Cause of death Strangulation Known for Murder victim Occupation Student | Citizenship United States Name Murder Tina | |
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Full Name Tina Marie Harmon Died October 29, 1981 (1981-10-30) (aged 12)Creston, Ohio, United States | ||
The Solved Abduction and murder of Tina Harmon I Lost Lives #4
Tina Marie Harmon (born June 9, 1969 – October 29, 1981) was a 12-year-old American girl who was abducted, raped and murdered on October 29, 1981 after being dropped off in Lodi, Ohio. After the discovery of her body, she was later buried at the Maple Mound Cemetery. One man was originally convicted of the victim's murder on circumstantial evidence but was eventually released when the conviction was overturned. Harmon's murder was solved in 2010 when DNA from the individual who raped her was matched to Robert Anthony Buell.
Contents
- The Solved Abduction and murder of Tina Harmon I Lost Lives 4
- Case history
- Robert Anthony Buell
- References
Case history
Tina Harmon was reportedly last seen with a man in his twenties after she had been dropped off by her father's girlfriend in Lodi, Ohio. Harmon's body was later found next to an oil well site in a nearby town, five days after her abduction. Nutmeg-colored carpet fibers and dog hair were found on her clothing.
In 1982, Ernest Holbrook, Jr. and Henry Ray Rucker were convicted of both the rape and murder of Harmon, but after complications with the witnesses testimonies, one of them recanted. Rucker was given a new trial and was released in 1983.
Robert Anthony Buell
In 1984, Robert Anthony Buell was convicted of the 1982 murder of Krista Lea Harrison. The dog hairs on Harmon's body were matched to the ones found on a dog buried in Buell's yard, once DNA testing became possible. Buell was later matched to Harmon's murder by comparing his DNA samples with the ones found on Harmon's clothing several years later.
The nutmeg-colored carpet fibers that were found on both bodies of Harmon and Harrison matched as well. However, Buell was never tried for her murder. In 2002, Buell was executed for the murder of Harrison at age 62.