, heads, and torsos of Todd Schultz, 19, and Annette Cooper, 18, were found buried in shallow graves in a cornfield in West Logan after being shot and their bodies mutilated on Oct.. Southeast Ohio District 13 Coaches' teams revealed, Federal Hocking outlasts Eastern to advance to District Finals. The Registry also maintains a more limited database of known exonerations prior to 1989. Keep it Clean. one way or the other, but that might be because I dont have to Three years ago, a Franklin County judge declared Johnston innocent, allowing him to seek compensation from the state, but an appeals court reversed the ruling. McKnight will be up for parole in 2037 when hes 79-years-old, but McKnight said hes sure hes never getting out of prison. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Season 2 Episode 1 Preview: In October of 1982, Annette Cooper and her fianc Todd Schultz go missing from their home in Logan, Ohio. news accounts described her as, pretty blonde Annette Im not sure what would happen if we crossed paths. The author provides a highly readable history of the Logan case, following it all the way to the convictions of the actual murderers in 2008. North said investigations had obtained a confession from one of the suspects, had secured physical evidence and had located an eyewitness to some of the events leading to the horrific crime. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. In October of 1982 Todd Schultz and Annette Coopers were in love and making plans to leave their sleepy Ohio town of Logan. Publisher: Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press, 2012. improperly executed search warrant.If anyone ever comes forth with . But, he was freed on appeal in 1990 due to improperly seized evidence and other factors and was not retried. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Invalid password or account does not exist. like growing up Opie, he said. everyone on edge.Greg said he felt like the whole world started On October 4, 1982, 18-year-old Annette Cooper Johnston, a Hocking College student and her 19-year-old fianc, . Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Another piece of seemingly ironclad evidence against the defendant was the testimony of a self-proclaimed expert that the wear patterns of Johnstons boots matched a plaster cast of a foot impression taken at the crime scene. In the 25 All NRE reports represent a moment in time. I would have just left it the way it was because my out date was in 2017, he said, explaining that he was scheduled to be released from prison for a prior offense. LOGAN, Ohio (AP) - Two men have been indicted in the killings of a young couple whose mutilated remains were found in southeast Ohio more than a quarter century ago. something you get over, but you get around it, while Greg said it the case were also surprised by the outcome. racist or sexually-oriented language. surprised he got a retrial, that the Supreme Court overruled the Sandra Share with Us. I called Sarah (Annettes mother), and seems the situation is still constantly on their mothers mind, and At the time of his confession, McKnight was incarcerated at Madison for a separate crime. After 18-year-old Annette Cooper and her 19-year-old boyfriend Todd Schultz were shot and killed in a local cornfield, their bodies were dismembered and tossed into a nearby river. LOGAN This week marks the 25th anniversary of Hocking Countys But Meyers was unrelenting with his advances, and McKnight reportedly pulled out a .22 caliber and put the barrel against Myers head. There was a problem getting your location. Monday, December 2nd 2019. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. The National Registry of Exonerations is a project of the Newkirk Center for Science & Society at University of California Irvine, the University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. the trial even started, he said. us about an exoneration that we may have missed, Correct an error or add information about an exoneration do.. I seen him once in my whole life, and I was in the Lebanon Correctional Institution and I was 33-years-old. court because Logan Police Detective James Thompson used hypnosis The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Don't Threaten. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. A system error has occurred. Todd Schultz and Annette Cooper were killed and dismembered in brutal fashion This week on The Perfect Suspect, the murder and mutilation of a young couple leads to the wrong man being jailed. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism We'd love to hear eyewitness Year should not be greater than current year. On October 4, 1982, 18-year-old Annette Cooper Johnston, a Hocking College student and her 19-year-old fianc,Todd Schultz were reported missing in West Logan, Ohio.Ten days later, on October 14, their bodies were found.------------------------- death certificate, states that she was cremated by Cook & Son on parsons Ave, Cols., OH, Ohio, U.S., Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018, Ohio, U.S., Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Obituary Index, 1810s-2016, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. LOGAN, Ohio (AP) - Two men have been indicted in the killings of a young couple whose mutilated remains were found in southeast Ohio more than a quarter century ago. conclusion to the case has not been found.Todd Schultz family cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Don't knowingly lie about anyone 179p. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Im by myself, but thats good because, you know, I dont have nobody on the outside saying well, you know, writing and letting me know about things or anything like that. Threats of harming another Invalid password or account does not exist. In the 25 years He got away with murder for more than 25 years.. Two days later, their heads and limbs were found buried in shallow pits in a nearby cornfield. Theyve got other things to worry about than me causing trouble or anything, because a dorm holds 126 people, and you know, I look at it this way if I could just stay out of the way, thats one less person that theyve got to worry about.. On Oct. Would you like to receive our daily news? McKnight also hasnt seen or heard from his mother, who reportedly lives somewhere near Nelsonville, in six years. than she already is. I guess I can just say that the drugs and the alcohol kind of did the thinking for me, and I just kind of flew off the handle. It was like the coming of age for the whole high school, went to vocational school and was quite a Trick or Treat in Logan was held during daylight hours for three decades as a result. I seen him once in my whole life, and I was in the Lebanon Correctional Institution and I was 33-years-old. At the request of defense attorneys, the judge granted a request for a gag order to prevent prosecutors, police and defense lawyers from discussing the case. LOGAN, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) A police chase ends with a murder-suicide in Hocking County. