Todd Warzecha

Background

Todd Warzecha was a prime suspect in two unsolved Mid-Michigan murders. Michigan State Police Det. Robert Lesneski said he should be considered a suspect in other killings and said it had never happened to him before that someone killed himself just before he was to ask for a DNA sample.

Warzecha was previously questioned about the deaths of four children in Oakland County in 1976-1977. Gorcyca said Warzecha was a target and a suspect for a long period of time.

Warzecha had been on the radar screen of law-enforcement officers in Mid Michigan. He was never charged in the Peck and Garcia murders.

The offence

Warzecha was a suspect in the 1972 murders of Bay County teenagers Norbert Peck and Oscar Garcia. The victims were left in ditches.

Police said that after Warzecha got out of prison, he tried to pick up a hitchhiker in Ogemaw County along I-75. He opened his car door, but as the man hitchhiking was getting in the car, the vehicle was rear-ended. The hitchhiker lost a leg in the accident, and investigators said the accident may have saved his life.

Warzecha was questioned in the 1976-1977 Oakland County child killings involving four children whose bodies were dumped along roads.

The four Oakland County victims and their circumstances were:

• Timothy King (11), who was kidnapped on March 16, 1977, outside a Birmingham pharmacy, and was later found.
• Mark Stebbins (12), who was abducted while walking to his Ferndale home in February 1976, and was later found.
• Jill Robinson (12), of Royal Oak, who disappeared on Dec. 22, 1976, and was later found.
• Kristin Mihelich (10), who was abducted 11 days later from a convenience store in Berkley, and was later found.

A further set of details described the children’s last known activities and how they were found:

• Mark Stebbin (12), last seen at an American Legion on February 17, 1976, with his body found two days later in Southfield; he was strangled and sexually assaulted post-mortem.
• Jill Robinson (12), who had an argument with her mother and told her mother she was running away on December 22, 1976; her body was found December 26 on the side of I-75 in Troy; she had been killed by a shotgun blast to the face.
• Kristine Mihelich (10), from Berkley, who disappeared on her way to a 7-11 in Berkeley on January 2, 1977, being found 19 days later, dumped on a rural road out in Franklin Village; she had been smothered.
• Timothy King (11), who disappeared March 16, 1977 and was found March 22 in a ditch in Livonia; he had been suffocated and sexually assaulted post-mortem.

Investigation

The Michigan State Police reopened a cold-case file on the 1972 homicides of two Bay County teenagers whose bodies were left in ditches, and officers flew to Texas to interview a suspect and take DNA samples.

Investigators were hoping DNA evidence from another case would hold clues to the 1976 slayings of four children in Oakland County. Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said the suicide could be “compelling evidence” in regards to the killings of four children in Oakland County in 1976.

Investigators described additional efforts to link the cases, including taking DNA samples from Warzecha’s body to determine if there was a match in the Oakland County homicides.

Gorcyca said if there was not a match, it could still help the case and that investigators could take him off the list as a potential suspect.

Gorcyca said the Oakland County child killings was probably one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in Oakland County besides (Jimmy) Hoffa.

Investigators expected tests on Warzecha’s DNA samples to take several months for results.

The analysis of the Oakland County child killings described:

• The victims were snatched off the street in safe areas and were held captive for a matter of days after the abduction.
• The victims showed signs of being well cared for and bathed.
• One victim even had a favorite dinner after the parent made a plea for the return and promised to serve a favorite meal.
• All victims were re-dressed in their own clothing with most of their belongings intact.
• There was evidence of sexual trauma on both boys and none on the girls.
• Police formed a task force of over 300 officers and support personel and received over 100,000 tips, with over 20,000 investigated seriously.
• Rumors and suspicions ran rampant, including a blue AMC Gremlin spotted near one of the snatch sites, which was ruled out or discounted.
• The task force received guidance including decoy ads in gay magazines and frequenting gay hangouts, since both boys had been sodomized post-mortem and neither girl had been sexually assaulted in any sort of obvious manner.
• A priest with a dubious reputation was investigated and later cleared.
• The killings were initially not believed related because victim selection and manners of death were so different.
• Eventually, comparisons suggested similarities, including abduction patterns and post-mortem sexual trauma.

Arrest

Warzecha was not described as being arrested in the material; instead, officers were to interview him and take DNA samples, and then found him hanging.

Arrest/Interviews in Texas; Death

Local 4 reported that officers flew to Texas Tuesday to interview Todd Warzecha and take DNA samples. Once in Texas, officers found the 53-year-old man hanging from the ceiling of a storage shed in an apparent suicide.

Lesneski said:

• “I think it's an interpretation, but that's my interpretation without a doubt,” and described the interpretation that Warzecha had something to hide and that was why he hung himself in an Austin, Texas, storage shed.

A detail described Warzecha’s suicide as occurring “last week” in Texas.

Trial

No trial proceedings were described.

Sentencing

No sentencing was described.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Todd Warzecha committed suicide by hanging himself in Texas instead of surrendering a sample of his DNA on June 9, 2005.

Investigators took DNA samples from Warzecha’s body to determine if there was a match in the Oakland County homicides.

Gorcyca stated:

• “He was a target and a suspect for a long period of time,”
• “I'm assuming (the lead investigator) is going to do the same thing, taking a closer look at Mr. Warzecha,”
• “The Oakland County child killings is probably one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in Oakland County besides (Jimmy) Hoffa,”
• “We can take him off the list as a potential suspect,”

Lesneski said:

• “I believe he knew I was there,”
• “He knew what I wanted, and I think he, forgive me for saying this, like I said I feel bad for the family, I think it's something he didn't want to face.” Lesneski also said that never happened to him before that someone killed himself just before he was to ask for a DNA sample.

Other details

Warzecha was 53 years old.

Warzecha graduated from the Bay City Handy school.

Warzecha had served two years in a prison for an attempted adduction and sexual assault against another Bay County resident.

Police said sometime after Warzecha got out of prison, he tried to pick up a hitchhiker in Ogemaw County along I-75.

The material stated Gorcyca said the suicide could be “compelling evidence” in regards to the killings of four children in Oakland County in 1976.

The material described comparisons started being made in the Oakland County case and that the similarities were glaring, including that all victims were snatched off the street and held captive for a matter of days and re-dressed in their own clothing.

The material described a plea in the media for help and the formation of a task force of over 300 officers and support personel.

The material described the task force taking a proactive approach including decoy ads in gay magazines and frequenting gay hangouts.

The material described rumors and suspicions, including that there was no connection between the kids other than living in the same county in a roughly close geographical area.

The material described the “Nay Nay, Stanger Stay Away” program brought into schools and that it featured a cute little pony who warned about the danger of strangers.

The material stated that the case grew cold with no solid suspects and no DNA at the time but investigators hoped they would someday catch a break.

The material described David Norberg as an initial suspect for the Oakland County Child Killings and some other violent crimes, and that Norberg died. The material described Norberg driving a blue Opal, that stopped not long after the killings, and later resumed after moving to Wyoming. The material stated Norberg died in a car accident not long after moving and described Norberg as violent and alleged to have sexually and physically assaulted his wife and his sister. The material described speculation that he had killed two girls other than the two who were victims of the OCCK. The material described a silver cross inscribed “Kristine” found among Norberg’s belongings, a St. Christopher's medal such as the one Timmy King wore that was never recovered, and a green worm pin similar to the one Jill Robinson routinely wore. The material described that Norberg’s DNA was tested and he was cleared.

The material also included a blog entry describing the author’s childhood recollection and feelings about the Oakland County child killings, and an interview about E! doing a special on serial killers featuring the case and an interview with Timmy King’s dad.