Amy’s Story
The information presented below is factual and has been provided by Amy Mihaljevic’s family to ensure accuracy and integrity.
The Amy We Loved, through her Father’s eyes
When Amy’s father, Mark Mihaljevic, speaks of Amy, you get the strong feeling that he sees her sitting there right beside him. He sees her now as she was in 1989. He recalls Amy’s interests and how her passions were beginning to blossom. He remembers vividly how she enjoyed playing with friends and riding her bike around the neighborhood. Amy loved her family’s beloved dog, Jake. Mark chuckled when describing Amy’s dog training abilities, “I remember when Amy trained Jake to wait patiently until given the command to eat a dog biscuit that Amy had placed on its nose.”
Amy loved horses. She took lessons at Holly Hill Farms in Avon Lake. Mark described Amy’s love of drawing things, especially animals. “Amy was very artistic; she loved drawing pink polka-dotted horses and even made a three-legged, pink polka-dotted pig.”
Although Amy had a strong desire to work with animals when she grew up, her dad fondly remembers her true ambition. One day Amy confidently declared, “When I grow up, I want to be President of the United States.” Until then, Amy would take her dog Jake, every Thursday morning with her dad by their side, to deliver newspapers around the neighborhood. Mark described Amy as a tomboy. She and her dad enjoyed hanging out at the track, watching stock car races from the stands together. She loved to smile often, yet her laughter was soft and controlled. In Amy’s ten short years, she absorbed life to its fullest, shared her enthusiasm, and delighted in the simple things in life. Amy was just a child, but she was already thinking of what she could accomplish as an adult. Amy did not have the opportunity to see those dreams come true, but her dad made it clear that her dreams never faded away from his heart and mind. The Amy we love will never be forgotten and will forever be in our hearts.
The Event
On October 27, 1989, ten-year-old Amy Mihaljevic was kidnapped from the Bay Square Shopping Center parking lot in Bay Village. She left the last safe space at Bay Village Middle School around 2:10 pm and walked to the shopping center. She was last seen near the Baskin-Robins Ice Cream store, which was right across from the former police station and current-day city hall, between 2:20 pm and 2:30 pm.
Amy was a 10-year-old little girl who was taken, in broad daylight, right across the street from the Police Department.
Before her abduction, Amy was contacted via telephone by the man, who arranged to meet her after school on October 27 on the pretext of buying a gift for her mother for a job-related promotion. He had called her more than once.
Eyewitnesses at the Bay Square Shopping Center saw Amy speaking with a white male, estimated to be in his 30s. Amy was last seen walking through the parking lot with the male.
The Search for Amy
For months, Amy’s family, friends, investigators, and thousands of volunteers searched for answers. Her case generated enormous public interest and became the focus of one of the largest criminal investigations in Ohio history. Law-enforcement agencies received thousands of leads and conducted countless interviews in an effort to locate her and identify the person responsible.
The case was featured nationally, including on the television program America’s Most Wanted, helping keep Amy’s story in the public eye.
The Discovery
On February 8, 1990, Amy’s body was discovered by a jogger in a farm field close to the road, off County Road 1181 in Ruggles Township (rural Ashland County, Ohio). The discovery brought a heartbreaking end to months of hope that she might be found alive. Authorities determined that Amy, at the tender age of 10, had been the victim of sexual assault and homicide. Her cause of death was a combination of stab wounds to the neck and a blow to her head. Amy was 10.
According to investigators, Amy's body was most likely left in a field shortly after her abduction. Evidence recovered from the scene has continued to be examined and re-examined over the decades as forensic technology has advanced. Several personal items Amy had with her on the day she disappeared—including horse-themed earrings, a black binder with “Buick, Best in Class” written on it, a pair of black ankle boots, and a denim backpack—have never been recovered.
The Investigation
The investigation into Amy’s abduction and murder has never been forgotten, never set aside, and never treated as a cold case. More than three decades later, detectives are still fighting for her — following every lead, re‑examining every piece of evidence, and refusing to let her story fade into silence. Her photo still sits on their desks.