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. that the family probably would have benefited from counseling at Sandra said. You have permission to edit this article. So you know, I never knew my dad. When the street lights came Don't Threaten. slain lovebirds slant, its not an exaggeration to say that the LOGAN This week marks the 25th anniversary of Hocking County's greatest unsolved mystery the horrific double murder of Logan teenagers Annette Cooper-Johnston and Todd Schultz. Chester McKnight sits inside a conference room at Madison Correction Institution in London late last week. Failed to report flower. Logan Daily News Editor Sandra Schultz remembered. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. I apologize to the Schultz family and I apologize to Dale (Johnston) and his wife and everything, but Im just glad that they didnt request the death penalty like the citizens of Logan did Dale, he continued. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Share with Us. Osinskis case history provides a useful reminder of how easily local police and courts, especially when under public pressure for a speedy conviction, can circumvent rules that protect innocent people from being railroaded. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Theyve got the rest of their life ahead of them.. Halloween that year and still holds trick-or-treating during Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. You know, I cant bring back the two victims; the only thing I can do is bide my time being incarcerated., I apologize to the Schultz family and I apologize to Dale [Johnston] and his wife and everything, but Im just glad that they didnt request the death penalty like the citizens of Logan did Dale, he continued. photographer. According to the account, Schultz, who was upset about McKnight making advances toward Cooper, lunged at McKnight, who drew his gun and shot Schultz first and then Cooper when she screamed. Buried in the Backyard: Annette Cooper and Todd Schultz Go Missing (Season 2, Episode 1), Buried in the Backyard: Authorities Find The Remains Of Annette Cooper and Todd Schultz (Season 2, Episode 1), Buried in the Backyard Bonus: Remembering Todd Schultz (Season 2, Episode 1), Buried in the Backyard Bonus: Dale Johnston Is Arrested (Season 2, Episode 1), Buried in the Backyard Bonus: Police Question Kenny Linscott (Season 2, Episode 1), The Murder of Gabby Petito: Truth, Lies and Social Media. Its a shame that Linscott took his lies to the grave with him, said Bill Osinski, author of the book, Guilty By Popular Demand, which detailed his own account and research of the murders. racist or sexually-oriented language. racist or sexually-oriented language. or anything. he said, Thats all her mom has to remember her by, Sandra LOGAN Greg Schultz is the brother of Todd Schultz, who was brutally murdered on Oct. 4, 1982 at the young age of 19, alongside his girlfriend Annette Cooper, 18. After 18-year-old Annette Cooper and her 19-year-old boyfriend Todd Schultz were shot and killed in a local cornfield, their bodies were dismembered and tossed into a nearby river. The torsos were later found in the river. Although Linscott initially faced three charges of aggravated murder, each of which carried death-penalty specifications, he pleaded guilty in June 2009 to a first-degree misdemeanor of abusing a corpse. I had an uncle when I was growing up who always told me I was never going to amount to nothing, and I guess hes right.. However, the witness had initially told police that he had seen a man he did not know ordering two teenagers he didnt recognize to get into a car. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. stepfather, Dale Johnston, was found guilty of two counts of Johnston was indicted the following year and in 1984, a Hocking County jury, based in part on testimony by a hypnotised witness, convicted Johnston of the killings and sentenced him to death on the theory hed been having an affair with his stepdaughter and killed both in a jealous rage. certainly have helped the investigation.Erich Schultz said, If Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. He said people probably try to force themselves You never heard of those sorts of ODNR has permit to dredge Lake Logan, but hasnt started yet, Sharpe gets 28 to life for multiple sex crimes, American Pickers show coming to Ohio, looking for leads, Group wants to end Ohio officials protections from lawsuits. Family members recount the morning of the disappearance and their search for the young couple. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism LOGAN The Logan man who was accused in the 1982 murders of local teenagers Todd Schultz, 19, and Annette Cooper, 18, has died. The prosecutions most important evidence was a witnesss testimony that on the day of the murders he saw Johnston angrily ordering the two victims to get into his truck not far from the crime scene. Keep it Clean. Although McKnight said he has no one to blame but himself for his misdeeds, he believes that growing up without a father didnt help. came by their house asking for Annettes clothes.I said, no, and He loved kids. It was a small town, and it put Use the 'Report' link on There was heavy security in the courtroom. Don't Threaten. in the investigation still think about it and hope to get closure Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. (To prevent a repetition of the mistakes in this case, the Ohio Supreme Court subsequently issued specific rules governing the use of hypnosis in criminal investigations.). If my family wanted to, or if they dont want to have any contact with me, then so be it. he (thought he) knew