Jessica Lyn Keen, a murder victim, was killed in Foster Church Cemetery in West Jefferson, Ohio. Her case has appeared on the tv reveals “Unsolved Mysteries” and “On the Case with Paula Zahn” in addition to “Dead Silent on Investigation Discovery.”
Jessica Lyn Keen, 15, from Columbus, Ohio, is a star scholar, honor scholar and cheerleader. However, she stop cheerleading and her grades plummeted after assembly and falling in love with 18-year-old Sean Thompson, a boy from her faculty. Her dad and mom objected to her seeing the younger man, however didn’t know what to do.
On March 4, 1991, they reached out to Columbus’s toll-free helpline for assist. Huckleberry House, a house for troubled teenagers, gives two-week momentary lodging, particular person and household counseling periods.
Keene’s physique was discovered early on the morning of March 17 behind Foster Church Cemetery, 20 miles from the juvenile detention facility, two days after his disappearance. She was raped and overwhelmed. She nonetheless wears her ring and watch, however a pendant that claims “Take it” that her boyfriend gave her is lacking.
Her boyfriend is the prime suspect, however DNA testing proves he’s not accountable. Police suspect she escaped her captors and ran to the cemetery. Evidence from the cemetery suggests she tried to cover behind the gravestone – a pair of her socks had been discovered and knee prints in the dust behind the gravestone had been discovered subsequent to or close to the socks. She was killed close to the fence of the cemetery, presumably by her captors who had been following her.
Her household has since positioned a cross along with her title on it close to the cemetery fence the place her physique was discovered.
On April 9, 2008, Burlington, North Carolina police arrested Marvin Lee Smith Jr. Based on DNA proof, Smith was charged with performing an illegal sexual act on Keane, a felony, and was extradited to Ohio to face expenses.
In 2009, Smith pleaded responsible in Madison County courtroom to first-degree murder, affirming that he raped and murdered Keene. Evidence suggests Keane fled his automotive and bumped into Foster Chapel Cemetery, the place she hit a fence submit and fell. Keane was then overwhelmed to loss of life with a tombstone thrown over a close-by fence. Police reportedly discovered blood-stained fragments on the tombstone. In alternate for the responsible plea, Smith averted a loss of life penalty trial scheduled for March 2009. He pleaded responsible to 1 depend of aggravated murder with rape and murder and was sentenced to 30 years to life in jail.