Over the years, investigators have followed thousands of tips, spoken with countless witnesses, and revisited the case again and again as new forensic tools emerged. Every new detail, every new connection, continues to push the investigation forward.
Advances in DNA technology have brought renewed hope, but they come with enormous cost. In recent years alone, the Police Department has spent more than $100,000 on Forensic and DNA analysis in the pursuit of Amy’s killer. The Amy Fund provides immediate access to additional funds for these specialized forensic tests.
The Bay Village Police Department and the FBI remain committed to finding the truth. They know Amy deserves justice — no matter how much time has passed.
This is why support matters. Every dollar helps fuel the work that continues behind the scenes: the testing, the re‑testing, the expert analysis, the leads that must be followed even when they seem impossibly small. It keeps the investigation alive. It keeps hope alive.
And it keeps the promise that Amy will never be forgotten.
Amy’s Legacy
Amy’s story left an emotional mark on her community. In the years after her death, her case became a powerful symbol of why child‑safety awareness and community vigilance matter so deeply.
More than thirty years have passed, yet Amy’s presence is still felt deeply across Northeast Ohio and far beyond. Time has never dimmed her memory. Her name continues to stand for the unwavering determination of a family, a community, and investigators who refuse to stop searching for the truth.
Amy Mihaljevic was never just the victim of an unsolved crime. She was a daughter who lit up her home, a sister who shared bike rides and laughter, a friend whose kindness made others feel seen, a student with creativity and promise, and a little girl who adored horses and dreamed about the future she deserved to grow into.
Those who knew her don’t remember a case — they remember a child. They remember her bright smile, her gentle spirit, and the joy she brought simply by being herself. Her life, though heartbreakingly short, left an imprint that still moves people to care, to protect, and to keep fighting for justice in her name.
Today, her memory lives on through continued efforts to find the truth, honor her life, and ensure that she is never forgotten. Amy is Forever in Our Hearts.
Current Community Efforts Intensify
The unimaginable amount of sadness is comforted by our community's continued commitment to ensure we have enough money in The Amy Fund. As test(s) for the needed DNA/Forensics become available, the Bay Village Police Department will not have to wait until grant funds are approved or until yearly budgets are finalized to take action on the evidence. We can’t let money stand in the way of Justice for Amy. Our community wants to support this investigation in every way we can, and right now, that way is fundraising.
Chief Gillespie (BVPD), during an interview with news anchor Nichole Vrsansky of Channel 19, provided candid information regarding what the funds will be used for:
Bay Village police chief explains how Amy Fund donations help solve cold case.
Please visit our opportunities to help page for more information on our fundraising efforts.
This community has made significant efforts to raise thousands of dollars to assist with the financial support of solving this case. Justice will be found through forensic analysis, DNA testing, and law enforcement’s relentless pursuit of Amy’s killer.
The ongoing collaborative effort between the Bay Village Police Department, the FBI, and other supporting law enforcement agencies is linked with our commitment to get this case solved. Now!
Let’s get it done!
Let’s get it solved!
Justice for Amy is coming!
Opportunities to Donate
We encourage you to join us in the fight to bring this killer to justice. Your generous donation will have an immediate impact on solving this case.
The Mihaljevic family thanks you, the law enforcement thanks you, and our community thanks you for donating to the pursuit of justice.
1) The Amy Mihaljevic Go Fund Me, set up by the Mihaljevic family.
2) The Amy Mihaljevic 5K, Walk & Kids Dash
*All money from The Amy Fund, a line-item in the city's budget, is designated for Amy’s investigation.
News Coverage Links:
An exclusive look inside the DNA lab testing evidence in the Amy Mihaljevic case.
Bay Village police chief explains how Amy Fund donations help solve cold case
Justice For Amy
Anyone With Information
The Amy Mihaljevic investigation is an open, active investigation. The FBI and the Bay Village Police Department continue to accept information regarding Amy’s murder. Anyone with credible information about the case is encouraged to contact law enforcement or complete the Amy Mihaljevic Investigation Tip Sheet.
Bay Village Police Department
Criminal Investigation Division
Detective Sergeant Edward Chapman
echapman@cityofbayvillage.gov
(440) 899-3485
Additional Resources