it was me, and he knew it was my daughter, and I think about what itd be like if he were still Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. I have had a lot too.Johnston, on the other hand, said he was surprised to hear he Please try again later. In 2008, two men confessed to the crime, with one saying he killed the couple and the other that he helped dispose of the bodies. on our list, Other In October of 1982, Annette Cooper and her fianc Todd Schultz go missing from their home in Logan, Ohio. on, you went home. Would you like to receive our daily news? everyone wants it solved. crimes before that happened. Dale Johnston goes before Ohio supreme court in latest attempt to win wrongful imprisonment lawsuit against the state. Just last month, Johnston won a lawsuit for wrongful imprisonment in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. To hear the complete recorded audio of The Logan Dailys interview with Chester McKnight, please visit our website at www.logandaily.com. Create a password that only you will remember. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. pictures and write articles. There is a problem with your email/password. Thats fine, he said. They're accused in the 1982 deaths of teenagers Todd Schultz and Annette Cooper, who were engaged. Schultz lunged at McKnight, and McKnight reportedly drew his gun and shot Schultz first, and then Cooper when she screamed. And then things got out of hand.. Three original charges of aggravated murder, each of which carried the death penalty, were dropped as part of the plea agreement when co-defendant Chester McKnight refused to testify against Linscott. Signup today! Cooper's stepfather, Dale Johnston, was convicted of the murders in 1984 and sent to death row. If I am able to get everything that the state says Im allowed to have, thats still an insult when you figure what I lost, Johnston said. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. I always thought, Gee, I guess they dont All of us involved North claimed that McKnight and Linscott met Schultz and Cooper to "party," but that the men intended to rape Cooper and ultimately killed the couple. Its like this, I tell them Ive done ruined my life. LOGAN, Ohio (AP) - Sandra Schultz's worst nightmare came. Southeast Ohio District 13 Coaches' teams revealed, Federal Hocking outlasts Eastern to advance to District Finals. There was no trial date set for Linscott. I said, Because Dale I always carried a gun a .22 caliber, he said. they did DNA testing on the blood-covered evidence they have found, The Ohio supreme court heard arguments Wednesday in Johnston's latest attempt to win a wrongful imprisonment suit against the state. Drag images here or select from your computer for Margaret Annette Cooper memorial. The Hocking County Clerk of Courts office has no attorney listed for either. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Margaret Annette Cooper I found on Findagrave.com. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Past cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. The young couple was murdered in West Logan, their bodies mutilated before being buried in shallow graves. Try again later. After Dale Johnston's first conviction in 1984 and sentence of death, Ohio's Court of Appeal overturned his conviction in 1986 and ordered his retrial. Because he was never found innocent, double jeopardy been charged with the crime.Cooper-Johnston and Schultz were last Be Nice. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. I Email at [email protected]; Follow on Twitter @joehmessenger. McKnight also hasnt seen or heard from his mother, who reportedly lives somewhere near Nelsonville, in six years. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? If you cant prove You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! wasnt sure of the kind of vehicle, Johnston said. He is serving an unrelated 12-year prison sentence for sex crimes against children. We'd love to hear eyewitness The men face the death penalty if convicted of the slayings of Todd L. Schultz, 19, and his fiance, Annette Cooper, 18, near Logan on Oct. 4, 1982. that is degrading to another person. that is degrading to another person. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Both men pleaded not guilty. Editors Note: This is the second part of an interview with Chester McKnight, who pleaded guilty to the 1982 murders of teenagers Todd Schultz and Annette Cooper in Hocking County. Sara and Adam Lehman were both youngsters, 3 and 7 years old, in Logan at the time of the murders in 1982. for us and the families as well.Dale Johnston said he has found Its always open here, what hed be doing. Johnston, Coopers stepfather, was wrongly convicted of the homicides and spent seven years in prison, five on death row. Another individual by the name of Kevin Tex Meyers, who has since died, was reportedly at the Linscott home that evening, and began making sexual advances towards Cooper. Thanks for your help! Kenneth Linscott, 52, died at Hocking County Valley. Guilty By Popular Demand: A True Story of Small-Town Injustice, https://clcjbooks.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.png, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Book Reviews, https://clcjbooks.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/guilty-by-popular-demand.jpg. I would have just left it the way it was because my out date was in 2017, he said, explaining that at the time he confessed he was scheduled to be released from prison for a prior offense. Verify and try again. This account has been disabled. Finding that Johnston was wrongfully imprisoned is necessary to preserve the reputation for justice that the Ohio courts have elsewhere earned, attorney Todd Long said in a 2014 court filing. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. person will not be tolerated. After Schultz and Cooper were shot, they were . McKnight will be up for parole in 2037 when hes 79-years-old, but McKnight says hes sure hes never getting out of prison. Try again later. According to the Hocking County Sheriff's Office (HCSC), deputies responded to a . or anything. quite engaged, though theyd talked about it, and Greg said that Share with Us. Also, be sure to read an upcoming edition this week containing our interviews with members of the victims families and their reaction to Osinskis book.